Original 20th Century-Fox One Sheet poster for the John Ford iconic drama, THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940) starring Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, and John Carradine. This film is the story of the Joad family, who are forced to leave their land in Oklahoma because of drought and poverty. The characters are exquisitely brought to life from the pages of the John Steinbeck novel. Stunning black and white cinematography by Gregg Toland enhances the overwhelming feeling of desperation and emptiness that suffuses the entire film. When the Joads decide to abandon the dustbowl of Oklahoma and go to California to get jobs they’ve only heard about, they encounter every hardship imaginable along the way. And when they do finally arrive, they are forced to live in shantytowns and work for wages that barely prevent starvation. With incredibly powerful performances from the entire cast, this film remains a shockingly realistic yet poetic portrayal of the sufferings so many families experienced in the Great Depression. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. John Ford won the Oscar for Best Director and Jane Darwell deservedly won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her unforgettable performance as Ma Joad. This spectacularly memorable cast is shown together in front of the art work by Thomas Hart Benton which was used for the campaign. This original one sheet is a top-tier example. We have graded it Very Fine Plus. Very minor
touch up at the folds and expertly linen-backed.