• a film based on a novel
  
• action film
• science fiction film
• historical film
• love story
• romance
• children’s film

• (animated) cartoon
• war film
• comedy
• documentry film
• political thriller

• Gary Sinise who also directed and produced this film, plays George Small

• the director uses an adaptation of a novel
• Of Mice and Men is a film directed by Gary Sinise,
  from a screenplay by Gordon Foote, based on the novel by Steinbeck
• Gary Sinise tinkers little with Steinbeck’s essential narrative
  
• to develop a story patiently
• to bring a [...] pace/tone to a film
• to draw attention to
• to place emphasis on
• to highlight certain scenes
• to create a certain atmosphere/mood

• Malkovich’s portrayal of big, simple, naive Lennie attracts the most attention
• Sinise, in the quieter, caretaking role, achieves at least as much
• Sinise does a very good job as George
• Malkovich gives the part much personality
• a film starring Gary Sinise and John Malkovich
• as George, the smaller, smarter migrant worker who has fallen reluctantly into the role of Lennie’s protector, Sinise is especially sympathetic
• Malkovich is a star, not a character actor
• Ray Walston as Candy registers a heartbreaking performance as the old man who says, “I wish someone would shoot me when I’m of no use anymore.“
• Walston plays the old man on the farm and I feel that he adds a lot to the film
• among the other noteworthy performances are those of Casey Siemaszko as the brutish Curly, Sherilyn Fenn, his unnamed wife, and Joe Morton, the broken stable hand.
• the film is sensitive to it source and the debut of a great new movie talent
• the movie highlights the talents of Gary Sinise and John Malkovich
• there isn’t a hint of overacting in Sinise’s performance
• what is most remarkable about Gary Sinise’s performance is that he does not allow his character to be overshadowed by Malkovich’s Lennie
• John Malkovich, better known for his villain roles in movies like Dangerous Liaisons, and In the Line of Fire, is absolutely remarkable as the mentally retarded Lennie
• what Malkovich never does is fall into parody.
• John Malkovich’s character is very realistic and you never get the feeling that you are watching an actor playing Lennie. You are watching Lennie.
• Sinise’s mature and deeply affecting interpretation
• John Malkovich completely succeeds at re-interpreting Lennie while not straying far from familiar ground
• John Malkovich’s Lennie is at turns genuinely heartbreaking, infuriating, and terrifying.
• to play a role convincingly/passionately
• an actor fits/does not fit into the role of

• Lennie is played by John Malkovich
• the relationship between characters
• a character can be: honest/dishonest; ambitious; lazy; fascinating; cold-blooded; hard-hearted; full of understanding; generous; mean; likeable; big-hearted; hardened; sympathetic; evil

• it is as fine a story as it is simple
• the story of the film is as pure and lean as the original fable which formed in Steinbeck’s mind
• to be full of tension
• to arouse curiosity; to be exciting/thrilling/boring/convincing/ confusing/humorous/ entertaining/amusing/melodramatic
• to build up to/to reach a climax
• to gain/to lose momentum
• an improbable finale § to let tension unravel
• to develop a story

• screenwriter Horton Foote
• Horton Foote’s screenplay leaves most of the book intact
• the script was written by Horton Foote
• he maintains the simplicity of the story without bogging it down with Hollywood hype
• Horton Foote successfully adapted two of America’s most classic novels (To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men) to create two of America’s most classic films
• the screenplay adds sequences to the story
• to contain convincing/realistic dialogues
• to be plausible
• to be witty
• to give characters the opportunity to...
• stilted dialogues
• to foreshadow s. th.

• a novel is made into a movie
• to use an adaptation of a novel
• adaptive problems
• the film follows the novel very closely
• by most measures this is a very good adaptation of a great book
• the film is an adaptation of an often dramatized novel
• the film follows the novel very closely.

• sound
• the actors speak clearly
• they talk too fast
• the music conveys a sad/happy/melancholy atmosphere

• the film gets extremely dramatic in places
• the film was stunningly photographed in California’s Santa Ynez Valley, a rolling land of golden grass and live oaks
• one of the most poignant scenes of the movie
• the film gets extremely dramatic in places.
  
• the budget
• to shoot a film
• to release a film
• the audience
• a theme is far fetched
• a film is close to reality
• a film is shot on location.

• an enduringly popular movie
• Horton Foote has been nominated for three screenplay Oscars winning two: one for 1983’s Tender Mercies and the other for 1962’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
• I definitely recommend this film to everybody
• on a scale from zero to five, I give Of Mice and Men a five
• a moving production
• the film literally brought tears to my eyes
• the film does succeed in capturing Steinbeck’s special feeling for the land
• the film marks the introduction of director-star Gary Sinise as one of the future lights of Hollywood
• I recommend Of Mice and Men without reservation
• the film is visually beautiful
• The film is sensitive to it source and the debut of a great new movie talent
• the film is beautifully filmed showing the great American countryside.
• I highly recommend the film.
• a truly great piece of a film
• I definitely recommend this film to everybody.
• both, the setting and photography of this film are top notch.

a film can be: beautiful/fantastic/super/entertaining/amusing/funny/exciting/silly/
boring/lousy/stupid/unrealistic/badly acted/overacted