The treacly opening and ending undermine what is otherwise a pretty strong drama about poverty, full of little scenes pointing the problems with the idealization of "the simple life."

Powerful

Yes, this movie is over-sentimental and wears all its earnestness plainly on its sleeve. But I'm such an ol' softie that it got right to me. I loved watching this family of flawed characters, with a richness and complexity that was just beginning to take shape in Hollywood. The story sometimes gets to the brink of romanticizing poverty, and each time undercuts it with harsh reality or bitterness. The cast is wonderful, endearing even in their darkest moments. A lovely and heartbreaking film.

As a fan of the book, I found this film disappointing. The script is a pretty unfaithful adaptation and it simply lacks the heart of the novel. As a fan of director Elia Kazan, I was also disappointed. The direction and performances were fine, but they mostly lacked the greatness I would expected from those involved. A rather forgettable effort and one of the few films that I'd like to see remade today.