The Story of a Novel That Isn’t Necessarily Better Than the Movie

How ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ went from a bestselling book to classic film

Production of “The Grapes of Wrath” in 1940. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

John Steinbeck didn’t think movie studios would be interested in the book he was writing. On Jul. 5, 1938, Steinbeck sent a letter to his agent. “I am quite sure no picture company would want this new book whole and it is not for sale…