# Film Versions of Of Mice and Men? Your favorite? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 28, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214 "2010-11-28T23:01:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/1 "2010-11-28T23:01:20Z")
Channel surfing and stumbled on a version of Of Mice and Men, with a young Robert Blake as George and Randy Quaid, as Lenny. Always a good story. I remember years ago seeing a version with John Malcovich as Lenny, {who was George} I thought it would suck because John wore a padded suit to be Lenny, but his acting was so good I soon forgot about the suit. I know there’s an early black and white version with Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney Jr which I’ve never seen. Are there any other versions that you’ve liked? Any altered versions of the same basic story? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/2 "2010-11-28T23:05:48Z")
I’ve only seen (and have on DVD) the 1939 version with Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr. It’s so firmly entrenched, I don’t know if any other versions would meet my expectations. And Meredith and Chaney were the basis for some Warner Brothers characters. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/3 "2010-11-28T23:28:18Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’ve only seen (and have on DVD) the 1939 version with Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr. It’s so firmly entrenched, I don’t know if any other versions would meet my expectations. > > And Meredith and Chaney were the basis for some Warner Brothers characters. 😉 Also some MGM characters: “Gee, George, ya sure are smart, George!” ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/4 "2010-11-29T01:16:54Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’ve only seen (and have on DVD) the 1939 version with Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr. It’s so firmly entrenched, I don’t know if any other versions would meet my expectations. > > And Meredith and Chaney were the basis for some Warner Brothers characters. 😉 That’s the only one I haven’t seen. I’ll have to see if I can find a copy. I wasn’t familiar with the reference when the big dog did “which way did he go” But I remember a Rocky and Bullwinkle in which Boris shot Rocky with a stupid ray, and Rocky said “Tell me about the Rabbits George” ---
**Author:** ![Dennis3240](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eada6e/32.png) [@Dennis3240](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dennis3240)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/5 "2010-11-29T01:28:03Z")
I have only seen the version where John Malkovich plays Lenny and it is quite good. John Malkovich does an awesome acting job! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/6 "2010-11-29T01:35:50Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > That’s the only one I haven’t seen. I’ll have to see if I can find a copy. [Amazon rental](http://www.amazon.com/Of-Mice-and-Men/dp/B000RI6GUI/ref=pd_vodsm_B000RI6GUI), four bucks. Buy it for ten. [Clips](http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&tbs=vid%3A1&q=%22of+mice+and+men%22+burgess&aq=f&aqi=&aql=f&oq=&gs_rfai=). ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/7 "2010-11-29T03:34:19Z")
The first version I saw was the 1968 TV production with George Segal as George & Nicol Williamson as Lennie. I was just a kid, but I thought it was quite good. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/8 "2010-11-30T00:16:53Z")
I just recently re-wated the Gary Sinise/John Malkovich version. I really like it. I vaguely remember seeing the Chaney/Meredith version. ---
**Author:** ![HeadNinja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b4bc9f/32.png) [@HeadNinja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeadNinja)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/9 "2010-11-30T14:41:25Z")
Chris Farley was an excellent Lennie, in the seldom seen two Lennie version. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/10 "2010-11-30T22:55:36Z")
Another fan of the Malkovich/Sinise version (both Steppenwolf Theater alums). I’ve also always had a crush on Sherilyn Fenn. ---
**Author:** ![amorrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@amorrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amorrow)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/11 "2011-05-14T18:59:57Z")
> [@B.Serum](#): > > Another fan of the Malkovich/Sinise version (both Steppenwolf Theater alums). I’ve also always had a crush on Sherilyn Fenn. Another place to start might be [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Of\_Mice\_and\_Men\_in\_popular\_culture#In\_cartoons\_and\_animation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Of_Mice_and_Men_in_popular_culture#In_cartoons_and_animation) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/12 "2011-05-15T04:05:44Z")
The original Burgess Meredith version is the only one I’ve seen and the only one I’ll ever see. I don’t care how good the others are. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/13 "2011-05-15T13:16:45Z")
> [@HeadNinja](#): > > Chris Farley was an excellent Lennie, in the seldom seen two Lennie version. I saw the SNL skit & it was more recent than that. I’d have to look up who played the Lennies. I’m pretty sure Chris Farley was long deceased. Btw, while I remember Blake/Quaid fondly, Meredith/Chaney is a MUST. And I still have yet to see the Sinise/Malkovitz version. Both seriously & as a My Name Is Earl parody, I think Jason Lee & Ethan Suplee would be great in the roles. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/14 "2011-05-15T15:56:51Z")
> [@B.Serum](#): > > Another fan of the Malkovich/Sinise version (both Steppenwolf Theater alums). I’ve also always had a crush on Sherilyn Fenn. Another vote for that version. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/15 "2011-05-15T16:00:53Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > I saw the SNL skit & it was more recent than that. I’d have to look up who played the Lennies. I’m pretty sure Chris Farley was long deceased. Wasn’t it [Bobby Moynihan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Moynihan)? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/16 "2011-05-15T16:14:18Z")
The “Two Lennies” skit aired on [October 23, 1993](http://snltranscripts.jt.org/93/93d.phtml) and featured Chris Farley and John Malkovich (guest host) as the pair. An excellent book, but the Malkovich/Sinise version is the only one we’ve seen. We both liked it. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/film-versions-of-of-mice-and-men-your-favorite/562214/17 "2011-05-15T16:21:01Z")
I pouted when I had to read the book in my freshman english class. Ended up loving the hell out of it. I’ve only seen the Malkovich version myself as well. Loved it. Other’s may be subjectively superior, but I thought this version pretty faithful to the source and the acting was great.