The Grapes of Wrath
1940 Nominee

100 Words
Henry, I’m Fond-a your work (and your daughter’s work, more on the other Jane later). Another win for Best Director powerhouse John Ford in the books, this Steinbeck classic, sans its controversial and supremely confusing (especially for a high-schooler) ending, reminds us of the kind of strong American stock we come from. Our ancestors trekked across the dust bowl, scraping together their meals so that we could talk about them on the Internet ad nauseum. Jane Darwell more than earned her Supporting Actress win and frankly, it’s one rare occasion when the film might be preferable to its relentless source.