It is very rare to come across a film that was made in the 1940's, which is still analyzed and compared amongst today's movies. The Grapes of Wrath, although made almost 65 years ago can still hold its own. The true art of this film doesn't come from what was used to make it, but what wasn't used. Even though it was created well before blue screens, computer graphics, or even color picture, this film has an incredibly vibrant and immersing set, even when compared to today's technology. .
In the Scene when Tom Joad and Jim Casy are walking to his house, when Tom has just returned from jail, is completely taken over by the scenery. The background is full of dead trees and land in despair in a style that probably is hard to imitate in today's movie production without actually building the set. The dead land serves as foreshadowing for what lies ahead once Toms house is reached. The gray color in the sky and the dead rolling hills that lead up to it create a mood that is hard to capture. Also, when the Joad family finally reaches a farm in which they can find work and they pass through the gathering of fellow migrant workers, even though there is no color you can almost feel the brown dirt in the air and yellow tint to their old clothing. This proves that in some cases, color doesn't have anything to do with the feel a particular scene. Rather it is the director's creativity and attention to details. In some cases, true talent is shown when you might forget your watching a black and white movie all together for a few seconds. .
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Another of the film's great attributes is its character setup. Most of the characters are meant to represent something. The Pregnant character Rose of Sharon is supposed to Represent hope and new beginning, seeing that she has a baby on the way. Ma and Pa Joad are supposed to represent the old way of life. With their passing, it is clear that things will never be the same again.