Tom Joad returns from prison to his Oklahoma home; he is barely in time to join his family on their arduous trek to California, having just quit their Dust Bowl-ravaged farm. Truly, “the highway is alive tonight” as Ford’s genius creates one of cinema’s greatest artistic triumphs. Jane Darwell is unforgettable as the indomitable mother who refuses to give up hope – and she remains a beacon of light for those still suffering hardship today.