John Steinbeck wrote the novel upon which the film was based. One can enjoy it on a surface level, getting to know the characters as they ride a broken down old bus to San Juan, meandering their way along dusty, “washboard “ roads and across flooded bridges; or, one can learn their stories, as secrets, greed, innocence, hatred, and true love is revealed by what they say to each other and themselves. At times, one wonders what is the “point” in all this, but I don’t believe there is one. Seeing the individuality of each character, and the beauty and ugliness that they all share, I think, is a gift given to us by
Steinbeck himself.