On paper, James Franco’s “In Dubious Battle” is bringing the right ingredients. It’s got acclaimed source material in the novel by John Steinbeck, and a pretty great ensemble to bring it to life including Franco himself, plus Vincent D’Onofrio, Selena Gomez, Ed Harris, Sam Shepard, Robert Duvall, Nat Wolff, Analeigh Tipton, and Bryan Cranston. But one thing Franco has working against him is a spotty track record behind the camera, which he’ll be looking to overcome here.
With a premiere at the Venice Film Festival just days away, followed by a North American bow in Toronto, many eyes will be on “In Dubious Battle.” The film tells the story of exploited workers during the Great Depression who rise up for better treatment and wages. Here’s the official synopsis:
Set in the orchards of California Valley in the dirty ’30s, Steinbeck’s tale follows two young idealists from “The Party” who are appalled by the orchards’ terrible working conditions and set out to organize the fruit pickers. Having arrived from out of town, Mac McLeod (Franco) and Jim Nolan (Nat Wolff ) are met with skepticism and some outright hostility when they first suggest unionizing. Most of the pickers simply want to work and get paid, even if they are being mercilessly exploited. Mac and Jim realize that their progress depends on convincing local elder Al Anderson (Vincent D’Onofrio). He’s a hard nut, but could be won over after Mac helps his daughter-in-law, Lisa (Selena Gomez), when she goes into labour. Surrounding the two activists is a cast of eclectic characters with varying loyalties, among them the ruthless orchard owner (Robert Duvall), who is determined to crack down on any strike action.
No release date or distributor yet for the picture, but that’s one of the reasons “In Dubious Battle” will be making a globe-trotting journey over the next couple of weeks.