Page "Of Mice and Men (1939 film)" Paragraph 4

At the ranch, the dream appears to move closer to reality.

Candy ( Roman Bohnen ), the aged, one-handed ranch-hand, even offers to pitch in with Lennie and George so they can buy the farm by the end of the month.

The dream crashes when Lennie accidentally kills the young and attractive wife ( Betty Field ) of Curley ( Bob Steele ), the ranch owner's son, while trying to stroke her hair.

A lynch mob led by Curley gathers.

George, realizing he is doomed to a life of loneliness and despair like the rest of the migrant workers and wanting to spare Lennie a painful death at the hands of the furious and violent Curley, shoots Lennie in the back of the head before the mob can find him after George gives him one last retelling of their dream of owning their own land.