Steinbeck's "Of Mice & Men"... I saw the film with Burgess Meridith and Lon Chaney Jr. as a kid & later read the story... both worked well.

I haven't seen the latest version & probably won't bother... I tracked down the DVD of the first & I'm content with that. I think that film was as fine as any I've seen... and still get an emotional response just thinking of some of the great scenes even after all these years.