really? the book is probably on my top ten best books ive ever read, but the movie really ruined it imo, they took out the first half of the book and no ones acting was particularly convincing, except maybe james dean. not to mention he is one of the most hottest men who have ever graced this earth with their presence. lol but i have to say i was unimpressed, i wouldnt have even watched it through ad through had it not been for the glorious james dean. hehehe
I liked it a lot and possibly more than any other Dean movie. I don't think he's a great actor though, a good part of his career is based on image and looks. He's probably one of the first male film icons who successfully used photography among other things to create an image. I thought his acting was very theatrical but convincing to me and from what I read a couple of scenes weren't rehearsed, he just improvised there (i.e the scene where his dad rejected all that money and Dean suddenly starts hugging him). I haven't read the book yet...Steinberg is an awesome author.
Actually, the best movie is "Giant." Soap opera plot used Texas to show the class struggle if you will. Dean was great as the lower class Jett Rink. One of the few times the movie was better than the book. If you think Dean was not good actor....I just say..."What the hell have you been smoking?" If he had lived he would have been the greatest American actor.
This ones a CLASSIC!I love the chemistry between Jimmy Dean and Julie Harris as Cal and Abra.The ferris wheel scene is the best.
And I'm going to revive it again! I've yet to see this version. I saw the remake 1981 series with Jane Seymour and Timothy Bottoms (with Sam Bottoms and Karen Allen as Cal and Abra), but it focussed more on Kate than it did on Cal as it did in the movie. I really must see this one.
In the 1980s there was a television miniseries version of EAST OF EDEN starring Jane Seymour. Actor Timothy Carey, who had an uncredited role in the James Dean film version (the bouncer in Jo Van Fleet's brothel) also was in the TV miniseries version, as a preacher, I think. Carey was also in ONE-EYED JACKS, PATHS OF GLORY and a few other great movies. He was a favorite of Stanley Kubrick.
