An American youth is driven to desperation trying to win his father's love. Based on the classic Steinbeck novel ... a modern story of Cain and Abel set against the approach of World War One. Read more
| Starring | James Dean, Raymond Massey, Julie Harris, Jo Van Fleet |
|---|---|
| Director | Elia Kazan |
| Genres | Drama |
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An American youth is driven to desperation trying to win his father's love. Based on the classic Steinbeck novel ... a modern story of Cain and Abel set against the approach of World War One.
| Starring | James Dean, Raymond Massey, Julie Harris, Jo Van Fleet |
|---|---|
| Director | Elia Kazan |
| Studio | WARNER HOME VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 52 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | English |
| Released | DVD: 06 Jun 2005 Production year: 1955 |
| Format | DVD |
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John Steinbeck's sprawling, wordy novel here becomes a sprawling, wordy movie about two brothers vying for their father's love. It's Cain and Abel territory and the biblical parallels are rammed home by Elia Kazan's heavy-handed direction and Paul Osborn's at times too turgid script. The film drags rather and has dated badly, but it's still well worth seeing, for one main reason, of course: James Dean's first starring role, in which he came to embody the frustrations of American teenagers. It was writer Osborn who recommended Dean, though Kazan was set on casting Marlon Brando, but when Kazan met Dean — a heap of twisted legs and denim rags, looking resentful for no particular reason — he recognised the potential.
Kazan brilliantly uses CinemaScope to portray the vast, lush landscapes and moody interiors, and coaxes rousing performances from his cast, including James Dean in his first film role as a rebellious teenager.
Oh god, first film I ever saw with James Dean and it was awful. Hardly stuck to the plot of the book, and jumped in to the middle of the story missing everything out that made the characters act in the way that they did.
Avoid at all costs, go and read the book.
This is only a small part of the Steinbeck saga, but it makes an excellent film that way. Despite the excellent performances by Julie Harris, et al, James Dean walks off with the film- he makes his hateful, self-pitying nasty little brat character human, forgivable and captivating- which is all that the film hangs on- you must empathise with him despite everything he does or you won't enjoy this.
Its hard to imagine anyone watching this film and not being moved by it.