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East Of Eden Reviews

1955

70
from 1924 members

The 24-year old idol-to-be James Dean plays Cal, a wayward Salinas Valley youth who vies for the affection of his hardened father (Raymond Massey) with his favored brother Aron (Richard Davalos). Playing off the haunting sensitivity of Julie Harris, Dean's performance earned one of the film's four Academy Award nominations. .. Read more

Starring	James Dean, Raymond Massey, Julie Harris, Jo Van Fleet
Director	Elia Kazan
Genres	Drama

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Critic's review of East Of Eden
View all critics' reviews (2)
- 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.
- 34769
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:44
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Most helpful member's review of East Of Eden
View all members' reviews (19)
- - 13
  - 3
  East of Eden
  
  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 ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 125248
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - a customer
  - North West UK
  - 19 Jul 2005 at 20:40
Most recent members' reviews of East Of Eden
View all members' reviews (19)
- - 0
  - 1
  East of Eden
  
  This film was dull and boring; the acting was painful and the period features were laughable, especially James Dean's 1950's hairstyle and clothes in a ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1011433
- - a customer
  - 30 Jun 2011 at 09:53
- - 0
  - 0
  Poor adaptation of the novel
  
  I found this to be a dull and superficial adaptation of East of Eden. Much of the depth and meaning of the novel seemed to be absent, leaving just a husk of the... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 952117
- - JamesAndLauren
  - 3 reviews
  - UK
  - 09 Jan 2011 at 12:25
- - 0
  - 0
  East of Eden
  
  What can I say about James Dean other than I rate him up there with the likes of Patrick Swayze and Mel Gibson.
  
  He has the ability of making you feel... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 879337
- - laneyb
  - 181 reviews
  - Rochester, Kent
  - 02 Apr 2010 at 00:05
- - 0
  - 0
  East of Eden
  
  ONE OF THE FEW GREAT NOVELS THAT
  
  TRANSLATES EQUALLY WELL INTO FILM. I read the book first, and sometimes the film never quite lives up to the book. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 843499
- - daisymaisy
  - 51 reviews
  - Tonbridge
  - 30 Dec 2009 at 22:04
- - 1
  - 0
  A Great Movie
  
  Forget the other reviews - this is a great movie, and like all great movies repays repeated viewing. Skilfully adapted from the last third of Steinbeck's ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 660301
- - a customer
  - Lewes
  - 17 Nov 2008 at 19:28
- - 0
  - 0
  My partbner's choice - quite a "man" film
  
  Still very goodxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  
  Report this review
- 638437
- - a customer
  - Redhill
  - 03 Oct 2008 at 10:54
- - 5
  - 1
  Rebel,rebel your film is a mess.
  
  I have no doubt that when he first appeared on screen, people (particularly teenagers) must have worshipped this bloke.
  
  However, nowadays, for me ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 520777
- - Robert Dawson
  - Cardiff,Wales.
  - 01 Feb 2008 at 21:33
- - 1
  - 0
  A Legend!
  
  I saw this film originally so long ago now but seeing it again recently really makes you realise just how big a movie star James Dean had become in such a short... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 451225
- - a customer
  - England
  - 19 Jun 2007 at 14:41
- - 1
  - 0
  You have to forget the book- its great!
  
  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 ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 442647
- - jennifer claire
  - Ireland
  - 22 May 2007 at 21:25
- - 1
  - 0
  Not true to the novel
  
  It's not that it's a bad film but I don't think you have to read the book to realise it starts about halfway (more) intot he novel. A total shame ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 432395
- - Alex Pierre-Traves
  - London
  - 22 Apr 2007 at 08:25
View all members' reviews (19)

- - 13
  - 3
  East of Eden
  
  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 ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 125248
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - a customer
  - North West UK
  - 19 Jul 2005 at 20:40
- - 5
  - 0
  The film is NOT the book!
  
  This film covers only a small portion of the BRILLIANT BOOK so don't expect it to have the same satisfying depth. However, taken in its own right, an ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 271177
- - a customer
  - Isle of Man
  - 03 Aug 2006 at 22:19
- - 5
  - 1
  Rebel,rebel your film is a mess.
  
  I have no doubt that when he first appeared on screen, people (particularly teenagers) must have worshipped this bloke.
  
  However, nowadays, for me ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 520777
- - Robert Dawson
  - Cardiff,Wales.
  - 01 Feb 2008 at 21:33
- - 3
  - 0
  East of Eden
  
  Excellent acting especially by James Dean
  
  Real life drama in a small town in America. There was an interesting exchange between the German and the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 116064
- - a customer
  - st.albans, England
  - 20 Jun 2005 at 14:14
- - 3
  - 0
  Dean shows class
  
  James Dean's performance is incredible. Worth a look to see some fine acting.
  
  Report this review
- 208865
- - a customer
  - N.I
  - 20 Feb 2006 at 04:11
- - 2
  - 0
  Terrible
  
  This film should have been excellent: it's based on a wonderful novel with a great plot and beautiful, spare imagery. The film, on ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 373322
- - a customer
  - England
  - 12 Oct 2006 at 13:15
- - 2
  - 0
  read the book
  
  this film is basically an excuse for James Dean to strut around your TV screen for an hour or so. This is one of my favourite books, however in this film the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 394858
- - a customer
  - oxford
  - 15 Dec 2006 at 00:02
- - 1
  - 0
  The Dangerous Brothers
  
  As any fule no, this film is a mild reworking of the biblical 'Cain and Abel' yarn, but also, far more crucially, one of Jimmy Dean's 3 movies. The... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 403533
- - a customer
  - Brighton, UK
  - 18 Jan 2007 at 15:05
- - 1
  - 0
  Not true to the novel
  
  It's not that it's a bad film but I don't think you have to read the book to realise it starts about halfway (more) intot he novel. A total shame ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 432395
- - Alex Pierre-Traves
  - London
  - 22 Apr 2007 at 08:25
- - 1
  - 0
  You have to forget the book- its great!
  
  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 ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 442647
- - jennifer claire
  - Ireland
  - 22 May 2007 at 21:25

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Critics' reviews
- 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.
- 34769
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:44
- Notable mainly for the electrically emotional scenes between Massey as the stiff, stern patriarch, and Dean as the... read more on Time Out
- 48089
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:18

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- East Of Eden
  
  The 24-year old idol-to-be James Dean plays Cal, a wayward Salinas Valley youth who vies for the affection of his hardened father (Raymond Massey) with his favored brother Aron (Richard Davalos). Playing off the haunting sensitivity of Julie Harris, Dean's performance earned one of the film's four ...