On E List of Movie Reviews
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East of Eden (1955)
Rate:
6
Viewed:
2/09, 12/16, 1/25
2/09:
East of Eden features the first major starring role of James Dean's career in one of three significant
films before his tragic death at the young age of 24.
James Dean steals every scene. I'm disappointed with Elia Kazan for not making the show special enough. It appears
Julie Harris and Richard Davalos had a hard time holding their own due to being overwhelmed by James Dean. The
emotions of the characters, apart from James Dean's, are superficially weak and unconnected. I can't imagine why Jo
Van Fleet got the Oscar for playing the mother.
What's unclear is the focal point. Is it about the father-son relationship? The mother-son relationship? The
treatment of the Germans? The protest against World War I? The financial crisis à la
The Grapes of Wrath? Abra's doomed relationship with Cal just like
Susannah's ill-advised love for Tristan? Cal's fight with his brother? In short, the direction is all over the
map. However, I love the cinematography of the California scenery although it was
actually shot on location in Mendocino.
All in all, if the performances and the direction could be improved, there's no doubt that East of Eden
would be transformed into a masterpiece, but James Dean alone makes this one worth watching.
12/16:
My rating for East of Eden remains the same.
A couple of thespians are theatrical while James Dean, in his first major role, is highly melodramatic (not that
I mind, but it tells me he has mental problems). Because of their overacting, some of the scenes are silly
to watch. Just calm down, everybody. Try to be natural for once, please.
Jo Van Fleet's Oscar win? Yeah, right. Julie Harris was definitely too old for the part, and she's the worst of
anyone. Of the three films, East Eden is the only one that James Dean ever saw, and I think it's the
best acting job of his career.
All in all, James Dean, a great Method actor, is the only reason why I revisit East of Eden from time
to time.
1/25:
No matter how many times I've seen East of Eden, it's not a well-directed picture, thus the unchanged
rating.
Then again, Elia Kazan wasn't a good director. At least, he got a great performance out of James Dean. If not
for him, nobody would've bothered seeing the film, thanks to the awful Julie Harris who couldn't act to
save her own life. Richard Davalos? Ha! No wonder why he disappeared afterwards.
All in all, East of Eden only survives because of James Dean.