East of Eden (1955)

Directed by Elia Kazan. Starring James Dean, Julie Harris, Raymond Massey, Richard Davalos, Jo Van Fleet, Burl Ives, Harold Gordon, Albert Dekker, Lois Smith. [PG]

Partial adaptation of the John Steinbeck tome has atmosphere and emotional intensity to spare, but the story is strangled by its allegorical paradigm, and many scenes have the kind of squared-off yet long-winded staginess which make nice playgrounds for the actors, but lack the immersion of dramatic reality. Cain and Abel-esque story of sibling rivalry between rebellious Cal (Dean) and pious Aron (Davalos), and Cal’s desire for some of the favor their religious father (Massey) freely bestows upon Aron, is one of those “tales as old as time” (best I can recall, Cain and Abel appear pretty early in the Bible), and it wouldn’t be an interesting one without the conviction of the cast. Like Clift before him, Dean follows Brando’s Method-ical “misunderstood” lead and overplays the self-conscious vocal mannerisms, yet delights with physical gestures and postures that say more about the character than what’s on the page; meanwhile Massey prefers a Fonda-esque distance to his stern yet trembling gaze, and Van Fleet squeezes out a few roughhewn gasps of sentimental poetry as the manipulative mother who abandoned her family. Proves that movies can be grossly overrated in their reputation yet are still requisite viewing for fans of film (especially those interested in the art of film acting during a stylistic transition in the profession). Leonard Rosenman’s score strains and swells for majesty but winds up merely overwrought.

69/100