Take 4: Live Fast, Die Young

My final review of the year comes at the request of Andrew up in Utah. "Have you seen any James Dean movies," he asked. I knew that James Dean had only starred in three feature films and realized I hadn't seen a single one. So, putting my viewing of Season Four of 24 on pause until the New Year, I threw his three movies in my list (along with a documentary to round out the fourth) and buckled down to exponentially expand my knowledge of James Dean and his work.

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East of Eden (1955)

In the Beginning: Caleb "Cal" Trask tracks down his mother, who he thought had died while he was young, and clashes with his father over...the cold-storage of produce. Lettuce, to be exact.

The Plot Thickens: After his father loses a ton of money in a freak lettuce thawing accident, Cal borrows money from his mother to invest in bean farming, in order to strike a hefty profit and cover his dad's losses. Always the multi-tasker, Cal also finds the time to take a liking to his brother's girlfriend.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore: We're in sunny California. Bouncing back and forth between the maritime community of Monterey and the farming community of Salinas.

Starring James Dean As...: Cal, the quiet loner turned agricultural tycoon. Couldn't really tell if Cal was supposed to be "slow," or if that was a little quirk in James Dean's acting. Will see how he comes off in the next few movies.

And I Quote...: Cal Trask: "Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man."

Random Trivia: This is the only one of the "big three" James Dean films to be released before his death.

And What Did We Learn, Class?: 1) Beans stay fresher, longer. 2) Opening a brothel directly across the street from your competition is apparently "good business sense" in early 20th Century California. 3) The people of Salinas are very emotionally fragile. Walk on eggshells around them...especially when it comes to announcing the existance of long-lost family relations.

Curt's Take: "Not a Priority" - I hated to do this to one-third of James Dean's filmography...but I just couldn't get that into it. Sure, it's a classic...but even a classic needs to draw me in. Based on a John Steinbeck novel, I could also see me not enjoying reading this in 11th grade English. Luckily we had Of Mice and Men, instead.

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Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

In the Beginning: Jim Stark and his parents have just moved to a new neighborhood, and it's his first day of school. They kind of left the old neighborhood so that they could start things from scratch.

The Plot Thickens: Jim starts to roll with the wrong crowd, or, more accurately, roll against the wrong crowd. A game of automotive chicken goes horribly wrong, causing Jim to find his first day in a new city a little less than ideal.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore: Looks like we're in Los Angeles. There are a couple scenes at Griffith Park Observatory, and there is an abandoned mansion that looks eeriely like Norma Desmond's place in Sunset Blvd.

Starring James Dean As...: Jim Stark, title rebel. Much more likeable in this than in East of Eden. Plus, he doesn't have the Rain Man thing going on. Actually, he's probably the most mature character in the movie, even among the adults.

And I Quote...: Jim Stark: "You're tearing me apart!"

Random Trivia: For the knife fight between Jim and Buzz, the actors used real switchblades and protected themselves by wearing chainmail under their vests. Also, the empty pool in which the characters sit and discuss their lives in one scene is the same pool that was specially built for Sunset Blvd (I was right!).

And What Did We Learn, Class?: 1) Forget whatever you think is "cool" now. Highschoolers in the 50's had "cool" down to an artform. 2) Parents weren't perfect back then, either. 3) Just a note...jump BEFORE the car plummets over the cliff.

Curt's Take: "Must See" - This is really weird. i can't say there were great action scenes, hilarious moments or mind-numbing instances of terror. I don't know what it was...maybe the pacing...but I didn't really get bored while watching, and found myself glued through to the end. Throw that in with the fact it's a "classic," and you have a "Must See," so at the very least you can say you saw a James Dean movie.

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Giant (1956)

In the Beginning: The head of the Benedict family ranch faces pressure from oil tycoon and real estate developer Jett Rink to sell the family land. A son who doesn't want to take over the family business and daughters who want to move off the ranch don't make keeping the land a promising venture.

The Plot Thickens: The family, which at first was growing apart, comes together even stronger to face the egotistical Rink and the culture of racism against Hispanics that he is breeding in the area.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore: We're in Texas. The Lone Star State. Big money, big egos.

Starring James Dean As...: A surprise here...Jett Rink. Dean is playing someone practically twice his age (guessing Rink is supposed to be in his 40s), and actually does a decent job of it.

And I Quote...: Leslie Benedict: "Money isn't everything, Jett." Jett Rink: "Not when you've got it."

Random Trivia: Giant was the highest grossing film in Warner Bros. history until the release of Superman (1978).

And What Did We Learn, Class?: 1) James Dean is good at playing drunks. 2) Dennis Hopper and Sal Mineo both co-starred in two-thirds of James Dean's films (they were both in this and in Rebel). 3) A movie that is 3 hours and 21 minutes long can only seem like 2 hours and 15 minutes if it is done right.

Curt's Take: "Worth Considering" - Another movie I just kind of got sucked into...interesting that Dean wasn't as central of a character as he was in the other films. This one is really about how a family comes together to stand up for each other, and the sacrifices parents will make for their children. If you have only one James Dean movie to see, though...see Rebel Without a Cause. He's not as central in this one, and it's a bit long at points.

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James Dean: Forever Young (2005)

In the Beginning: James Dean, Indiana boy-next-door, bounces back and forth between Los Angeles and New York, trying to get his acting career off the ground.

The Plot Thickens: After filming three feature films, with his career just taking off, Dean dies tragically in a car crash along the Pacific Coast. But his legacy lives on today.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore: We pretty much stick to the big cities on the coast.

Starring James Dean As...: Himself. And he's not the "too cool" guy you may have come to expect from Rebel Without a Cause.

And I Quote...: Closing quote of the documentary: "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean

Random Trivia: Dean was the first actor to be signed to a million-dollar movie contract.

And What Did We Learn, Class?: 1) James Dean was a focused and determined artist. 2) His television and stage career was very extensive. VERY extensive. More extensive than you likely thought. 3) The man liked to race.

Curt's Take: "Worth Considering" - I'm sure there are other Dean documentaries out there, and maybe one of them is better than this. However, it did seem very thorough. I was a bit disappointed at the end, though. They don't talk about the car crash at all, how his death affected others, the release of his final two films, etc. It just kind of...ends. So, to get the full story, I think you'll want to supplement this with something else.