East of Eden (1955) Warner Bros./Drama RT: 115 minutes Not Rated (thematic elements, some violent content) Director: Elia Kazan Screenplay: Paul Osborn Music: Leonard Rosenman Cinematography: Ted D. McCord Release date: April 10, 1955 (US) Cast: James Dean, Julie Harris, Raymond Massey, Richard Davalos, Burl Ives, Jo Van Fleet, Albert Dekker, Harold Gordon, Nick Dennis, Lois Smith, Timothy Carey, Barbara Baxley, Richard Garrick, Lonny Chapman, Lester Dorr. Box Office: N/A
Rating: ****
Okay film lovers, who can tell me what terrible tragedy occurred on September 30, 1955? It’s the day actor James Dean died in a car accident. He was only 24. It was a terrible loss. He left an indelible mark on cinema even though his filmography consists of only three titles*- East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant. Of those, East of Eden is the only one that came out during his short lifetime. In his first role, the enigmatic young actor gave a powerhouse performance wrapped in the promise of great things to come. Now it’s a show of tremendous potential never realized.
Based on the second part of John Steinbeck’s magnum opus novel, East of Eden is essentially a retelling of the Biblical story of Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve. If you remember your Sunday school lessons, you know how it goes. In a nutshell, Abel was the good son and Cain was the bad one. Jealous of the Lord favoring his brother’s offering, Cain killed Abel and was cursed by God to forever wander the Earth. The title comes from Genesis 4:16- “And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the Land of Nod, on the east of Eden.”
Set in 1917 on the eve of WWI, the story takes place in the California coastal towns of Monterey and Salinas separated by the Santa Lucia Mountains. Cal (Dean) resides in the farming community of Salinas with his twin brother Aron (Davalos, Cool Hand Luke) and deeply religious father Adam (Massey, Abe Lincoln in Illinois). Like their Biblical counterparts, Aron is the favored son and Cal is the bitter, jealous one. All his life, all he ever wanted was his father’s love and approval, but he never got it. Adam gave it all to Aron and still does.
As the movie opens, Cal has just discovered that he and Aron’s mother Kate (Fleet, I’ll Cry Tomorrow) is alive and running a brothel in Monterey. It contradicts what their father’s been telling them about her dying when they were babies. The truth is she left Adam not long after the boys were born. He decides to keep it from Aron… for now.
Adam, a successful farmer, is about to embark on a bold new enterprise, a long-haul vegetable shipping business that depends on keeping produce cold for long periods. It fails leaving Adam broke and disheartened. Cal decides to recoup his father’s losses by starting a bean-growing business with money he borrows from his mother. It should prove profitable as the price of beans will skyrocket with the onset of war. He hopes a successful venture will help fix things between him and his father. He’ll finally get the love that’s been denied to him all his life.
Meanwhile, Aron’s fiancee Abra (Harris, The Haunting) starts to fall for Cal. He has feelings for her too. If things were already tense between the brothers, this development will drive a wedge between them forever.
Directed by Elia Kazan (On the Waterfront), East of Eden is the kind of film they don’t make enough of anymore. It’s a character-driven piece about regular people NOT defined by super-powers or the kind of car they drive. They’re defined instead by their distinct personalities and complex psychological makeup. Cal Trask is a fascinating character. He’s a moody, emotionally fragile young man tormented by his father constantly passing him over in favor of a brother that can do no wrong. He’s further troubled by his growing feelings towards Abra. He feels guilty about betraying his brother, but he has no control over how she feels about him. Rather than strong and stoic, Cal is vulnerable and self-loathing. Always plagued by self-doubt, he’s absolutely convinced he’s innately bad. In modern terms, he’s pretty screwed up. Only an actor of Dean’s intensity could portray such a character so convincingly. His Method acting style, in conjunction with his completely uninhibited performance, makes him a standout not only among his co-stars, but among other young stars of his generation as well. He reminds me of Marlon Brando, another unconventional type known for Method performances.
The rest of the cast is superb as well, particularly Van Fleet who won an Oscar for her performance as the absentee mother. Kate is a rough-edged sort who encompasses both sentimentality and bitterness, especially towards Adam for trying to force her into a life she didn’t want. She still resents him for his self-righteous ways. When Cal tells her what he plans to do with the money she lends him, she points out the irony of her ill-gotten gains helping out her moralistic ex-husband then follows it up by remarking, “If you don’t think that’s funny, you better not go to college.” Harris is also very good as the woman caught between two brothers, the stable one and the unpredictable one. She’s the neutralizing force to Dean’s emotional instability. Massey has some good scenes as Cal’s emotionally distant father, a man so wrapped up in piety, he can’t see his son’s existential suffering. Davalos does fine work as Aron who becomes angry and jealous as Abra finds her way into Cal’s arms.
East of Eden is an outstanding film, there’s no better way to say it. It’s a fantastic acting showcase and compelling human drama. Sure, it veers into melodrama on more than one occasion. Yes, Dean can be a bit much for the uninitiated. Neither of these things is a problem. Kazan, a master filmmaker with questionable politics, does an amazing job with Steinbeck’s classic. He keeps the viewer’s attention throughout even if the action derives from intense emotional exchanges rather than gun battles and vehicular chases. It’s the kind of serious-minded film that used to attract moviegoers before the rise of effects-driven blockbuster movies. It’s pure cinematic excellence!
* = not counting small uncredited roles in five other features.
