East of Eden (1955) starring James Dean, Julie Harris, Raymond Massey, Jo Van Fleet, Burl Ives. Dean plays Cal, "bad" son to his father Adam (Massey), in this drama set in 1917 in California. When Adam loses all his money in a scheme to sell refrigerated lettuce, Cal resolves to earn the money back by raising beans to sell in the coming war. Meanwhile, Cal and his brother, Aron, compete for the love of a young woman (Harris) -- and for the love of their father. Cal uncovers a dark family secret, which sets the plot in motion. The obvious parallel is to the biblical story of Cain and Abel. The film, based on a John Steinbeck novel, packs a real emotional punch. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, and won one (Supporting Actress for Van Fleet). The subtitles are good. Grade: A
No comments:
Post a Comment