East of Eden (1955)

Drawing on the biblical story of Cain and Abel, Elia Kazan’s 1955 East of Eden is an impressive and grand-scale adaptation of the latter half of John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name. At the time, Kazan was a force to be reckoned with, having already given us such classics as Gentleman’s Agreement, A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront. He was now about to introduce the world to a bright young talent by the name of James Dean.

Set in 1917 on the Californian coast, Dean plays Cal Trask, the “bad” son to Richard Davalos’ “good” son, Aron. Their father, Adam (Raymond Massey), is a bible-bashing lettuce farmer who lets his boys believe their mother Eve (Jo Van Fleet) is long dead. While Aron takes his father's word, Cal seeks the truth and discovers his mother working as a Madam at a local brothel, having “fallen” from grace. When Adam’s farm comes upon hard times, Cal borrows money to establish himself in the bean-growing business, with the hope of recouping his father’s losses and earning his love. Cal’s business is successful but does not bring him what he seeks the most: his father’s approval. The film also delivers a blistering love triangle between Aron and his girlfriend Abra (Julie Harris) who later develops feelings for Cal. This doesn’t stop Aron from announcing the couple’s engagement despite her wandering affections.

Opinion varies on Dean’s performance here, from overly calculated and methodical, to enlightened and even legendary. It was a mere six months from the film’s release to Dean’s accident that would see him immortalised. Kazan was known for drawing rich performances from his cast, and, much like Brando in Streetcar or Waterfront, Dean gives an energetic turn while toeing the over-the-top line. The mutual dislike that developed between Dean and Massey on set further aided their performances on screen, with Kazan making the most of an otherwise uncomfortable situation.

Employing unusual and at times vertigo-inducing camera angles, East of Eden makes it clear Kazan was always more at ease when directing theatre than film. His films gave a platform for many legendary performances; however the films themselves are far from perfect.

3/5