In the Salinas Valley, in and around World War I, Cal Trask feels he must compete against overwhelming odds with his brother Aron for the love of their father Adam. Cal is frustrated at every turn, from his reaction to the war, to how to get ahead in business and in life, to how to relate to estranged mother. The film is loosely based on the second half of the novel East of Eden by author John Steinbeck.
The story is obviously a modern take on the Cain and Abel biblical account and I quite enjoyed it. I found the film interesting, well paced and very emotional towards the end. The direction was pretty good as well. I specially enjoyed the way Abra and Cal's relationship was developed and handled. As in most "old" films, some things are a bit hard to relate but the core themes are very much timeless.
Raymond Massey and Julie Harris who played Abra and Adam Trask respectively, were both great but, the film belongs to James Dean. He was exceptional in the role of Cal and stole the show. He had a lot of charisma and good presence. It's worth noting that his role is very similar to the role he played in "Rebel Without a Cause" which leads me to think that he has an "affinity" with that kind of persona, the young angry outcast.
Overall, it's a very nice watch with a stellar performance by the icon, James Dean.
7.5/10
The story is obviously a modern take on the Cain and Abel biblical account and I quite enjoyed it. I found the film interesting, well paced and very emotional towards the end. The direction was pretty good as well. I specially enjoyed the way Abra and Cal's relationship was developed and handled. As in most "old" films, some things are a bit hard to relate but the core themes are very much timeless.
Raymond Massey and Julie Harris who played Abra and Adam Trask respectively, were both great but, the film belongs to James Dean. He was exceptional in the role of Cal and stole the show. He had a lot of charisma and good presence. It's worth noting that his role is very similar to the role he played in "Rebel Without a Cause" which leads me to think that he has an "affinity" with that kind of persona, the young angry outcast.
Overall, it's a very nice watch with a stellar performance by the icon, James Dean.
7.5/10