East of Eden (1955)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 118 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Elia Kazan
Stars: , James Dean and Raymond Massey
IMDb score:
7,8 (51.577)
Releasedate: 10 April 1955
East of Eden plot
"The searing classic of paradise lost!"
Cal Trak is looking for his long-lost mother. Meanwhile, he begs for love from his father, Adam, who only cares about his older brother. The stern, tough Adam never got over the loss of his wife, who left him. When Cal finds out that his Mother Kate owns a gambling and dance palace and has a meeting with her, he understands his father better.
Actors and actresses
Cal Trask
Adam Trask
Aron Trask
Kate Trask
Sam the Sheriff
Will Hamilton
Anne
Gustav Albrecht
Rantani
Reviews & comments
Spetie
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- 38871 messages
- 8251 votes
Still a surprisingly strong film I must say. My first encounter with James Dean and he definitely leaves me wanting more. He acts very strongly in this film, where actually the whole cast is convinced. In addition to a nice story, the film also contains the necessary depth, which ensured that I could empathize with this film. At one point I was really hoping that Cal would finally get some sympathy from his dad . The middle phase of the film is slightly less, but the beginning and end are very strong. I definitely want to see more James Dean movies.
4.0*
Translated from Dutch · View original
Dievegge
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- 3180 messages
- 8230 votes
John Steinbeck's novel is too large-scale to cover in two hours, so they've chosen to omit the part about Adam settling in Salinas and focus on the part that centers on his son Cal. Three levels of history are intertwined: the biblical history referred to in various ways, the American history during the First World War and the family history of the Trasks.
James Dean could easily empathize with his character because he was very similar to Cal in several ways. He acts with his whole body, adopting weird, twisted poses to express his twistedness. Between the shots, he is said to have angered Raymond Massey to bring out the right sense of resentment in the actor. The two women, Julie Harris and Jo Van Fleet, also portray a character with an inner conflict.
In terms of location, there is a contrast between the conservative and devout farming town of Salinas and the cosmopolitan, somewhat decadent Monterey. The business that Kate Trask ran may have been a brothel, but that was not allowed to be explicitly stated.
In addition to the acting and dialogues, the cinematography is also inspired. When they fall in love, Cal and Abra find themselves among the blooming spring herbs; when they are sad, they are half hidden under a weeping willow. Skewed camera positions express how the patriarch has become unbalanced with his former certainties and ideals. When someone sits on a swing, the camera rocks in counter motion. During dialogues, not all attention is focused on the speaker, but reaction shots show the feelings of the listener.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Fisico
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- 10039 messages
- 5398 votes
I'm beginning to understand why Dean still has such a mythical resonance today. You can't make it with looks alone. Despite his early Hollywood career, he has left his mark in his films. Great film, the same East of Eden with its beautifully grateful plot in which two brothers are more each other's antipoles than they have similarities.
Fortunately, these contradictions are not brought to a head. Everything is rather subtly woven into the plot that unfolds in several layers. There is very little black and white in the story. Everything is a bit more complex and nuanced. For example, the father is not outspoken against Caleb, he also loves him and Caleb is not just a failure or a rebel on the wrong path.
The lack of a mother figure has been a determining factor in Caleb's development. When everything comes together, some characters do experience some changes. This spectacle alone is well worth seeing. Great film with an excellent structure. Highly recommended with excellent acting and camera work. Beautiful!
Translated from Dutch · View original
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