East Of Eden, Good Book. But The Film?

[piggynose]

I finally got round to reading this classic. Don't remember seeing the film. Is it worth watching?
TIA.

[JimF]

If you just want to look at James Dean, then I guess so, but that's pretty much the only reason that it's considered a classic.

It basically takes it plot, albeit a bit loosely, from the fourth part of Steinbeck's classic.

[Peter Pedant]

isnt it the one with Steve McQueen in it - he wd of course say it is of the first importance

I think it is one of the many that 'disappoint'

[JimF]

"isnt it the one with Steve McQueen in it"

No.

[tiggerblue10]

Worth watching just to see the iconic James Dean.

[The Builder]

My favourite writer, Piggy. It's most people's favourite of all his books.

But, I wouldn't go near the film though. Although Hollywood did a wonderful version of Grapes Of Wrath (Henry Fonda), They got E of E completely wrong.
For a start, the book is long, and is in four parts. Hollywood decided to only feature Part Four, completely missing the point of the continuing story.
Apart from that, they left out the pivotal part of the servant, Lee.
Part four on its own is not what it was all about, especially without Lee.

Anyway, we can also do without James ****** Dean (insert profanity to suit.)

[The Builder]

^^^sorry Tigger. Just my opinion ;o)

[tiggerblue10]

Lol Builder, no need apologise ;o))

[andy-hughes]

James Dean became a legend by dying - which almost single-handedly started the 'Live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse' motto for young people of the time.

Because of the film roles he played - the angst-ridden adolescent whose misunderstood by everyone - he touched a chord in the teen psyche of the time, which has meant that he, rather than the films he appeared in, is the icon.

I've never watched the film, so can't comment from a position of strength, but Dean was given a posthumous Oscar nomination, and director Elia Kazan was nominated for an Oscar as well, so it doesn't sound too shabby.

I think with all films, or indeed any art, you have to view it in the context of the time it was created - what could be cutting edge and dangerous one day is bland and passé twenty years later.

[Buenchico]

Looking at the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is a 'Marmite thing' (i.e. viewers either loved it or loathed it):
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1006416-east_of_eden/reviews?type=user