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A sweeping western romance epic! George Stevens' Giant (1956) is a massive endeavor that spans decades with careful precision. Edna Ferber's story touches upon the measure of a man's success, happiness, income inequality, and racial intolerance. It is like a triple biopic for these three leading actors Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean. You witness their lives intertwined in romance, hatred, and business. First off, George Stevens' direction is impressive. For nearly three and a half hours of Gian't run time, Stevens keeps the camera of the faces of people. With far wide establishing shots of the vast Texan desert and massive cattle mansions with luxury in every room, Stevens builds an entire world of ranching and oil tycoons to reside within. The slow buildup into the tumultuous finale is worth every moment spent developing the characters within Giant. Stevens is particularly wonderful at capturing despair and sadness in the faces of his actors and actresses. His use of dark lighting and silhouettes is as masterful as his punch out and cattle herding sequences. You really feel like you are watching a real rancher's life play out. Stevens' ambitions for this western epic are matched by his technical skill is pulling off difficult sequences of marital disputes and personal battles. Notably, Giant is the final film that starred James Dean. It is quite the career sendoff as Dean is incomparable as Jett Rink. We watch as Rink goes from a ranch hand and glorified chauffeur into a self made oil tycoon and hotel owner of immeasurable wealth. Dean is phenomenal as Rink as he portrays the man as a racist and romantic alike. Dean's skillful and admirable performance displaying Rink's racial hatred for Mexicans is hidden under the surface, but his kindness and adoration for Elizabeth Taylor's character is palpable. Dean plays the quiet dreamer wishing for a better life, land, and love perfectly. His aura is radiant and his presence commands attention every time Dean steps on screen. I especially love his dour depiction of a depressed and lonesome billionaire drunkard for the finale. He nails the stumbling, slurring, and erratic arrogance of a man who finally has everything except for genuine love. Dean turns the would be hero into the unenviable antagonist,which you feel an almost sad sympathy due to Dean's incredibly nuanced performance. Giant is a sad role for James Dean, but a poignant goodbye to a deservedly legendary actor. Rest in peace James Dean. Thank you for your acting. I must say that I was surprised at how great Elizabeth Taylor is in Giant. Her free thinking, highly spirited, independent feminist woman is refreshing for such an old film. Taylor plays Leslie Benedict as a woman who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. She is kindly and sweet, even to the underserved minorities in Giant, while questioning the Texas cruelty and tradition with an irreverence for the old ways of men. I really liked her in Giant and I am glad she got to shine so brilliantly alongside James Dean and Rock Hudson. Speaking of Rock Hudson, he plays the most typical Texan rancher millionaire. His stern, strict, stubborn, and stout portrayal of Bick Benedict is brilliant! He starts out as sympathetic and loses it all being ignorant, racist, sexist, drunk, hateful, spiteful, controlling, overbearing, and unsympathetic towards others. Hudson plays it subtly rising into a massive turn of character with a new understanding for his position in life. I loved his fisticuffs in the last few scenes of Giant as well as his spousal arguments with Elizabeth Taylor. Hudson plays the villain and hero likewise with a believable conviction. Lastly, Dimitri Tiomkin's score is beautiful. His romantic themes surround Taylor in all her scenes, while the tense encounters, arguments, and fights are bolstered by Tiomkin's hectic symphony. His work towards the end essentially all of Giant's themes thrown together with purpose. Overall, Giant is unlike any other romance or western. If I had to compare Giant to any other films, I'd say it is like Citizen Kane and Gone with the Wind meets There Will Be Blood. It takes the nostalgic ideals from Gone with the Wind, the sweeping life story and ambition of Citizen Kane, and the hateful rivalry of tycoons from There Will Be Blood long before the latter was ever made. Giant is before its time in scale and ambitious direction and storytelling and ever relevant for its racial and economic commentary on American dynamics. Giant is worth watching for James Dean's acting alone, but it offers much more thoughtful statements to those looking for them.Read full review
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great movie
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Marfa and Valentine Texas look wonderful...
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