Steinbeck Goes to the Movies
Oprah's Book Club | January 01, 2006
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East of Eden is an acknowledged classic, and the starring debut of James Dean lifts it to legendary status. John Steinbeck's novel gave director Elia Kazan a perfect Cain-and-Abel showcase for Dean's iconic screen persona, casting the brooding star as Cal, the younger of two brothers vying for the love of their Bible-thumping father in Salinas, California, at the dawn of World War I. Kazan's oblique camera angles and Dean's tortured emoting may seem extreme by today's standards, but their theatrics make East of Eden a timeless tale of family secrets and hard-won affection. |
