“From the opening scene, with James Dean lurking behind the woman in black, Kazan shows his hand: the film will be about that lonely boy, casting shadows twice the length of his body, stalking his parents, both of whom are absent, albeit in different ways. Kazan expressed concern that those who loved the book might be disappointed in what was lost in translation. But the film was a hit, especially with teenagers who took to James Dean’s performance as though they had been waiting for it all their lives. Dean’s performance, whether he’s dancing through bean sprouts stretching to the horizon (Dean’s idea), flinging his body across the street after a fight with Aron, or collapsing against his father’s chest, still has enormous lyrical power.” James Dean in East of Eden (1955) dir. Elia Kazan
