East of Eden poster & wallpaper

Julie Harris, James Dean, Raymond Massey

In the Salinas Valley, in and around World War I, Cal Trask feels he must compete against overwhelming odds with his brother Aron for the love of their father Adam. Cal is frustrated at every turn, fr...( read more  read more... )om his reaction to the war, to how to get ahead in business and in life, to how to relate to estranged mother.

Flixster Users

91% liked it

18,105 ratings

PG, 115 min.

Directed by: Elia Kazan

Release Date: April 10, 1955

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: May 31, 2005

Get It:

Stats: 1,156 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites
report incorrect info

Photos

Jo Van Fleet with Oscar for East of Eden East of Eden James Dean in East of Eden James Dean in East of Eden East of Eden PAUL NEWMAN AND JAMES DEAN ON EAST OF EDEN SCREEN TEST East of Eden James Dean East of Eden james dean Cal Trask Jo Van Fleet in East of Eden East of Eden East of Eden Jo Van Fleet in East of Eden Jo Van Fleet in East of Eden . Jo Van Fleet in East of Eden
Upload a Photo |

View All East of Eden Photos (20)

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (1,156)

  • middleeasternfilms
    July 10, 2009
    middleeasternfilms
    Better known as the first role for James Dean, East of Eden is laregely forgotten about for anything else. The acting is very good and it's directed by one of the greats, Elia Kazan, but for some reason I just couldn't get into this. It seems overlong just a bit even though it's ...( read more)just under 2 hours. This film might take another viewing or two to get into, but I don't even know about that. Dean, though, shows glimpses of what he could've been had he lived longer. The guy was a wonderful actor.
  • Saxia
    May 11, 2009
    Saxia
    I'm a sucker for movies about siblings, this one is a modern version of Cain and Abel.

    Dean plays Cal, the "bad son", and Julie Harris plays Abra, his brothers girlfriend. I fell in love with Harris almost immediately, she has this disarming, natural and naughty way about her. ...( read more)You gotta love that scene where they're lying in that field with yellow flowers, they complement each other perfectly. This was Dean's first movie, and it's not that hard to imagine why his popularity went through the roof after it's release.

    During the making of the film Raymond Massey (Cal's father) and Dean hated each other, during the bible-scene at the table he even whispered obscenities at Massey. Kazan, the director knew this and used it to spark the bad father-son relationship they have in the movie.

    Oh and you gotta love Jo van Fleet, who plays Cal's tough and 'estranged' mother.
  • kenstachnik
    April 5, 2009
    kenstachnik
    The only thing better than the cinematography is the performances.
  • groaningbitch
    February 20, 2009
    groaningbitch
    "east of eden" is one among the james dean triology, and to my belief, inferior to "rebel without a cause". it claims to be adapted from steinbeck's classical novel which must have been diluted in the movie version in favor of james dean's performances. obviously a star vehicle d...( read more)esigned for dean whose "eletra complex" is boiling furiously like steaming water ready to explode with each of his unique idiocyncracies.

    the scenario is typical: two siblings under the same roof, father prefers his first son who behaves and obeys to the other son who frowns and growls in agony(dean). so the disliked son makes every attempt to get daddy's recognition but daddy doesn't like it since what he does ain't decent to father's superior standard of moralities. so he throws the giant ice blocks down to the ladder (oh, big deal??) and steals the heart of his bro's girlfriend with his seductive tears and sympathetic whining which always inspires girls' maternity. but he just cannot win so he maliciously reveals the debauched reality of his mother to disillusion his higher-than-thou brother due to an avengeful angst. at last, this "evil" son stimulates his own dad into a paralyzing stroke. even so, the script still requests father to forgive the prodigal to grant a somehow happier ending just becuz he's james dean.

    it barrows from the biblical analogy of cain and abel, the intensive antagonism between siblings and their mutually shared wish to destructive elimination. dean is the wretched one whom father and brother detest with serious disaproval. but the wind of the audience blows over dean's side with every plot gimmick to enhance dean's shrewd resourcefulness in contrast of his brother's lackluster stiffness, contrived and nothing creative. it's like the producer and the director must have noted on every page of the script to conjure an exhibition of james dean complex. and they suceed, except james dean's performances, there's nothing watchable for the entire movie. it's not a great adaption of a literature piece nor good cinematic work with excellent deployment. nothing matters but dean.

    there're one particular scene worthy of the ticket, dean's nervous crackup after his hard-earned cash being rebuffed by dad as futilely crooked effort. his trunk goes limp like an epilepsy patient, his trembling fingers clasp over dad's shoulders, his face contorted like a thousand knots tied over his stomache, pieces of money falling off his palms as if he loses everything, then he screams "i hate you" after dad commands his discipline. such compelling vulnerabilty ignites the whole room with frightful contagiousness, this is a child demanding love and attention in a dreadful desperation. sheer brilliance.

    perhaps the notion of being an actor is not about demonstrating your caliber of strength but your willingness to let loose then bare your fraility, just like the sexiest scene in "streetcar named desire" is brando shouting and crying for STELLA! like a big baby. is it a very masculine deed? i don't think so. maybe the 50s rebel actors do change the facade of manhood with their boyish fragilities.

    the strong crave for paternity is a common theme here just like "rebel without a cause" in which dean's father is a wimp stifled by the mother. in "east of eden", father is an irreconciled puritanical stuffed shirt who cannot stand him. the james dean issue with paternity is either perennial defiance or void of recognition. as the script underlines "he cannot be a man if father doesn't forgive/accept him"..thus he's a boy forever in hunger of a father image, reluctant to grow up.

    (ps) maybe james dean is bit too vulnerable, give me back john garfield! jk.
  • wellmeetagain
    December 26, 2007
    wellmeetagain
    James Dean's first of three movie roles. Jo Van Fleet and Julie Harris are very good in this one.
  • rayman0071
    November 4, 2009
    rayman0071
    James Dean illustrates why he shot to stardom during his astounding short film career as an bonafide Hollywood actor in this 1955 adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic novel directed by Elia Kazan. James Dean stars as Cal,a young man who isn't happy with his lot in life. His pro...( read more)blems include competition with his brother(Richard Davalos),for the attention of their father's affection(Raymond Massey),and for the love of a young woman(Julie Harris)and a mother's enstrangement(Jo Van Fleet) during the turmoil and despair at the height of World War I. Greats performances from Burl Ives,and the astounding score from composer Leonard Rosenman make this movie one of the best to come out of the 1950's
  • filmjunkie25
    October 3, 2009
    filmjunkie25
    James Dean was a very talented realistic actor. And that talent shows in this fantastic drama!
  • luciavilla
    September 30, 2009
    luciavilla
    Every time I see this film it gets better
  • ElCochran90
    September 22, 2009
    ElCochran90
    Kazaan's most moving and inspiring film, which bases are the power of true love, respect and loyalty.

    85/100
  • crystalangel1976
    September 12, 2009
    crystalangel1976
    I really liked this movie

View All East of Eden Reviews

Critic Reviews

No recent reviews.

Comments

  • erickjaime82
    November 10, 2007
    erickjaime82
    I think it was the better film of James Dean, last night I saw it, and he was amazing
Post A Comment | View All Comments

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

All Rotten Tomatoes content is used under license from Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes, Certified Fresh, and the Tomatometer are the trademarks of Incfusion Corporation, d/b/a Rotten Tomatoes, a subsidiary of IGN Entertainment, Inc.

Official Trailer

View Larger East of Eden Trailer

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
    Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (33%)
  • Splendor in the Grass
    Splendor in the Grass (75%)
  • Rebel Without a Cause
    Rebel Without a Cause (95%)
  • The Last Tycoon
    The Last Tycoon (100%)

More Movies like East of Eden

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

East of Eden : Watch Free on TV

East of Eden Trivia

  • The movies 'East of Eden' & 'Of Mice & Men' were based upon the stories of what famous American author?  Answer »
  • James Dean starred in 3 films before he died. They were Rebel Without A Cause, Giant and.....  Answer »
  • James Dean's first motion picture lead was in which film?  Answer »
  • True or False. East of Eden was the only movie of 3 that James Dean starred in to be released while he was alive.  Answer »
More East of Eden Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All East of Eden Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add East of Eden to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View East of Eden News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?