Tuesday
May152012
'you are an odd one, aren't you?'
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 2:00AM 
Leslie: You are an odd one, aren't you Jett? But I like you.
Jett: I like you too.I guess you're about the best looking gal we've seen round here in a long time -- I think the prettiest in I think I've seen... down here.
Leslie: Why thank you, Jett. That's a very nice compliment.
...And I'm going to tell my husband I met with your approval.
Jett: Well... no... I wouldn't do that. No... I .... whew... No, I wouldn't do that.
tagged James Dean, Liz Taylor, Oscars (50s)
James Dean, Liz Taylor, Oscars (50s)
Reader Comments (11)
Sigh.
Two not only oh so beautiful people, but also great actors.
I haven't seen this film in a long time. I was such a fan of Dean in college that now just thinking of him I have a Pavlovian response where I get all angsty and insecure so I haven't watched or read anything about him in a while, but maybe it's time to revisit.
Oh, can I also say I'm STILL upset they botched his Oscar nomination for this? They forced him into the lead category (competing against co-star Rock Hudson) to capitalize on his post-death popularity, when he was clearly supporting. If they had stuck with supporting, he could have probably won. Although, having said that, I haven't seen that year's winning Supporting Actor, Anthony Quinn in Lust for Life, so maybe I'm wrong. But I'd like to think Dean could've won.
James Dean, Rock Hudson, and La Liz were all impossibly gorgeous in "Giant." Just look at her. The arthouse theater in my area played it two years ago, and I was enthralled for 3+ hours.
This was just on TCM yesterday, they did a whole day of films based on Edna Ferber's writing: Saratoga Trunk, Show Boat, Giant, Cimarron and Stage Door so the whole day was great. I thought Dean was good in Giant but I've always felt his best performance of his big three was in East of Eden a very raw real performance. Then Rebel followed by Giant. He was great in the beginning but faltered a little as the character aged but still solid work. Along with Elephant Walk I think Giant is where Elizabeth Taylor was at her most beautiful plus her performance was among her best, the same for Rock Hudson in both looks and performance.
One of my favorite movies - three of the greatest stars of the '50s, all different types of actors, yet they work together so well.
I can't believe a George Stevens-directed film never won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It's like retro Ang Lee.
Benicio Del Toro, Brad Pitt, The Franco's, Leonardo Di Caprio—they owe their beauty status to James Dean.
Ugh, James Dean was so brilliant in this role. Jett's repressed love and desire for Leslie, his sadness and melancholy, his self-destructiveness -- amazing performance.
Dean's greatest role for me was East of Eden ... of course, he set the world afire in Rebel Without a Cause and changed a whole nation for teens ... I was 12 yo at the time and the movie changed my whole life.
For me Giant was his least effective acting role ... he did well at the beginning, but half way through he became too indulgent in the acting... Of course some of the scene of him were filmed after he was killed .. it was said at the time that Nick Adams did many of the long shots as stand in for Dean.
He was my hero ... I have always wondered whether he would have become the great star that he had the potential to be or he would have been too "one-note" in his acting style... we'll never know!
rick -- that's so cool. It must be amazing to see a childhood hero becomes such a retro icon. do you feel like today's audiences understand him or just simplify him as "cool icon"?
cinephlie -- agreed. But my favorite performance in Giant is totally Liz Taylor's. One of my favorite things about her as an actor is how it often looks like she isn't trying. This scene for example is a glorious glorious example of an actor just being. She barely moves but she's so clearly toying with Jett and just the small changes in her voice... I love her.
Ivonne -- exactly.
@Nathaniel
"cool icon"