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Julie Harris, James Dean, Raymond Massey, Burl Ives, Dick Davalos ... see more see more... , Jo Van Fleet , Albert Dekker , Lois Smith , Harold Gordon , Timothy Carey , Mario Siletti , Lonny Chapman , Nick Dennis , Barbara Baxley , Harry Cording , Jonathan Haze , Frank Mazzola , Richard Davalos

This truncated screen version of John Steinbeck's best-seller was the first starring vehicle for explosive 1950s screen personality James Dean, who plays Cal Trask, the "bad" son of taciturn Salinas v... read more read more...alley lettuce farmer Adam Trask (Raymond Massey). Although he means well, Cal can't stay out of trouble, nor is he able to match the esteem in which his father holds his "good" brother Aron (Richard Davalos). Only Aron's girlfriend Abra (Julie Harris) and kindly old sheriff Sam Burl Ives) can see the essential goodness in the troublesome Cal. When Adam invests in a chancy and wholly unsuccessful method of shipping his crops east, his wealth plummets. In an effort to save the business, Cal obtains money from his estranged mother (the proprietor of a whorehouse) and invests it in a risky new bean crop. The gamble pays off (thanks in no small part to the war), but Adam refuses to take the money from Cal, and the resultant quarrel causes Adam to have a stroke. Released the same year as Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden provided Dean with his first Oscar nomination, for Best Actor. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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90% liked it

21,839 ratings

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87% liked it

30 critics

PG, 1 hr. 55 min.

Directed by: Elia Kazan

Release Date: April 10, 1955

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DVD Release Date: May 31, 2005

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Stats: 1,366 reviews

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Jo Van Fleet with Oscar for East of Eden East of Eden James Dean in East of Eden James Dean in East of Eden James Dean in East of Eden Cal and the beans East of Eden East of Eden James Dean in East of Eden PAUL NEWMAN AND JAMES DEAN ON EAST OF EDEN SCREEN TEST East of Eden James Dean East of Eden East of Eden Cal Trask james dean Jo Van Fleet in East of Eden Jo Van Fleet in East of Eden
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Flixster Reviews (1,366)

  • jjnxn
    February 8, 2012
    jjnxn
    Extraordinarily good version of the second half of the Steinbeck classic novel. Dean is riveting as the conflicted Cal with Julie Harris as Abra matching him every step of the way. Tautly directed by Kazan even in the quieter moments this pulls you right along. Burl Ives makes hi... read mores few small scenes count and Raymond Massey is strong as the misguided and righteous father. The real standout in support is Jo Van Fleet in her Oscar winning role as the cruel Kate, she crafts a fully realized person in just a few short scenes. James Dean was fine in all three of his big screen films but this is his best performance. If you have the chance catch the Jane Seymour miniseries of the entire book, it has its faults but her performance in it is sublime.
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    December 29, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    Was anyone else completely convinced that Dean was 14 year old boy? His mannerisms were always dead perfect. And I must say that this movie actually made me want to read the book! Which I know is a brick of a book.
    Anyway, at first I wasn't all that enthralled in it, Dean played ... read morethe disaffected youth he was so good at doing. Then he started trying to be "good" (a term thrown around a bit too much really) and I was a little more interested. By the time (SPOILER) Aron ruined the birthday party, I was ready for blood to be spilled!! I read that this was a "slice" of the novel so I'm curious to see what was cut.
  • ajv2688
    November 10, 2010
    ajv2688
    An interesting story, but it feels a bit awkward to me, I don't know why. It could be better.
  • ythelastman89
    June 23, 2010
    ythelastman89
    Just a great movie all around, James Dean and Elia Kazan are a match made in heaven. Taking only a slice of Steinbeck's novel, this feels like a very complete and powerful story. I think this is Elia Kazan's biggest and broadest vision, it goes so much further than his other perf... read moreormance based films. James Dean captures a troubled youth like no one else possibly could, it's interesting how similar his life was to Cal. I think it's a vastly under appreciated movie, a classic in the truest sense.
  • 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 moreblems 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
  • 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 morejust 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 moreYou 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 moreesigned 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.
  • tsigur
    February 15, 2009
    tsigur
    I am a huge fan of both John Steiinbeck and Elia Kazan so I knew that I wouldn't be disappointed going into it. You include a mesmerizing performance by James Dean and great co-stars like Burl Ives and you've got a fantastic movie. I love the story and how everything turns out in... read more the end (loved the last scene between Dean and his father in the film). Again, I guess the thing that is so appealing about films such as these is that we have lost the simple basics of what makes a movie good these days with trying to come up with some convoluted twist on the same old story. It's really refreshing to watch films such as these to remind you why you loved movies in the first place. The acting, the direction, the scenery, the cinematography (I love the fact that Kazan just leaves his shots like still life portraits), production design, etc. Sad that we couldn't see more Dean performances.

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Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr
November 1, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

John Steinbeck's painful biblical allegory -- Genesis replayed in Monterey, California, circa 1917 -- is more palatable on the screen, thanks to the down-to-earth performances of James Dean as Cal/Cai... Full Review

Kenneth Turan
December 6, 2005
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Not only one of Kazan's richest films and Dean's first significant role, it is also arguably the actor's best performance. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
May 20, 2003
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

In short, there is energy and intensity but little clarity and emotion in this film. It is like a great, green iceberg: mammoth and imposing but very cold. Full Review

Walter Chaw
May 11, 2011
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central

a reaction to our plutocracy's values and a further case for Dean as the sainted figure of rebellion that would fuel the generational schism of the '60s. Full Review

Sean Axmaker
January 29, 2009
Sean Axmaker, Turner Classic Movies Online

East of Eden is set in 1917 but [James] Dean feels completely modern and contemporary, a boy not quite comfortable in his body. Full Review

Steve Crum
March 20, 2008
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Fine James Dean vehicle, one of few that put him into immortality.

Dennis Schwartz
December 2, 2007
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Kazan had the bad sense to leave out the best parts from the lengthy book. Full Review

Lori Hoffman
February 17, 2006
Lori Hoffman, Atlantic City Weekly

James Dean's finest performance

Geoff Andrew
January 26, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

It's a film of great performances, atmospheric photography, and a sure sense of period and place. Full Review

Brad Laidman
December 6, 2005
Brad Laidman, Film Threat

What could be a better way to spend two hours? Full Review

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    • Sam the Sheriff: Burp!
    • Cal Trask: I've been jealous all my life. Jealous, I couldn't even stand it. Tonight, I even tried to buy your love, but now I don't want it anymore. I can't use it anymore. I don't want any kind of love anymore. It doesn't pay off.
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East of Eden Trivia

  • 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 »
  • True or False. James Dean portrayed Aron Trask, the angelic brother of the two in 'East of Eden'?  Answer »
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