GIANT

US, 1956, 197 minutes, Colour.
Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean, Jane Withers, Chill Wills, Mercedes Mc Cambridge, Carroll Baker, Dennis Hopper, Rod Taylor, Earl Holliman, Sal Mineo.
Directed by George Stevens.

Giant has become something of a classic film of the 50s. It won the Oscar for 1956 for George Stevens as Best Director. He had also won in 1951 for A Place in the Sun. (Ironically, each of these films was not named the best film of the year. Rather it was American in Paris - 1951, Around the World in Eighty Days -1956). Giant comes from a large novel by Edna Ferber, the author of Showboat. It covers a wide range of the history of the state of Texas. It is a long and sprawling drama but sustains the interest and has very good photography showing something of the vastness of Texas and its cattle industry. Rock Hudson gives one of the best performances of his career as the dramatic hero. Elizabeth Taylor matches him well in the leading role. The film was also significant as James Dean's last film. In the supporting cast are such people as Carroll Baker and Dennis Hopper, very young. Mercedes Mc Cambridge gives a rather strident performance as Rock Hudson's sister. All in all, Giant is good Hollywood filmmaking and very interesting as a piece of Americana.

1. An impressive film? Why? Length, scope and quality? How enjoyable was it? How valuable are films like this as the portrayal of the growing of a state? Texas, its history, people, customs, the changing generations?

2. How did the film open up the picture of America of the 20s? The gentility of the Lynton household? How has America changed during the decades which followed, for the better? The way the film grows old in its point of view -looking at things freshly in the 20s and gradually looking at things through older (and wiser) eyes?

3. The atmosphere created with Bic and Leslie's courtship? The background of the household the Texas styles and Maryland? The English rival for Leslie's hand? The Lynton family. parents and sister? What was the bond of love between Bic and Leslie?

4. What did the honeymoon and the train indicate about what was to come? The vast sprawl and landscapes of Texas? The desert and the ranches? The contrast with Maryland? The insight into the big country in this way?

5. Luz: why her hostile reaction to Leslie? Her ruling of the household and rivalry? How much did she dominate Bic? His love for her and reaction to her? The melodrama of her death with the horse? The significance of her death for the plot? What insight into Texans came through her?

6. How well portrayed was the detail of ranch life? The wealth and expanse of the house? Yet the hard work and its style? Neighbours and gatherings and parties and customs? Within the home the questions of breakfast household duties. horse riding etc.? The atmosphere of cattle life and ranching and its hardships? The men who work on the farm?

7. How well did the film portray the family life of the Benedicts? Their growing love and the children growing up on the ranch? The humanizing element in the film?

8. The significance and impact of Jett Rink? The personality and style of James Dean? His grudges against Bic? His grievances and skulking around the property? Luz as his benefactor? His hard work and his ambition? The bitterness that he held and its results later?

9. How important were clashes and confrontations in this ranching life? At home, policy on the ranch. Bic and Jett?

10. The importance of the Mexican background for the film? The villages and their needs? Leslie's response to them? Bic’s racism? The doctor? Angel?

11. What did Uncle Bawley contribute to the film and its atmosphere?

12. The significance of the sequences of returning to Maryland? The Texas children in more civilized surroundings? The humour of the Thanksgiving turkey? The wedding and renewal of the love between Leslie and Bic?

13. on the social and state level, the changes in Texas with the discovery of oil? The conservative cattle men versus the exploitive oil men? How well and clearly was this brought out in the film?

14. Jett and his search for oil - admiration for his hard work? His change of personality and policy? The vindication of his hopes and ambitions? What happened to Jett? With his wealth?

15. How important was the picture of the next generation? Jordan and his ambitions to be a doctor? was he right? As differing from Bic and disappointing him? Bic trying to rule his children's lives? The thematic significance of Jordan's marriage to Juana? The subsequent humiliation? Luz the second? As a wilful girl? With admirers? Her fascination with Jett?

16. What did the film have to say about plans and their fulfilment?

17. The significance of the ageing of Bic and Leslie? The performance of Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor as older people? Convincing? The significance of the changes in their styles of life and in society? The Depression, the War?

18. Why was Luz so fascinated by Jett? Her humiliation of her parents in going in the parade? Why did she become disillusioned with him? Jett and the party? As a symbol of his exploitive lavishness? of his throwing out of Juana? Of the conflict between himself and Bic? The dramatic tension of the dinner and the speeches? And his slumping over the table? The fight between himself and Bic? What comment was being made on Jett?