EAST OF EDEN

US, 1954, 114 minutes, Colour.
James Dean, Julie Harris, Raymond Massey, Jo Van Fleet, Burl Ives, Richard Davalos.
Directed by Elia Kazan.

East of Eden is the film version of Steinbeck's novel, taking only part of the original novel for the screenplay. There have been many versions of Steinbeck's novels in film e.g. Of Mice and Men, The Red Pony, The Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck himself was interested in films and even appeared as narrator for Full House. In East of Eden he takes his cue from the Genesis narrative about Cain and Abel and explores a family of the Monterey coast at the time of World War I: dominant father, two sons, one seemingly good and one seemingly bad. There is strong emotional conflict. This is especially so in the film because it was directed by Elia Kazan just after his second Oscar winning film, On The Waterfront. Kazan is a strong director and gave the stars their full force. Raymond Massey is particularly impressive as the father, Julie Harris as the young girl, Jo Van Fleet in her Oscar-winning performance as the mother. But the film is particularly memorable for the introduction of James Dean. As the brooding son he is powerful, truculent, and illustrates a man in torment with some depth. It was also Kazan's first film in colour and Cinemascope. East of Eden was strong drama in the 50s and is still impressive.

1. The title from the Book of Genesis. What is its biblical significance? Its significance for the film? The biblical parallel with Adam and his sons? How telling was this?

2. How was Salinas of this time a microcosm of the whole world? The types of people and their conflicts and interactions in Salinas? How was this the message of the film? The Eden of Salinas?

3. How vividly did the film portray a family and its relationships? What insight into family and relationships did it give?

4. Comment on the use of widescreen, colour, music etc. for the impact of this film.

5. How important was it that James Dean played Cal? His personality and his style? The impact in its time in the 50s? The cult that rose about Dean after his death? Has this any relevance to an appreciation of the film? Why?

6. What kind of person was Cal? How well could the audience identify with him? How well could the other characters understand him? Cal as a rebel, as feeling unliked and unloved, with a quest to find out his identity and to do something in life, his hardness and cruelty, his softness and kindness, his deep yearnings? What did he mainly want out of life? How well did we know Cal? How well did others know him?

7. The contrast between Cal and Aaron? As twins, as sons of the same father, the different responses to their father? Aaron's limitations of character? His conventionality? His feeling that Cal was unknowable? His relationship with Abara? Cal's vengeance on him in revealing the truth about their mother? The disillusionment of Aaron and his abrupt leaving for the army? Cal's repentance? What comment in the Cain and Abel story did his make on the two brothers?

8. Why did Cal love his father so much? Was this evident? His father as hard on him, correcting him, telling him he. was not good, using the Bible at him? Cal's rebelliousness as a form of love? His earning the money for his father? The final helping of his father? The irony of the 'Adam and Cain' relationship?

9. What was the film saying about goodness and badness in character and people being told that they are bad? What judgement did it make on this?

10. How important was Kate for the film? As a mother to her two sons, as a wife to Adam., her inability to take Adam's righteousness, her leaving home and her badness, Adam's silence about her, Cal's fascination with her, his daring in asking her for the money, her reaction to seeing her grown-up son, her reaction when Aaron was told the truth? How well did the film explore her character, as wife and mother, in the atmosphere of Salina, as the manager of the whore-house? What moral judgement was made on her?

11. How did Adam contrast with Kate? In what did his goodness consist? His upright living and idealism? His use of the Bible and of his work? His principles and the failure of the vegetables? His refusing to take Cal's money? How bitter was his realization that he had been too good?

12. What did Abara contribute to the film? Audience identification with her? In the background of the town and as a young girl? Her sincerity and goodness? Her love for Aaron? Her fascination with Cal and her support for him? The importance of the birthday party for Adam? Her encouragement of Cal at the end?

13. The significance of the sequences at the Fair - on Cal and his joy with Abara, on Aaron and his suspicions, the scene of the taunting of the Germans (the importance of the First World War background, racism in America), the beating up of the German and Cal's intervention?

14. How important was money as a theme of the film? Kate and money, Cal and money, the party, Adam's refusing of the money? How disappointing was this for Cal? Its effect on him and his bitterness? His being driven to destroy Aaron as well?

15. The dramatic finale with Adam's illness - and the change possible for Cal? How well handled dramatically was this? The communication without words? The mutual need for help? The regrets about the past and of Aaron? The possibility of joy and happiness?

16. How is the background of the First World War important for the final half of the film - Cal and his enterprise with the vegetables, the background of patriotism and the Germans, Aaron's going off to war? How vividly was this communicated?

17. The contribution of the sheriff to the film? His attitude towards Cal, Aaron and Adam? His support of the German at the end? The importance of Will and his helping Cal to raise the money? What comment on human nature did these supporting characters make?

18. How successful was the film in presenting both a gloomy picture of life and yet hope? Was it an accurate comment on human nature and human behaviour?