Giant (1956)

They call it Giant because everything in this picture is big, from the generous running time (more than 200 minutes) to the sprawling ranch location (a horizon-to-horizon plain with a lonely, modest mansion dropped in the middle) to the high-powered stars. Stocky Rock Hudson stars as the confident, stubborn young ranch baron Bick Benedict, who woos and wins the hand of Southern belle Elizabeth Taylor, a seemingly demure young beauty who proves to be Hudson's match after she settles into the family homestead. For many the film is chiefly remembered for James Dean's final performance, as poor former ranch hand Jett Rink, who strikes oil and transforms himself into a flamboyant millionaire playboy. Director George Stevens won his second Oscar for this ambitious, grandly realized (if sometimes slow moving) epic of the changing socioeconomic (and physical) landscape of modern Texas, based on Edna Ferber's bestselling novel. The talented supporting cast includes Mercedes McCambridge as Bick's frustrated sister, put out by the new "woman of the house"; Chill Wills as the Benedicts' garrulous rancher neighbor; Carroll Baker and Dennis Hopper as the Benedicts' rebellious children; and Earl Holliman and Sal Mineo as dedicated ranch hands. --Sean Axmaker Amazon.com essential video

Giant

"Giant" is a larger-than-life 1950s soap opera filled with all sorts of rivalries, oil derricks, class warfare, and cattle barons. Rock Hudson plays Jordan "Bick" Benedict who brings home an Easterner (Elizabeth Taylor) as his bride. Bick's sister, Luz, doesn't take none too kindly to new bride Leslie whereas ranch hand Jett Rink quite clearly does. Leslie herself is appalled that women are to be seen and not heard, and that no one seems the least perturbed that Mexican workers on the ranch live in squalid conditions.

This first half of "Giant" is very entertaining in the way that soap operas can be. The ranch, Reata, is expansive; the mansion they live in is a colossus. The performances are quite good, especially Mercedes McCambridge's tough, almost mannish sister, Luz. Everyone seems to both admire and fear that old Texas gal. James Dean can be downright endearing as down-on-his-luck Jett, especially when we see that he is trying to educate himself with school primers; other times, eyes sometimes darting, sometimes cast down, he spouts off wisecracks. Of course, any soap worthy of its name is going to touch here and there on social issues. Leslie gives a verbal whipping to the menfolk when they insist politics is a topic not suitable to female ears. She is also chastised when she attempts to secure medical aid for a Mexican mother and her sick child.

It is in the second half that the movie seems choppy. This is in part due to the rush of the years. The kids are grown; they go to war; they come back. Way too many years are crammed into these last 90 or so minutes much to the film's detriment. Young Jordy is a kid in one scene; you blink your eyes and he is Dennis Hopper wanting to go to medical school. Another blink and he is marrying his beloved Juana and treating the indigent. This speed allows little in the way of solid character development. The characters we do have from the first half of the movie are inhabited by actors who suddenly seem at a loss. Rock Hudson, and, to a lesser extent, Elizabeth Taylor, in no way naturally inhabit the advanced years of their characters. We never believe them to be middle-aged. (And their atrociously grayed hair! Is that the best aging effect Warner could do or afford? Even "Citizen Kane" did better years earlier.) I guess it's sacrilege for me to say, but even the iconic Dean is not much better in an almost hammy performance as the older and very drunk oil baron Rink; he's lost the ease and naturalness of the character's younger incarnation.

This second half does have some bright spots such as performances by Dennis Hopper and, more briefly, Earl Holliman. There is an extremely moving tribute to a fallen soldier. And then there is a stellar scene in a roadside diner in which cattle baron Bick finally takes a stand against prejudice and very nearly gets his teeth kicked in.

To me the film would have benefited had Stevens and the studio opted for a chunk of Ferber's book and not tried to cram in so many years. For me, it would have been more entertaining and more cohesive. The actors would continuously be playing characters closer to their ages and more in line with their abilities. Some of the best acting in the film are Holliman and Hopper playing characters of their generation, with young Dean and Taylor so true in the first half playing twentysomethings.

Though not without its flaws, the bottom line for me is that there are many parts that make this film worthwhile viewing, and this despite the surprisingly poor DVD transfer. November 30, 2008

Boring and ridiculous

What is it all these people are praising? I saw nothing of the quality which they seem to see. Rock Hudson was ridiculous! James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor are too young to play their roles, no matter how much silver the make-up people spray into their hair. It was so long and boring. The blocking was clumsy and stilted. What else can I say? I could only get through one hour of this disaster. Academy Awards? Give me a break. October 5, 2008

James Dean is a genius in this Giant Bore!

I love a good sprawling epic. This, however, is not one of them. It is boring, dated, and just plain bad. There is nothing engaging about Hudson or Taylor in this film. It excruciatingly plods along.

The two stars I gave it, are solely Dean's. It's sad this virtuoso performance, his last, is a part of this meandering mess. Dean plays a tragic figure in this movie. Plus, he is utterly convincing as an older man. Too bad his character wasn't the center of his own story.

My advice, if you are a Dean fan: rent it and fast forward to his parts. Skip the seemingly unending saga of the Boring and the Beautiful. September 11, 2008

Giant

I am into some old movies, and always loved rock hudson in this. it also has james dean, elizabeth taylor.

i finally went out and bought the dvd. am glad i did. September 8, 2008

Giant

It had been a long time since we had seen this film and had forgotten just how good it is. We enjoyed it to no end. What a great cast.

Thanks, NBK September 7, 2008

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