Review of East of Eden (1955) by Byron B — 03 Aug 2012

I saw this a few years ago as I was working through my Oscar list. I don't remember it very well, but the images that vaguely stuck in my head were in black and white. This movie is in technicolor, so maybe I remember even less than I thought.

After reading Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, I accepted a friend's recommendation to also read East of Eden. It is an epic multi-generational story, which made me decide to re-watch this movie.

The movie covers only the final fraction of the story and eliminates one of my favorite characters from the book, Lee. Some other small changes are made and the characterizations don't quite match what I imagined while reading the book, so it doesn't really feel like the book is being brought to life.

Instead Kazan and Dean have crafted something of their own. I think the movie is worth a higher rating than I had given it before, but I appreciate it more after having read the book. The book gives you more of an understanding of subtext and family history.

Still the costuming, the widescreen scope, the performances of Dean and Van Fleet and the theme of forgiveness make it a worthwhile watch.