Having admired the iconic aura left behind by James Dean's death and all that his life gave to the film industry as a whole, I felt the need to watch his feature films: Rebel Without A Cause, East of Eden and Giant.
Whilst Rebel Without A Case will no doubt be Dean's defining role, giving an outlet and a powerful mainstream voice to the generation of frustrated teenagers who simply wanted to get away and make a name for themselves, not to be held back by society and authority figures. In Rebel Without A Cause, Dean plays Jim Stark. Feeling oppressed by his parents who want nothing but the best for him, he seeks love and to give himself and a young local boy the life his parents couldn't give either of them. This iconic role made Dean a Hollywood star at 24, opening at cinemas a month after his death.
The puzzling aspect of Dean's popularity though, other than his youthful good looks and role as Jim Stark, is that his acting throughout his mainstream career was far from perfect. In films East of Eden and Giant, he plays contrasting characters but is portrayed as foolish, overly sensitive and immature. Whilst he plays the naive yet charismatic rebel as Jim Stark, this seems to be the role which suits him best, cast as an arrogant but emotionally shallow tycoon in Giant and a frustrated and emotionally confused young man in East of Eden.
Perhaps it is best that he is remembered for his rebellious icon, rather than the warbling drunkard in Giant, or the hapless and weak teenager in Eden.
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