Spoilers for East of Eden (1955)
Elia Kazan’s 1955 melodrama East of Eden, based on the final part of John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name, also marked the first of only three leading roles for James Dean. Tragically, it was also the only leading performance that the actor would see before he died in 1955 – both Rebel Without a Cause (Nicolas Ray, 1955) and Giant (George Stevens, 1956) were released posthumously.
Dean’s performance as Cal in East of Eden bears many similarities to, arguably, his more famous role as Jim Stark in Rebel… as both are troubled teens acting out in defiance of their fathers, while also yearning for approval. Dean’s training in method acting led to moments of improvisation on set, leading to reported tension with his co-stars but an electric performance in the film.
Rarely has anxiety and discomfort been so fully portrayed in a film. Cal’s brooding self-doubt informs every aspect of East of Eden. Disconnected from the pious nature of his father Adam (Raymond Massey) and brother Aron (Richard Davalos), he believes himself to be bad – much like Cain with his brother Abel. At the start of the film, you could easily share in this assumption. Cal is unpredictable in comparison to his straitlaced family and often acts out to the detriment of those around him.
Yet when Adam loses the family savings in a business venture, Cal works to recoup their losses. He recognises that America’s entry into World War I will cause prices to rocket and invests in a cooperative that is buying up ground to plant beans. Here the film sinks into a morally grey area. Cal borrows the capital from his mother Kate, who is estranged from the family and whom Aron still believes to be dead. Her money comes from running a brothel – a wholly ungodly income that Adam would not approve of.
There are issues with Cal buying bean fields at a substantially lower rate than what he will sell the crop for. War brings with it strife for every country involved and East of Eden looks at not only the xenophobia that infected America during the war but also accusations of war profiteering which are levelled at Cal by his father. But Adam is not innocent in this either. He is elected to the draft board and sends the sons of farmers to war – creating additional burdens on the businesses – while keeping both Cal and Aron at home.
If the story is a biblical one, then all the cast showcase their sins – pride being the most obvious. Aron shows envy – disgusted that his fiancée Abra (Julie Harris) is distancing herself from him and showing a clear attraction to Cal. In his jealousy, Aron purposefully overshadows Cal’s surprise party for Adam by announcing his engagement to Abra.
The party is an incredibly powerful scene in the film. It is Adam’s birthday, and Cal arranges a party where he will present the money he has earned. Between Aron’s announcement and Adam’s refusal of the money, Cal is pushed over the edge. In perhaps the most famous example of Dean’s improvisational skills, Cal wails and lurches towards Adam, pulling the bewildered father into an embrace.
It's a loaded moment. When you consider the various meanings that a hug can have, Cal’s embrace of Adam becomes layered. The whole film has been about striving for a father’s acceptance, so when Adam flatly rebukes Cal’s efforts once again, the hug can symbolise a desperate grasping for connection. And when we embrace something, we accept it for what it is, and so the hug becomes Cal accepting his relationship with his father – accepting that he will forever be the black sheep of the family. The bad one. This is undone by the time the film ends, but in this moment, it is an encapsulation of Cal’s complicated feelings.
It can also be read as a moment of forgiveness. Adam’s pious nature means that he is often bestowing forgiveness on Cal. An early scene in the film sees him quote scripture after Cal stays out all night. Family spats are often overcome with a hug – it can represent our desire to maintain a close relationship with those we love, even if quarrels make that difficult sometimes. Against his judgment, Cal goes through the motions of forgiving his father.
Finally, there is the physicality of the hug. Cal forces his father into the embrace, gripping both of Adam’s arms and backing him against the wall. Throughout the film, we see sudden outbursts of violence from Cal – examples of his badness – and this scene is brimming with his need to hurt his father. The hug could be read as a last-minute course correction as Cal holds himself back from doing something he cannot repent for.
Director: Elia Kazan
Writer: Paul Osborn. Based on the novel East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Starring: James Dean, Raymond Massey, Richard Davalos, Julie Harris