James Dean

[ClassyCo]

Why hasn't James Dean gotten his own thread? Has it gotten one somewhere and I haven't found it?

Either way, I've started one here.

James Dean was one of the earliest drawing cards that got me glued to classic Hollywood. I remember watching the Forever Young documentary on him I got from Big Lots several years ago for like three dollars, and since then, my admiration has grown.

Any thoughts?

 

[ClassyCo]

James Dean getting tested for his climatic oil scene in Giant, a movie he didn't quite finish before his death.

 

[Karin Schill]

He was great. It's a tragedy that he died so young.

Oh and I hope you'll enjoy this fan music video tribute that I've made to him several years ago:

 

[ClassyCo]

I remember reading somewhere that during the filming of Giant that Liz Taylor and Rock Hudson made a bet as to who could bed Dean the quickest. Apparently, Rock Hudson won.

That's the way the story I heard goes, any way.

More than likely, it is all just hearsay or straight out lies. It's quite well-known, however, than James Dean struggled, or experimented, with his sexuality. I wouldn't jump on the bandwagon of calling him gay, but I certainly think he might have been bisexual, bi-curious, or willing to engage in same-sex intercourse to further his career. A lot of good-looking guys back then traveled the casting couches just like the ladies did, most of the time under the supervision of talent scout Henry Willson.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I remember reading somewhere that during the filming of Giant that Liz Taylor and Rock Hudson made a bet as to who could bed Dean the quickest. Apparently, Rock Hudson won.

That's the way the story I heard goes, any way.

More than likely, it is all just hearsay or straight out lies. It's quite well-known, however, than James Dean struggled, or experimented, with his sexuality. I wouldn't jump on the bandwagon of calling him gay, but I certainly think he might have been bisexual, bi-curious, or willing to engage in same-sex intercourse to further his career. A lot of good-looking guys back then traveled the casting couches just like the ladies did, most of the time under the supervision of talent scout Henry Willson.

Well, Elizabeth publicly referred to both Rock and Jimmy as "gay" some 30+ years later, the wench.

Rock admitted that he and Jimmy didn't like each other. Dean fans, of course, insist the enmity between the two actors was due to "jealousy" (on Rock's part, of course) but James Dean alienated a number of his co-stars. A method actor, he seemed to try and manufacture animosity with the actors with whom he wasn't supposed to get along on screen -- Raymond Massey hated him, but his female co-stars (eg, Julia Harris, Carol Baker, Natalie Wood, Elizabeth Taylor) generally had a better experience with him because his character was supposed to get along with them on-screen.

Baker has also said that while Dean was somewhat "shy" that he could come out of his shell to manipulate and "compete" for someone's off-camera attention (like befriending Taylor to "take her away from" Rock).

I'm sure he was a little exhausting.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Well, Elizabeth publicly referred to both Rock and Jimmy as "gay" some 30+ years later, the wench.

A lot of the great actors have been gay or bisexual. Do you think this is more likely because becoming a professional actor especially appeals to gay people (even more than it does to straight people in general) and that makes a particularly high percentage of gay people pursue an acting career, or because gay people maybe tend to have more innate talent for acting (on average) than the rest of the populace?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

A lot of the great actors have been gay or bisexual. Do you think this is more likely because becoming a professional actor especially appeals to gay people (even more than it does to straight people in general) and that makes a particularly high percentage of gay people pursue an acting career, or because gay people maybe tend to have more innate talent for acting (on average) than the rest of the populace?

A lot of it has to do without an openness (behind the camera) in Hollywood where people tended to be out-of-the-closet or "known about" just so long as they didn't identify as "gay" publicly. So in later decades, when the gay issue is less damning (although leading men still can't be "out" even today) we find out how many of the old, masculine stars were indeed of the homo or bi variety.

In the real world, most gay people still don't self-identify as such, although obviously there's more acceptance than there once was. In the current era, about 5% publicly identify as gay/bi, while CDC still insists it's a miniscule 1 to 2% (which is ridiculous). Kinsey said in the 1940s that it was 10% (although there have been efforts to question that science and lower the number). Scientific observers of wildlife were pressured for eons to not acknowledge the existence of homosexuality in nature (for fear humans might think it was "normal") but their research seemed to turn out the 15% statistic for many species.

With people, in or out of show business, it's hard to say because social pressure keeps most people -- even today -- disinclined to communicate their lusts, and for many it's easy to hide or even suppress.

I recall Rock Hudson doing an interview only weeks before he died just prior to turning 60 in the fall of 1985 where he answered a reporter's question about how many male stars in Hollywood were gay. That answer was "probably most," and he added, "believe me, America does not want to know"'

The "bi" thing -- which is shockingly real -- can likely never be tabulated, human sexuality (and the culture) being what it is.

 

[ClassyCo]

I'd really like to re-watch EAST OF EDEN and REBEL WITHOUT A CASE, two of the best movies from the mid-'50s in my mind. Dean's great in both of them and they each solidify his image as a juvenile delinquent.​

I've also been itching to watch JAMES DEAN, the early 2000s TV biopic where James Franco plays the troubled actor. I watched it once, and I remember liking it well enough. I've always thought Franco, as a young man, looked like Dean. (Interestingly, I've thought Ryan Reynolds sometimes looks like Dean as well.)​

 

[Willie Oleson]

 

[DallasFanForever]

I've always thought Franco, as a young man, looked like Dean.

I can see this. And I can see the Ryan Reynolds comparison as well.

Never seen this particular movie about him, and I didn’t realize it was 24 years old. Is it worth watching? The preview looks very good.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Is it worth watching?

For Casper's mooning scene (that's the only thing I remember)

Did you know that a street was named after his family name? Van Dien Avenue, how glamorous!

 

[darkshadows38]

i don't get why people love this guy either i saw Exit to Eden (1955) he was decent in it but there was a lot of it where he just overacted the hell out of in that film. my dad who was just a kid when he was around he's 71 this year, even he doesn't get the appeal either. i do think he was an actor that had promise though cause he could have gotten better we will never know. though i haven't seen all of Giant (1956) to be fair

 

[Crimson]

t there was a lot of it where he just overacted the hell out of in that film

I pretty much agree with this. Among the iconic Hollywood stars, James Dean is the most perplexing to me. I find most of the Method acting of the 50s to look poor in retrospect; overwrought and indulgent. James Dean was the worst of them; any time I see one of his famous performances, my reaction is to cringe a bit.

I mean, that's just funny looking.



I think he was wiped off the screen by Liz and Rock, and I'm not even a huge fan of either.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

His timing -- the emotionalistic face for the teen angst which was surfacing in the mid'50s, and his early death which froze him in time -- made him into a sexy martyr metaphor for the era, his histrionics rewarded and praised as noble.

But it doesn't last forever. I noticed on IMDb old forums that the fiftieth anniversary of his death saw a lot of traffic on his page; on the sixtieth anniversary there was very little.

What a difference one single decade makes.

That said, I find him just fine in EAST OF EDEN and GIANT. Sure, he's over-the-top in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, but that whole movie as all camp anyway, dated, doomed, '50s suburban gothic with gay undercurrents (of course).

 

[darkshadows38]

yes it's camp but that's now it wasn't suppose to be camp back than. Dennis Hopper was close friends with him and he has said he taught him how to act but Hopper was a far better actor i think well he also did have the time in his life to get better unlike Dean who was killed far too young. he had a number of films under his belt before he really got any good roles cause they were bit parts pretty much or aka cameo's i think also would be the term. while it's sad that he was killed to young it was his own damn fault as well he died the same way that Paul Walker who was i think a far better actor as well. with Walker had he not been so addicted to going fast in cars and while it's true he wasn't driving his friend was he'd still be alive and if Dean didn't have that same addiction to going fast in cars he would maybe still even be alive as well or if not he would have died a hell of a lot older and had a better and lasting career if he had lived.

while Hopper did pretty much every drug and drank like a fish as well it's amazing he even said this before he died that he was even still alive, though Cancer of all things killed Hopper which is pretty shocking considering all the things he put into his body, Dean at least Eden in some parts of the film and iv'e seen it i think 2 or 3 times is a decent film it really needs a better script too. Dean was decent in some parts in the film he wasn't the most awful actor i've ever seen hell no not by far, but than you take Jack Nicholson who also did method acting as well with Jack and his early roles he wasn't a great actor if you watch his early stuff from the early 60's and in some of the films that i've seen and i've seen i'd say about half of his films from the 60's or more than half and in some of them he shows no promise of what he later became but when he was given the experience by Roger Corman who more or less got him as Jack said helped him pay his bills by giving him work when nobody else would hire him, he got better act his craft. but if you watch The Raven (1963) he's decent in that one but it's also a great film with a great cast too. so my point is Method acting and i think Brando did it as well i think it really depends on how you decide to do it, Brando was taught by the late and great Stella Adler who for those who don't know used to be this brilliant teacher that any actor or actress wanted to get taught by and not all of them were lucky and if i recall she pretty much invented method acting, i think method acting has gotten a lot better since it's creation in the 40's and 50's though.

Dean went over the top when he didn't need to be and overacted in some of the film as well at least in Eden anyways i haven' t seen his other films yet to be fair. Dean would is a guy who really should have started out in Soaps cause that's what those shows pretty much are created for to learn your craft. here's a bit of trivia though, Eden i believe is Dennis Hopper's 1st film and Originally he was meant to have a larger role in the film than he did well he was being a dick and causing trouble well that's Hopper back than a stuck up douche bag who hurt his career in the late 50's by running his mouth and not listing to anyone who was trying to help him and he treated people like shit. he later said he had a huge ego back than and i believe it, anyways cause of the trouble he caused during production his part was a lot smaller than it Originally going to be. that's also a real knife they were using while today it would have been fake in the knife fight.

 

[ClassyCo]

I bought this earlier this week:



It was on sale for very cheap on Amazon, and I figured, hey, why not? I have all these movies separately, but I decided I'd just toss into our flea market booth and sell them and just hold onto this collection instead. While these movies might not necessarily be masterpieces, I think Dean very good in all of them.​

 

[ClassyCo]

I bought this earlier this week:

View attachment 35165

It was on sale for very cheap on Amazon, and I figured, hey, why not? I have all these movies separately, but I decided I'd just toss into our flea market booth and sell them and just hold onto this collection instead. While these movies might not necessarily be masterpieces, I think Dean very good in all of them.​

It came in yesterday. It's in very good condition to have been so cheap online.

 

[darkshadows38]

i was rereading my post I meant to say Rebel not Eden OOPS! at some point i plan on seeing the rest of his films they are on my list to watch

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

 

[darkshadows38]

somehow this does not surprise me at all i'm sure more than one person warned him and like an idiot he did not listen Supernatural did an episode that was about cursed things and one of them was Dean's Car i doubt it was the real one but it was still cool ya know? Paul Walker no doubt was warned as well but he did not give a damn he had to have that fix. i know he wasn't driving his friend was but still he's still gone either way