James Dean (2001) (TV)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Mark Rydell

Writer (WGA):

Israel Horovitz (written by)

Release Date:

4 August 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

The stars that burn brightest burn quickest

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Motorcycle | Movie Star | Male Nudity | 1950s

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

James Franco	...	James Dean / Narrator
Michael Moriarty	...	Winton Dean
Valentina Cervi	...	Pier Angeli
Enrico Colantoni	...	Elia Kazan
Edward Herrmann	...	Raymond Massey
Joanne Linville	...	Hedda Hopper
John Pleshette	...	Billy Rose
Barry Primus	...	Nicholas Ray
David Proval	...	Daniel Mann
Samuel Gould	...	Martin Landau (as Sam Gould)
Amy Rydell	...	Christine White
Wendy Benson-Landes	...	Julie Harris (as Wendy Benson)
Karen Kondazian	...	Mrs. Pierangeli
David Parker	...	James Whitmore
Craig Barnett	...	George Stevens

Also Known As:

James Dean: An Invented Life (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language.

Runtime:

120 min | Germany:92 min | UK:90 min | USA:95 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Germany:6 | UK:12 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Five Mile River Films

Trivia:

James Franco became so immersed in playing James Dean that he went from being a non smoker to smoking two packs a day (he has since quit), as well as playing the guitar, the bongos, and learned to ride a motorcycle.

Goofs:

Continuity: When young James Dean is lying in bed he is on his back with his left hand beside his head when his mothers enters the room. In the next shot his is lying on his left side with both hands in front of his head.

Quotes:

Winton Dean: That's a nice car.
James Dean: Yeah, it's alluminum. They only made 30.
Winton Dean: Must have cost a lot.
James Dean: Well, I got a lot.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2002) (TV)

James Franco IS James Dean

"East of Eden" came out when I was 21 and very impressionable, and from then on I was a James Dean fanatic. So were most of my friends, but we didn't see his other two films until after his death. We identified with the roles he played. Cal Trask, Jim Stark, and Jett Rink were just as mixed up and insecure as we were, and James Dean could play those guys because he was mixed up, too. After we saw "Rebel," all of us wanted red jackets like the one he wore in that movie.

In this new movie, a young actor named James Franco plays James Dean, and he beautifully conveys not only the angst and many of the distinctive mannerisms but also some of James Dean's offbeat humor. I suppose one reason Franco was chosen to play Dean is that he looks like him. Not a lot, but there is a resemblance. He could have done a caricature of Dean, but happily he didn't fall into that trap.

Some of the writing was disappointing. The actress who plays Pier Angeli is beautiful and quite good, but what can you do with lines like "You don't understand" and "My mama won't let me"? Those are not her exact lines, but you get what I'm saying.

Dean's relationship with Jack Warner is well done. Also his relationship, or rather his lack of a relationship, with his father. But I kept wishing they'd show more about the making of the films. How did he relate to Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Carol Baker, Sal Mineo, Natalie Wood? And what were the films about? If I didn't already know James Dean's films, I still wouldn't know much about them after seeing this biography. But maybe I would be inspired to check them out.