Delayed Reaction: Giant

Premise: A film of epic length about decades in the life of a wealthy Texan ranch family.

James Dean only made 3 films and earned 2 Oscar nominations for them. Giant is the only one released after his death and it earned him his final Oscar nomination. I think it's fair to say that is the main reason this film is remembered. Having now seen it, I think that's the best reason to remember it, and it's not a particularly good reason.

This is a 3-hour movie that isn't about much at all. It's overflowing with plot; just not much that I found very interesting. Early on, it's a sort of a love triangle and fish out of water story. Then it because a family drama. Finally, it turns into a message movie. It's all very Hays code, Hollywood Golden Age, blacklist-era earnestness in a way that I found really off-putting. It also seems weird to have Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean in a movie where they're in old age makeup for half the run. Movies with a message have a hard time aging well. They are a response to their own era, and as a result, feel dated later on. I'm sure Giant felt important at the time. Now, it's just making surface-level observations about race.

Here's a fun way to watch this movie. Think of it like watching There Will Be Blood from his next-door neighbors' perspective. James Dean is the Daniel Plainview of this, who is full of piss and vinegar early on and turns into a jaded old man by the end. Just imagine There Will Be Blood happening in the background while Taylor and Hudson are arguing about where their kids should go to school. At times, that was the only thing that kept me going through this slog of a movie.

And, I'm just going to say it. James Dean didn't deserve an Oscar nomination for this. It's not much of a performance at all. Remember, this was a nomination for a Lead role. That's absurd. He's easily the third behind Hudson and Taylor and it's pretty distant. He has a supporting role and not a great one. I have to assume this was earned only because of his death before the film was released.

Verdict: Strongly Don't Recommend