East of Eden

OSCAR WINNER:Best Supporting Actress - Jo Van FleetBased on John Steinbeck’s novel and directed by Elia Kazan, 1955’s East of Eden is the first of three major films that make up James Dean’s movie legacy. In East of Eden, the 24-year-old idol-to-be plays Cal, a wayward Salinas Valley youth who, along with his competitive brother Aron (Richard Davalos), vies for the affection of his hardened father (Raymond Massey), making for a tragic Cain and Abel off the haunting sensitivity of Julie Harris, Dean’s performance earned one of the film’s four Academy Award nominations, which included stellar performances throughout, including that of Jo Van Fleet who won the Oscar as “Best Supporting Actress.“