Elizabeth Taylor in "Giant" (1956)

Elizabeth Taylor in "Giant" (image from JSR Pages)

REVIEW:
"Giant" is one of the greatest films ever and it turned Elizabeth Taylor from star into superstar and established her as one of the world's greatest actresses of the young generation, in the same "league" with Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly. The reunion with the great director George Stevens, gave young Elizabeth Taylor the oportunity to "grab" an overwhelming dramatic role: the interpretation of a woman throughout her entire life, from adolescence to young married mother and, finally, to grandmother age. "Giant" is a huge film in all respects: a modern epic, a blockbuster with major actors, being on the list of the best films of all time.

"Giant" tells of the rise and development of modern Texas, the transition from cowboys to wealthy oilmen, the lives of several strong Texans, the story of beautiful Leslie Benedict, a saga that spans over several generations.

FILM TITLE
"GIANT"/(U.S.A./Warner Bros/1956)

PROMO
An epic film, as big as Texas! Is the new "Gone With the Wind! (Warner).

OVERVIEW
Bick Benedict (Rock Hudson), the owner of a farm of 600 acres in Texas, is visiting a farm in Maryland to buy a horse. The owner's daughter - young, beautiful and intelligent Leslie (Elizabeth Taylor) - falls in love with him. Bick and Leslie get married and leave back to his farm in Texas. Here, until the arrival of Leslie, the real mistress of the house was Bick's sister, Luz Benedict (Mercedes MacCambridge), a true Texan, known and respected throughout the land. Jett Rink (James Dean) is an ambitious and unabashed tenant who works at the farm because of Luz. Leslie begins to impose herself and take over the role of the mistress of the land and gets involved in modernizing the huge ranch. Jett is in love with Leslie, who chooses to consider him just a good friend. After Luz dies, dropped by the horse brought from Maryland, Jett receives (by Luz's will) a portion of the land that he refuses to sell, hoping to become rich. And he will be rich, discovering oil! The entire Texas will change with the discovery of oil. Years pass and we see the Benedicts with their grown up children (two girls and a boy), already at an age when they leave their parents for education or to start a family on their own...Even if their parents have other plans for them, their children are not willing to accept them. This fact leads to the conflict between generations and between mentalities. Leslie's daughter falls in love with Jett Rink (now a big rich man), but he still loves her mother, Leslie Benedict.

CAST
Elizabeth Taylor (Leslie Benedict), Rock Hudson (Bicke Benedict), James Dean (Jett Rinks), Carroll Baker (Luz Benedict II), Mercedes MacCambridge (Luz Benedict), Dennis Hopper (Jordan Benedict), Sal Mineo (Angel Obregon).
DIRECTED BY
George Stevens.
SCREENPLAY
Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffat, after bestseller "Giant" by Edna Ferber.
PRODUCED BY
George Stevens, Henry Ginsberg.
PRODUCTION DATES
from May to October 1955.
RELEASED
November 1956
COLOR
Warnercolor.
DURATION
201 minutes.
GENRE
drama.

NOMINATED at
- Oscar for Best Actor (James Dean), Oscar for Best Actor (Rock Hudson), Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (Mercedes MacCambridge) Oscar for Best Art Direction (Boris Leven, Ralph S. Hurst), Oscar for Best Costumes (Moss Mabry), Oscar for Best Editing (William Hornbeck, Philip W. Anderson, Fred Bohanan), Oscar for Best Music (Dimitri Tiomkin), Oscar for Best Picture (George Stevens, Henry Ginsberg), Oscar for Best Screenplay (Fred Guiol, Ivan Moffat);
- Golden Globe for Best Film, Golden Globe for Best Director;
- WGA Award for Best Screenplay.
AWARDS
- Oscar for Best Director (George Stevens);
- David di Donatello for Best Picture;
- WGA Award for Best Director.

TRIVIA
- memorable lines between Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean (Leslie Benedict: "Money is not everything in life, Jett" / Jett Rink: "Not when you have it!");
- Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, William Holden and even John Wayne were considered for the role of Bick Benedict;
- Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly were the first choices for the role of Leslie Benedict. Rock Hudson tells that George Stevens asked him: "Who would you like to play with ?". The 29-year-old actor replied without hesitation: "With Liz Taylor!"
- Alan Ladd and Richard Burton...were alternatives to the role of Jett Rink;
- also, George Stevens wanted Montgomery Clift (for the role of Jett Rink), but the director was tired of the actor's personal problems;
- finally, George Stevens accepted James Dean, although he disagreed the young actor in every aspect;
- a special friendship was bound between Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor, on the one hand and between Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean on the other hand;
- Rock Hudson and James Dean could not stand each other;
- Elizabeth Taylor brought both her children on the set;
- Carroll Baker, who is the daughter of Elizabeth Taylor in the film, in real life she was older than Taylor!
- James Dean died in a car accident before the end of the production;
- after the death of James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor had a nervous breakdown that led to stopping the production for two weeks.

Watch TRAILER here.