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"He's not easy to understand. But he's all man, and he'll make his mark. Mind you, my boy will make his mark." And so he did. James' father, Winton Dean, stated in Modern Screen, just one month before the fatal car crash, that James was "all man." He had faith in his son, as any father does, but the world had faith in James Dean like they'd never had before.
The world first saw his shining talent with the release of his first feature film, East of Eden. This was the only film James would see released in his lifetime (although he didn't attend the movie's opening). By the time Rebel Without A Cause was released, he had been made an undying legend. His incredible gift for acting...not merely acting, but feeling and conveying...had shone past his photogenic quality, which was in itself a timeless and endearing attribute. Dennis Hopper says of James, "I have never seen an actor as dedicated, with the extreme concentration and exceptional imagination as James Dean." When playing James' father in Rebel Without A Cause, Jim Backus stated "He had the greatest power of concentration I have ever encountered...the lines were not
simply something he had memorized - they were actually a very real part of him." William C. Mellor,
cinematographer of Rebel, also recognized James' immense ability -- "In front of the camera, he had an instinct that was nearly uncanny... He just seemed to know how it should be, without rehearsal or anything." This level of concentration and dedication to his craft was reflected in his performances. After just a little over one year, James Dean had become an American icon. The youth of the nation could immediately relate to the 24-year-old on the screen. Dennis Hopper also added, "He seemed to capture that moment of youth, that moment where we're all desperately seeking to find ourselves." This achievement was because of one thing - James' ability to convey naturally in his actions, words, and voice what everyone else was thinking. They saw themselves in him.
His influence went past just the 1950's and into each new decade, and now a new millennium. Everybody wanted to be James Dean. His hair, his face, his clothes, his demeanor... He was the ultimate in cool. But his "coolness" went past his loose-fitting clothes, leather jacket, and perfectly styled hair. As his father said, James was "all man." He was a very intelligent and well-rounded young
man. Concert pianist and actor Oscar Levant says of James, "He turned out to be a fascinating and intelligent young man who talked fluently about artists in music. And he was surprisingly knowledgeable about such recondite composers as Schönberg and Bartók." Despite James' "tough guy" image, he was actually quite shy and respectful. In his own words, James believes that "Only the gentle are ever really strong." These are the features that made him not only a phenomenal actor and an American icon, but also an extraordinary man.
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East of Eden ~ Rebel Without A Cause ~ Giant |
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