Word: benedict
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Giant is undeniably a good bit like Texas. Although the lavish spending is not what the movie would lead you Easterners to believe, Giant's rendition is not entirely unjustified. Similarly its typical characters run according to the authentic mold--Texan males are much like Bick Benedict (Rock Hudson, strong and strongly ruled by Hoyle; their women, as in the movie, are in at least a 5-1 ratio of the vacant-minded to the thinking. The people do herd and smile and "honey-chile," even though not as obviously as in Giant. But after all, these characteristics...
...Giant, Texans and Americans encounter racial prejudice, individualism, and, generally, the problem of deciding exactly what kind of life they want to live. Bick Benedict, the American male-and-father image, reaches two conclusions--that he likes the simple life and that nothing in his life has gone according to plan. Hollywood, with its obvious delight in the movie's extravaganza and its faith in the ultimate triumph of American idealism, succeeds thoroughly in giving him the lie. For the Giant thesis is that everything will turn out wealthy, and all right...
...picture also has aims beyond taking a scalpel to the more peculiar states of Lone Star mentality. It is evidently intended to be something of an American epic, running, as it does, for well over three hours and covering a quarter century in the life of the ranch- owning Benedict clan. On the surface, these people would seem to make admirabe characters for a modern epic because they live on a large scale. Their "ranch," a domain of 596,000 acres, is the setting of some huge social affairs--mostly weddings and funerals--and a number of magnificent fights...
...good points. Stevens' mastery of sweeping outdoor shots is as impressive as ever, even though the empty scenery of Texas lacks the grandeur of that exhibited in his Shane. The acting, too, is mostly excellent, particularly in the surprisingly effective performance of Rock Hudson as the head of the Benedict clan. His work in the past has scarcely suggested the insight and ability which he reveals in this film. Elizabeth Taylor, in the role of Benedict's wife, is at least satisfactory and still very lovely. The performance of the late James Dean as the cowhand-millionaire, while perhaps...
...ruining the rest of the piece, the introduction provided by Ruth Nanda Anshen is a mighty blast, especially for such a small trumpet. In her forward to the series, (Miss or Mrs.?) Anshen manages to embrace the Declaration of Independence, the rights of man, the United Nations' charter, Ruth Benedict, Buddha, and the hobo party platform in a prospectus with little perspective...