Giant (1956)

This is one of my favorite films. I don't really know why but it is.
Jordan 'Bick' Benedict (Rock Hudson) owns a ranch called Reata in Texas that is 595,000 acres but he travels all the way to Maryland to obtain a prize horse, War Winds, but that is probably a good thing that he comes so far or else there would be no film. He falls in love with Leslie Lynnton, the daughter of the horse breeder and doctor, portrayed by Elizabeth Taylor.
Leslie moves to Texas, because she has no choice, and except for an early fainting spell, she likes it there, though she is appalled at how the Mexican workers live and are treated at the ranch. This causes tons of tension between her and Bick. Jett Rink (James Dean) is also there to constantly provide tension. He is only there because of Bick's sister, Luz (Mercedes McCambridge) who dies after War Winds throws her, though she believed she could handle that horse and she could not. Jett inherits a small piece of land from her and refuses to sell it. He finds oil there and manages to strike it rich.
Of course life continues for Bick and Leslie and they eventually have three children. But when things aren't going well in their marriage, Leslie returns home for a visit though Bick decides he can tolerate her liberal ways and wants her back.
Then the children grow up and want to lead very different lives from what their parents have expected. Jordan, III (Dennis Hopper) doesn't want to run the ranch and goes East to become a doctor while Judy (Fran Bennett), Jordy's twin, does want to go into ranching but she wants her own little one so she can experiment while Luz (Carroll Baker) develops a sort of crush on the older alcoholic Jett.
Jordy even goes as far as marrying an Hispanic nurse, Juana (Elsa Cardenas) which is met with only grudging approval.
Everything comes to a head when Jett is set to open his new hotel and Bick decides that the whole family needs to make a grand appearance to show him. Leslie isn't thrilled with this and everything goes horribly wrong. Juana is shunned at the beauty salon because Jett doesn't like wetbacks, the horrific term used for Hispanics, and Jordy tries to fight Jett but is instead beaten in front of the crowd. Then Jett passes out, drunk, unable to give his speech to the crowd or over the radio. Luz finds out that Jett truly only liked her mother and decides to move on, to Hollywood.
Bick becomes Leslie's hero only when he defends another Hispanic family at a little restaurant on their way home.
This film is also a lengthy one, at nearly three and a half hours, though it goes by quickly. It also deals with race issues head on and in a surprisingly modern way. I have seen the film four times now and could easily watch it again. I also wrote a paper on this film in college, that's how much I enjoyed it.
Elizabeth Taylor (who gave birth just three months before filming began) also plays a strong female character, a rarity for a Western film, though I consider it more of a drama and romance than Western, but whatever. She tries to work her way into the men's conversation and doesn't stand for it when she is being pushed aside and is willing to sacrifice her marriage rather than changing who she really is. She also doesn't want Bick to force young Jordy to ride on a pony when he clearly doesn't want to.
The marriage is also real, the couple fights and makes up in epic fashion. Bick proclaims that no matter what happens, no matter how old Leslie becomes, he will never fully figure her out.
Sure, the film has its flaws, like why is the devoted neighbor, called Uncle Bawley (Chill Wills) always around? And some of the dialogue is muffled for reasons unknown. I would not like my husband to use his fists as a first resort to defend his family, but this was nearly sixty years ago and it is Texas. The minor role Sal Mineo had, as the Mexican who loses his life in the war should have beefed up ever so slightly and they should have filmed Bick's reaction to having an Hispanic daughter-in-law, but that is just my opinion. But the strong performances make the film great. Taylor was robbed of an Oscar nomination for this film, easily her best, even in the scene where her sister gets married. Taylor and Hudson were both hungover at the time and yet the scene is so touching.
Dean was also nominated for an Oscar, though it should have been in the supporting actor category.
This was his last film and he died just after finishing his scenes. Though all three of his films are great, this is his best film, however, not his best performance. Had he lived, his career could have been magnificent. Grade: A