Appendix 1: Synopses of films
East of Eden
Elia Kazan, Warner, US 1955.
James Dean; Raymond Massey; Julie Harris; Jo Van Fleet; Richard
Davalos; Burl Ives; Albert Dekker.
Based on a Steinbeck novel, the film is set in California during
the first world war. Adam (Massey) has brought up his twin sons
Aron (Davalos) and Cal (Dean) alone since their mother (Van
Fleet) deserted the family soon after the children's birth. Aron
is obedient and 'good', Cal is difficult and 'bad,. The film
follows Cal's various attempts to 'find' himself and to win his
father's love, which he eventually does with the help of Abra
(Harris), initially his brother's girl but who discovers she
loves Cal.
From Here To Eternity
Fred Zinneman, Columbia, US 1953.
Frank Sinatra; Burt Lancaster; Montgomery Clift; Deborah Kerr;
Ernest Borgnine; Donna Reed.
'Life in a Honolulu barracks at the time of Pearl Harbour.
Cleaned up and streamlined version of a best seller in which the
sexual frustrations of a number of unattractive characters are
laid bare. As a production, it is Hollywood in good form, and
certainly took the public fancy as well as establishing Sinatra
as an acting force.' Halliwell 1987.
From Russia With Love
Terence Young, UA, UK 1963.
Sean Connery; Robert Shaw; Lotte Lenya; Eunice Gayson; Lois
Maxwell.
A Russian spy joins an international crime ring in order to kill
the British agent Bond/007 (Connery) and steal a vital new piece
of intelligence equipment from 'the West'. This second James
Bond film develops the successful formula of the first, this time
with Venice and Istanbul amongst the spectacular locations.
The Glenn Miller Story
Anthony Mann, U-I, US 1954.
James Stewart; June Allyson; Frances Langford; Louis Armstrong;
Gene Krupa.
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