Synopsis
Wealthy rancher Bick Benedict and dirt-poor cowboy Jett Rink both woo Leslie Lynnton, a beautiful young woman from Maryland who is new to Texas. She marries Benedict, but she is shocked by the racial bigotry of the White Texans against the local people of Mexican descent. Rink discovers oil on a small plot of land, and while he uses his vast, new wealth to buy all the land surrounding the Benedict ranch, the Benedict's disagreement over prejudice fuels conflict that runs across generations.
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Cast
- Elizabeth TaylorLeslie Lynnton Benedict
- Rock HudsonJordan "Bick" Benedict Jr.
- James DeanJett Rink
- Carroll BakerLuz Benedict II
- Jane WithersVashti Synthe
- Chill WillsUncle Bawley
- Mercedes McCambridgeLuz Benedict
- Dennis HopperJordan "Jordy" Benedict III
- Sal MineoAngel Obregón II
- Rod TaylorSir David Karfrey
Recommendations
- 100
The Hollywood Reporter
Giant stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the great ones. - 100
TV Guide Magazine
GIANT confirms Taylor's skills as an actress; she's entirely believable even when she ages by just having her hair greyed. - 100
Village Voice
Key to Giant‘s enduring appeal is the meshing of outsize stars with Ferber’s characters: Closeted sex symbol Hudson’s towering Bick fills the big boots of his ranching family while struggling with the demands of traditional masculine authority. The taboo-breaking Taylor is the seductive, whip-smart Leslie, an assured reformer who views the injustices visited upon the ranch’s Mexican workers with maternal concern...And then there’s Dean’s most mannered, complex performance: Jett is at once transparent and enigmatic, hardening with age while the other characters mature. The actor’s death — a year before release — adds a keen poignancy to the character’s lost potential. - 90
The New York Times
Thanks to Mr. Stevens' brilliant structure and handling of images, every scene and every moment is a pleasure. He makes "picture" the essence of his film. - 90
Variety
It is also, for the most part, an excellent film which registers strongly on all levels, whether it's in its breathtaking panoramic shots of the dusty Texas plains; the personal, dramatic impact of the story itself, or the resounding message it has to impart. - 90
The A.V. Club
In spite of the three-and-a-half-hour running time and the stark southwestern landscapes, Giant studies little moments more intently than monumental ones, and dwells in drawing rooms as much as on the range. - 75
ReelViews
Aggressive editing could have shortened Giant considerably, but the three hour twenty-one minute running time permits the tale to breathe. And, even at this length, there are times when events feel rushed or compressed... So, although Giant may not be a classic in the purest sense of the word, it's a fine example of a virtually-extinct genre. - 63
Slant Magazine
Sitting through it is like cramming a decade’s worth of daily television-watching into a single sitting.
