The eternal rebel

» James Dean’s legend lives on 66 years after his death

Brandon Yip
Senior Columnist

 

ames Dean is an enduring Hollywood icon. He made only three
films: East of Eden, Rebel Without A Cause and Giant and
then he was gone; killed in a car crash aged 24 near Cholame,
California while en route to a car race in Salinas.

September 30 is the 66th anniversary of Dean’s untimely
death. Yet, his legend has endured; the public reaction and mass
hysteria that ensued had not been seen since the death of silent
film star, Rudolph Valentino, in August 1926 at age 31.

Dean was a forerunner to the rock ‘n’ roll era. Although, he
was not a singer; Dean embodied the image of a rock ‘n’ roll
“badass.” In photos, Dean rarely smiled. He looked angry, moody
and vindictive; pouty yet sexy. He rode motorcycles and drove
fast cars, wore white T-shirts, jeans and leather jackets. Dean
smoked cigarettes. He looked cool doing it.

Notably, Dean was the first Hollywood actor—post World
War II—that teenagers could identify with. Dean portrayed all the
emotional turmoil, confusion and angst that many teenagers felt
but could not openly express. The roles Dean portrayed in his
three films were troubled men, rebellious and anti-authority in
nature. Dean conveyed the image of a true rebel and a free spirit.
For some, he symbolized a middle finger pointed at authority.

Photo of James Dean Memorial by Maksim via Wikimedia Commons

He wanted to do things his way, on his terms and not by anyone
else's. Those qualities and attributes would attract followers like a
cult.

Dean’s seminal performance in Rebel Without A Cause;
released a month after his death, solidified his connection and
popularity with adolescents. His final film, Giant, was released 14
months after his death in November of 1956. Dean would become
the first actor posthumously nominated for an Academy Award
as he received Best Actor nominations for East of Eden and Giant
(Dean lost both times). Remarkably, he remains the only actor in
film history to receive posthumous Academy Award nominations
on more than one occasion.

Although Dean’s film career was brief, he apprenticed his
thespian skills by appearing in a plethora of live television shows
while living in New York (1951 till 1954). Dean also starred in two
Broadway plays; See the Jaguar in 1952 and The Immoralist in
1954. Director Elia Kazan would soon take notice; and cast Dean
in his first film, East of Eden.

Perhaps one reason why Dean was such a captivating actor
and could convey such raw emotional intensity stems from a
traumatic childhood after his mother, Mildred, died of cancer
in 1940. The family had been living in Santa Monica, California
and Dean’s father, Winton, a dental technician struggled. Unable
to take care of young Jimmy, Winton sent him away to live with
his Aunt Ortense (Winton’s sister) and Uncle Marcus (last name
Winslow) on their farm in Fairmount, Indiana.

Dean’s image as a rebel was further enhanced by his love of
speed. He loved motorcycles and fast cars. During the filming
of East of Eden, Dean bought a 1953 MG-TD sports car. He later
purchased a Porsche Super Speedster; before he traded it in for a
Porsche 550 Spyder—the vehicle he was killed in.

After Dean’s death, mass hysteria and worship had begun. For
the next three years following his death, Warner Brothers received
thousands of letters addressed to Dean—some claim more than
any living Hollywood star at the time. Rumours circulated that
Dean was not dead and that he was badly injured and scarred from
the car accident and kept in isolation at a sanitarium.

 

an Memorial by Maksim via Wikimedia Commons