East of Eden

1955 · 1h55 · Film

Directed by Elia Kazan

Starring James Dean, Julie Harris, Raymond Massey, Richard Davalos, Jo Van Fleet, Burl Ives, Albert Dekker, Lois Smith, Harold Gordon, Nick Dennis

Ideal when you feel… Sad / low Exhausted

In the Salinas Valley in and around World War I, Cal Trask feels he must compete against overwhelming odds with his brother for the love of their father. Cal is frustrated at every turn, from his reaction to the war, how to get ahead in business and in life, and how to relate to his estranged mother.

Original language

English

Screenplay

Paul Osborn, John Steinbeck

Music

Leonard Rosenman

Cinematography

Ted D. McCord

Cast

Richard Davalos, Jo Van Fleet, Burl Ives, Albert Dekker, Lois Smith, Harold Gordon, Nick Dennis, Abdullah Abbas, John Alban

Updated July 22, 2026

Trailer

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