"Giant" is for me one of a handful of movies that introduced me to the world of motion pictures at a time when I was about 10 years old, give or take a year or two. "Gigi" and "Around the World in 80 Days" were others that I saw in theaters during their original release. They made a huge impression on me.
The characters in these movies were larger-than-life. "Giant" was an enormous film with a number of interesting elements, not untypical of scripts in the '50s', touching on personal conflicts, racism, and of course the love story.
But the scenes in "Giant" I remembered most vividly from that first viewing involved Jett Rink--even that name was larger-than-life--and Jordan Benedict's brawl in the diner with the racist owner who wanted the Chicano family that had come in to leave.
But it was the rise & fall of Jett Rink that was the most memorable part of the story to me. I recalled the famous 'gusher' scene when Jett's little well strikes it rich and he drives over to the Benedicts to rub it in Jordan's face ("It's a big'n"). Next thing you know there is the private plane with the initials 'JR' on the tail and the transformation is complete, from the grubby, lonely wildcatter to the ultra-rich oilman; then years later, the big dinner when Jett is being put up as a political candidate, gets drunk, and passes out on the podium in front of the crowd of 'supporters'.
"Giant" remains a film I can watch from time to time, and probably see something I hadn't noticed before. It is not a great film, simply an enjoyable one, with an amazing central cast all in their prime.
The characters in these movies were larger-than-life. "Giant" was an enormous film with a number of interesting elements, not untypical of scripts in the '50s', touching on personal conflicts, racism, and of course the love story.
But the scenes in "Giant" I remembered most vividly from that first viewing involved Jett Rink--even that name was larger-than-life--and Jordan Benedict's brawl in the diner with the racist owner who wanted the Chicano family that had come in to leave.
But it was the rise & fall of Jett Rink that was the most memorable part of the story to me. I recalled the famous 'gusher' scene when Jett's little well strikes it rich and he drives over to the Benedicts to rub it in Jordan's face ("It's a big'n"). Next thing you know there is the private plane with the initials 'JR' on the tail and the transformation is complete, from the grubby, lonely wildcatter to the ultra-rich oilman; then years later, the big dinner when Jett is being put up as a political candidate, gets drunk, and passes out on the podium in front of the crowd of 'supporters'.
"Giant" remains a film I can watch from time to time, and probably see something I hadn't noticed before. It is not a great film, simply an enjoyable one, with an amazing central cast all in their prime.