James Dean

There is a segment in this obscure made for TV bio-pic that ascends to another plane of artistry, and provides a spellbinding glimpse into what made this legendary actor so extraordinary. Dean, played by the gifted Stephen McHattie, has returned home to find his sensitive roommate sulking in the dark over the sudden realization that the mercurial Dean is broadening his horizons and slipping away from him. By no means unmoved, Dean's response is to read aloud a particularly meaningful passage from his favorite book "The Little Prince". And as he reads consolingly, dramatically; you can see the joy he takes in forming the words, the pleasure he derives from sharing them with an audience, the immense respect he has for the piece itself. The scene plays out as a sort of communion, with Dean seeming to re-absorb the passage as a way of purifying himself. His roommate is mesmerized at this level of devotion to craft and only then begins to appreciate what his friend is becoming, has become.

Told from the refreshingly limited viewpoint of his off and on roommate William Bast (who went on to be a reasonably successful TV and Film writer) the movie touches on the pivotal events of Dean's life and career like a stone skipping across water. The focus is very much on Bast's up close witnessing of Dean's improbable, mind-blowing emergence from awkward hayseed wanna-be into the most emblematic actor of his generation.

Considering that he doesn't look incredibly like Dean (McHattie's face is flinty and pentagonal whereas Dean's was chiseled and rectangular) McHattie does a remarkable job duplicating the body language and facial expressions - the slouched shoulders, sudden movements, furtive looks and exaggerated boyishness. The director frames and lights him in clever ways and there are times when, spookily, you really do feel like you're looking in on Dean's life. McHattie also captures that alien, kaleidoscopic, wildly unpredictable quality - no easy task. He gives you a sense of the development of the persona, the fine-tuning of the image he was trying to project to the world. His Dean almost seems like a mad scientist working on his most diabolical Frankenstein creation - himself.

Makes a nice companion to "9/30/55", another poignant meditation on the actor.

for an early TV movie, this one was ahead of its time...it featured James telling his friend to be more sexually adventurous, leading him to go cruising in a gay bar...

I got it at the dollar store , so my print was typically muddy, being that the flick fell into the public domain and all...still if you like JD you will get a kick out of this flick...well then there now!!!!

It also shows Katherine Helmond. Amy Irving and a beautiful Brooke Adams...I liked it enough to recommend it if you buy it cheap like I did!!!

If you want a really good JD movie, try Robert Altman's documentary it is archaic but fascinating!!!

Made for TV movie about 1950's Hollywood icon James Dean, Stephen McHattie, based on the memories recounted in the film by his best friend and room-mate screen writer William Bast, Michael Brandon, that goes deep into to life of the crazy mixed up and complicated person that he was.

Bast first got to see Dean in 1950 on stage in the the play "Hamlet" that anything but convinced him what a major impact on the stage and screen,TV and the movies,he was to become over the next 5 years as well as decades after his death. Feeling that Dean was some kind of an oddball Bast soon realized that his talents were far greater then most if not all,including actor Marlon Brando, of the major Hollywood actors at that time. Getting more and more hooked on Dean Bast made things complicated for the actor in him being around when Dean was involved with the many women and young girls who were vying for Dean's attention. One of them young Norma Buckner, Amy Irving, ended up killing herself with an overdose of sleeping pills after Dean in trying to explain, in his far out opinions on the subject, to her what life was all about which made her far more upset-about life-then she already was.

We get to see Dean rise from making coke commercials to become a star in a trio of major Hollywood movies on his more or less, without as he said kissing butt, very unique acting talent alone! This talent was shaped in Dean becoming a member of the Strasbourg School of Method Acting in New York where he was it's youngest member. We also get to see that it was in fact Dean's extreme near sightedness, his vision was 20/400, that brought out that intense and manic acting ability that we see in his movies. Not wearing corrective glasses on the movie set Dean, nicknamed "Squinty" by those who worked with him, had to squint and look like he was in extreme agony to act out his roles! That style of acting on Dean's part made an impact on everyone watching him in the theater as well as on the movie set!It was what made Dean an overnight sensation in his first staring film "East of Eden" as the troubled and sensitive youth Cal Trask.

Even though Dean had a number of lady friends during his stay in both New York City and Hollywood they all, as gorgeous as they were, took second place to his love for acting and improving his acting ability in experiencing everything possible in in, good and bad,life to make him the acting legend that he was to become. Now in the late summer and early fall of 1955 Dean was at the top of his game and about to breakout in two movies,"Rebel Without a Cause" and Giant", that were soon to be released that he got himself killed in a head on car crash on September 30, 1955! That put an end to his life but gave birth to the James Dean legend that has already lasted more then twice as long, over 50 years, as his life did!

Very effective movie on the life times and death of James Dean with a bravo performance by Stephen McHattie who's so good playing the part that at times I had trouble distinguishing him and the character he was playing on screen: James Dean. Michael Brandon is also very effective as Dean's friend who after Dean's tragic death had continuous nightmares in him letting Dean down when he really needed him like,in what the film hinted at, being not only his friend but lover as well!

P.S As tragic as Dean's death was it was the person riding with him on that faithful day in September car mechanic Rolf Wutherich, Robert Kenton, who was an even more tragic figure. Surviving the car crash with a broken jaw and a number of broken ribs and bones Rolf for years got hundreds of hate letters in being responsible for Dean's death just by the fact that he not Dean survived the car accident! Suffering from depression and severe mental illness and attempting a number of suicides,in one case stabbing his wife and himself 14 times, Rolf finally got his wish by driving stone cold drunk into a building in Kupferzell Germany on July 22, 1981 killing himself on impact!

This is Probably the best James Dean BIO since it was written and produced by his real life best friend William Bast. While actor Stephen Mchattie (who plays James Dean) doesn't look that much like him you still get the feeling its him especially around the time of Giant. This was the first to show Dean's flirting with homosexuality which was remarkable for 1976. William Bast has since written a new book called "Surviving James Dean" which go much farther in detail then any movie has gone. You can hear an interview with William Bast at http://writingshow.com/podcasts/Bill_Bast.mp3

I've seen this movie many times and you can probably get it on DVD at Walgreens for $1.00 since I saw it their last week.

Not the life story of James Dean, but the story of Mr. Dean and writer William Bast. This is, in fact, their (partially veiled) love story. Mr. Bast was Dean's "best friend", "roommate", and/or "confidant" for the last five years of his life. James Dean and William Bast. Were they "just good friends" for five years? Not exactly. Bast wrote, and co-produced; and Robert Butler directed. The production is surprisingly high quality, considering the fact that this was a 1976 "TV movie". Frank Stanley's photography excels. It could have been a feature film. Perhaps, Bast preferred the guaranteed television audience, as a feature hinting at his sexual relationship with Dean would have been poorly received in most movie houses.

Michael Brandon (as Bast) and Stephen McHattie (as Dean) are very convincing, as the young friends. It's sometimes a little difficult to determine if the "The Little Prince and The Fox" knew what they were playing with fire; however, it seems obvious that director Butler had figured out Bast's direction. At first, it seems as if the duo's numerous lovely girlfriends are all Pier Angelis (red herrings); actually, they are realistic, and help explain the complicated Dean/Bast relationship.

The female supporting cast is pretty (and) numerous; Candy Clark (as Christine White) is one stand-out, believability-wise; note, the real-life Ms. White appears in a small role. Watch out for a very tender "barroom" scene with Leland Palmer (as Arlene), a disabled woman Dean takes for a ride.

Reality sets you free.

"James Dean" should have been nominated for several "Emmy" awards, especially considering the Brandon and McHattie lead performances, and the TV movie's relative production values. The film could be criticized for "holding back"; but, it could also be praised for being able to make its points without being explicit. Emotionally, at least, "James Dean" is clear; discerning what's left out isn't too difficult.

********* James Dean (2/19/76) William Bast ~ Michael Brandon, Stephen McHattie, Candy Clark, Leland Palmer