Life

In 1955 the actor James Dean has just completed his first starring role in Elia Kazan's "East of Eden" and although the movie had not premiered yet, Warner Brothers Studio knew that when the film was released he would become a major star. Most of all Dean himself knew this and as part of his very contradictory nature this young man, about to celebrate his 24th Birthday, both wanted the recognition but at the same time he refused to play the part and co-operate and get involved in all the publicity events that was expected of him.

Whilst he waited for the world to discover him and for director Nicholas Ray to cast him in "Rebel Without A Cause" which he hoped would be his next movie, Dean met an unknown photographer called Dennis Stock who took a real shine to him. Twenty six year old Stock saw in Dean an awkwardness and purity and persuaded his own Agent to get 'Life Magazine' to commission a photo essay of the new young actor before he became famous. Dean whilst intrigued by the photographer's growing fascination by him played very hard to get and was much more difficult to nail down and refused to actually give his consent until Stock was about to miss the deadline set by the magazine and he had also run out of both patience and money.

It is based on a true set of events that resulted in an iconic set of photographs that so superbly captured the brilliance of this troubled but genius of this young actor who would end up in a fatal car accident seven months later after having just completed filming both "Rebel Without A Cause" and then "Giant". The movie from Dutch filmmaker Anton Corbijn ('Control') from a script by Luke Davies (Candy) beautifully captures the essence of this moody genius who would be the reluctant face of a whole generation. With an attention to the most minute detail of the period, Corbijn and his cinematographer giving it an almost monochromatic visual feeling which so wonderfully conveyed the spirit of Stock's photographs.

Corbijn chose an real upcoming star to play the star actor as young  Dane Dehaan with his marked physical resemblance to Dean is quite perfect as the confused prodigy who doesn't want to relinquish control over his life, even though he is incapable of managing any part of it himself.  Whilst he had filmed "East of Eden" he had a very public affair with Pier Angeli who at the time was a bigger star than him, but he also cannot stop flirting with Stock who has enough of his own issues, which makes sense given the reputation that Dean had about his own fluid sexuality.  

Stock, played here so compellingly by Robert Pattinson, would go on to become a really celebrated Magnum photographer after his career was catapulted by these epochal images.

Life is essential viewing for any cinephile who loved that era in movies as it is crammed with walk-on's playing some of the celebrities that Dean rubbed shoulders with like Natalie Wood and Eartha Kitt.  More than this however it gives an insight into a man who sadly never lived long enough to fulfill his enormous potential and about whom we can only just imagine what he would have become if had got beyond his 25th Birthday.

★★★★★★★★