Only a year after his monumental film On the Waterfront, Elia Kazan directed this adaptation of John Steinbeck’s epic novel East of Eden, starring the inimitable James Dean.

Dean stars as Cal Trask, a young man lacking direction in his life, who spends his days vying for the affection of his religious father against his brother Aron. But when a secret about their long-lost mother comes to light, and Cal falls for Aron’s girlfriend, Abra, the tension within the family reaches a boiling point.

Elia Kazan was known as one of the most influential directors in classic Hollywood, and for his focus on themes with a social and personal significance. His immense skills as a filmmaker are present throughout East of Eden’s entire runtime, but it’s the ephemeral talent of James Dean, in one of just three major roles before his tragic passing, that gives this Steinbeck adaptation its punch.