The third time watching GIANT (1956)

Wealthy Texas rancher Bick Benedict (Rock Hudson) shakes things up at home when he returns from a trip to the East Coast with a love interest, the refined Leslie Lynnton (Elizabeth Taylor). Bick and Leslie get married, but she clashes with his sister, Luz (Mercedes McCambridge), and wins the admiration of the ambitious young Jett Rink (James Dean). Bick and Jett form a tense rivalry that continues to surface as the years pass and fortunes change in this sweeping drama.-WWW

Initial release: October 10, 1956 (New York City)
Director: George Stevens
Running time: 3h 21m
Story by: Edna Ferber (1952 novel of the same title)
Screenplay: Fred Guiol, Ivan Moffat

Giant is an epic that after watching for a second time I told myself, "Never again!"  I guess you should never say never.   I was a teenager when I first watched this.  Why did I watch it?  I was sort of reading about the life and times of the three main characters: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean.  

The second time I watched this I think I was in my early 20s. It just so happened that mom and dad were so excited to watch it on TNT(yes, it was not TCM yet because it was before 1994)so I joined them.  Although I like the story, I found a lot of parts dragging and unneeded, which was not the case when I watched it the first time.

Sometime in the very recent past, I chanced upon this.  I became interested in it again, but I was on my way out.  This morning, with my aching bones(I helped out in a Mead Johnson-Enfapro A+4- event in Sofitel yesterday-Nut Station, but before that, I was not able to sleep so I became very, very tired when I reached home and now I am experiencing body malaise) I saw it playing on TCM.

So there, I watched it for the third time.  It was not as magical like when I watched it for the first time, but it was not as boring like when I watched it for the second time.  I felt sorrier for Luz II and Juana, but I was very proud of Bick towards the end.  

Giant is a story about rivalry, racial discrimination, obsession, rejection, pride and true love.  Edna Ferber is truly admirable for being able to weave a story like this one. The screenwriters did their best to make us visualize her words and they were successful.

What about George Stevens? Did he do a good job?  Of course he did.  Except for the dragging parts, this is a masterpiece.

Would I watch it again? Maybe.  There.  I didn't say never.

The two cute grandchildren, Baby Dace and Jordan Benedict IV

[last lines]
Jordan 'Bick' Benedict: You want to know something, Leslie? If I live to be ninety, I will never figure you out.

From Wikipedia (click it for spoilers---hahahaha!)

• Elizabeth Taylor as Leslie Lynnton Benedict
• Rock Hudson as Jordan "Bick" Benedict Jr.
• James Dean as Jett Rink
• Jane Withers as Vashti Snythe, the Benedicts' neighbor
• Robert Nichols as Mort "Pinky" Snythe, Vashti's husband
• Chill Wills as Uncle Bawley, Bick's uncle
• Mercedes McCambridge as Luz Benedict, Bick's sister
• Carroll Baker as Luz Benedict II, Leslie and Bick's daughter
• Dennis Hopper as Jordan Benedict III, Leslie and Bick's son
• Fran Bennett as Judy Benedict, Leslie and Bick's daughter
• Earl Holliman as Robert "Bob" Dace, Judy's husband
• Elsa Cárdenas as Juana Guerra Benedict, Jordan III's wife
• Paul Fix as Dr. Horace Lynnton, Leslie's father
• Judith Evelyn as Mrs. Nancy Lynnton, Leslie's mother
• Carolyn Craig as Lacey Lynnton, Leslie's sister
• Rod Taylor as Sir David Karfrey, Lacey's husband
• Sal Mineo as Angel Obregón II
• Charles Watts as Judge Oliver Whiteside
• Maurice Jara as Dr. Guerra
• Alexander Scourby as Old Polo
• Mickey Simpson as Sarge, owner of Sarge's Diner
• Noreen Nash as Lona Lane

Nick Adams recorded some of James Dean's dialogue after Dean's death.

The imdb page