Sickness and my continued malaise about the state of our country led me to procrastinate this week with two classic films, both fascinating in their own right, but more so when they are placed in the context of our current national situation. Giant (1956) is a sprawling epic, part melodrama and part midcentury Western. Directed by George Stevens and based on a novel by Edna Ferber, the film explores the life of wealthy rancher, Bick Benedict (Rock Hudson), his romance with the socialite Leslie Lynnton (Elizabeth Taylor), and his lifelong rivalry with Jett Rink (James Dean), a handyman who strikes it oil rich, allowing him to do opulent things like build his own hotel. Giant was a hit with both the public and the critics back in 1956, earning $12 million at the box office and garnering 10 Oscar nominations (including a win for Best Director). By today's standards, the film's soundstage-bound sets and saturated color palette lend it the aura of technicolor soap opera; the o...
Recommendations from a well-seasoned amateur: dining, entertainment, literature, travel.