It was a movie that was about Texas. It was filmed in the west Texas town of Marfa. The movie "Giant" premier on this day in 1956.

 

It starred Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and a young and up and coming actor James Dean. People in the town of about 3600 to this day still talk about the summer of 1955 when Hollywood came to their town. Many of the crew stayed at the Hotel Paisano, which is still in operation today.

In fact my wife took a trip down to Marfa while visiting Fort Davis. The hotel has not changed. It looks the same and it's like walking back into time. There is a photo display of all the stars who had autographed their pictures. We also had dinner in the restaurant of the hotel.

The movie is about Texas and the change it was going through from the cattle industry to oil and the families that were affected by change.

One my favorite scenes is when James Dean's character Jett strikes oil and confronts Bick and Leslie Benedict, played by Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor, about his new found wealth. You'll see it in the following trailer about the movie.

James Dean would never see the premier of the movie. He was killed in a car accident shortly after filming for the movie had ended. He was 24.
The movie was released a year later.

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