Giant: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean, Edna Ferber and the Making of a Legendary American Film

Graham (State of Minds), a University of Texas English professor who’s written several books on his state’s culture and representation in film, returns with a lively but undistinguished production history of Giant, George Steven’s 1956 epic. Graham devotes individual chapters to exploring various stages of production and to providing quick biographies of the film’s major players, who included three of the biggest movie stars of the time: Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean. These sections in particular feel like missed opportunities, often coming across as gossipy and devoid of empathy for the stars’ personal challenges, such as Hudson’s need to conceal his sexuality in a homophobic era. Dean’s death, which occurred while the film was in postproduction, is also discussed, though this account doesn’t bring anything new to the table. There is some evocative writing about Stevens, particularly about the lingering psychological effects his WWII service had on him. Graham revealingly quotes Stevens as saying, “After seeing the {concentration} camps, I was an entirely different person.” While deeply researched and efficiently paced, Graham’s account does little to transcend the making-of genre of film books, and Graham’s strangely judgmental tone toward Giant’s stars is likely to leave readers feeling cold. Agent: Jim Hornfischer, Hornfischer Literary Management. (Apr.)