Parents' Guide to East of Eden

This powerful adaptation packs a wallop as it examines sibling rivalry and the nature of "good" and "bad"—and whether we truly know what they are. Based on John Steinbeck's 600-plus-page 1952 novel of the same name (which refers to a Bible passage that means "outside the presence of God"), East of Eden condemns high-mindedness for its own sake, showing how easy it is for someone to be "right" but also inhumane and cruel. Here, a madam seemingly running a brothel, supposedly a moral outlier, can embody many virtues, while a religious upright citizen can be harsh and unloving in the name of goodness and decency. When we learn that Kate, now a successful businesswoman, left her two young sons because her husband's righteousness stifled her, the movie makes as much of a statement about women's rights and personal freedom as it does about a rigid ideological father who needs to control his family members more than he needs to love them.

For teens who may also be struggling with identity issues, there's much to relate to in Dean's portrayal of the confused, alienated Cal as he seeks a disapproving father's love. But although director Elia Kazan was remarkable for tackling difficult issues, he's still prone to unnecessary speechifying in a 1950s Hollywood style that will seem too obvious, too slow, and far too overstated to suit the taste of today's average film viewer. A tendency to over-explain rather than trusting the audience to feel what the story and characters beautifully convey on their own will probably turn many away who might otherwise find much to appreciate here. And those who love the book will be disappointed as the film narrowly focuses on only one small conflict from the novel's multigenerational sweep.