I don't want to be just good. I want to be great.

James Dean is a 2001 biographical television film based on the life of the actor of the same name. The film stars James Franco as James Dean, Michael Moriarty as his father Winton Dean, Valentina Cervi as Pier Angeli and Mark Rydell as Jack Warner.

Directed by Mark Rydell. Written by Israel Horovitz.
Too fast to live. Too young to die. Tagline

James Dean

  • [voice over, opening lines] My mother made me promise to be an artist. She taught me that imagination can take a person anywhere. Mine took me from Indiana, to Broadway, to Hollywood. She was right.
  • [voice over] I decided to move to New York. Every actor I cared about, Brando, Clift, even Whitmore, all worked in New York. New York was big and lonely. I loved it. Being a struggling actor in New York in the nineteen fifties was the best, it was the right place at the right time. Stop worrying about my mother and father for a while. I was dead broke, didn't matter, cause I was home.
  • [On the set of Giant] You know, you keep me waiting for hours preparing for some scene. You never get around for shooting. Cause I ain't working today. And you do it again, I'm gonna take two days and than three.
  • I'm playing the drums! Go to hell!.
See I'm an actor cause it's the best way I know how to express myself.
  • I don't want to be just good. I want to be great.
  • [To Pier Angeli] Tell Vic Damone and your crazy mother, to stay out of our lives!
  • I'm not even interested in this glitzy glamour crap! All right! If you wanna wear monkey suits! That's fine! Not me!

Dialogue

New York was big and lonely. I loved it. Being a struggling actor in New York in the nineteen fifties was the best, it was the right place at the right time. Stop worrying about my mother and father for a while. I was dead broke, didn't matter, cause I was home.
Martin Landau: [about an audition] You never know. I mean look at me; when I tried out for "Tennessee Williams" I thought I was terrible.
James Dean: You were terrible... you didn't get the part.
Martin Landau: Just a detail.
Winton Dean: That's a nice car.
James Dean: Yeah, it's alluminum. They only made 30.
Winton Dean: Must have cost a lot.
James Dean: Well, I got a lot.
Martin Landau: What's your name?
James Dean: I can't decide.
Martin Landau: What are your choices?
James Dean: I've got James Dean, Jimmy Dean, Byron Dean.
Martin Landau: Which one's your real name?
James Dean: James. Byron's my middle name.
Martin Landau: Go with your real name.
James Dean: You think?
Martin Landau: I know. Jimmy's an eight year old boy, and Byron's a dead poet with a crooked foot.
James Dean: James is king. (laughs) What's your name?
Martin Landau: Martin Landau.
(They shake hands)
James Dean: Where are you from?
Martin Landau: Why? Do you wanna come home and meet my mom?
Elia Kazan: Have a seat.
(James sits down)
Elia Kazan: Tell us about yourself, Jimmy.
James Dean: Well, (pauses) you know, there's not much to tell. I was born in Indiana and moved out to California when I was five, till I was nine. My mother died, and then I was sent back to Indiana to live with my aunt and uncle.
Elia Kazan: What was it like living on a farm?
(pauses, takes out a swiss army knife from his pocket, fiddles with it)
James Dean: I wasn't much of a farmer. I rode on a motorcycle. (laughs) I used to chase the cows, they'd start running and others swinging from side to side.
(Kazan smiles)
Elia Kazan: How about your father?
James Dean: Well, we don't really talk much. We don't like each other. (starts jabbing the knife into his chair) In fact we hate each other. See I'm an actor cause it's the best way I know how to express myself, I'm not very good with talking. I think you can tell.
Jack Warner: [About the 50 Spyder race car] You know that uh...Car racing is for idiots. Well, your working for me and I say no racing cars. [Looks at Dean, who smiles] You find that funny huh? [Dean nods] I'm signing a deal that would pay you a million dollars and for a millions dollars I'm telling you, no more racing cars.
James Dean: When I'm not shooting...
Jack Warner: Beg your pardon?
James Dean: When I'm not shooting, I'm on my own, Jack. If you don't like that, you can take...
Jack Warner: [Stops Dean] You're gonna say something, you're gonna regret.

Tagline

  • Too fast to live. Too young to die.
  • The stars that burn brightest burn quickest.
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