From Cornfields to the Edge of Cool

A review of The James Dean Story (1957)

James Dean is one of those icons who, in just a short time on earth, made a huge impact — not just one those who knew him, but millions of fans who never had the chance. After his sudden death in 1955, people wanted to know more about Dean and how he had become the actor Hollywood was craving. In The James Dean Story, released just two years after his death, the…