Ranger Exes Memorial - Texas - Old Texas Theaters

Making of the movie "GIANT":Revisited

The 1956 movie epic "GIANT" won 4 Oscars and 12 nominations. It 
was based on the novel by Edna Ferber which covered the family 
life of a Texas cattle rancher and their conflicts.  Stars of 
the movie were Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean (final 
film role), Chill Wills, and Dennis Hopper.  One of the many 
filming locations was outside of Marfa, Texas.

At the time of the filming, I was a young teenager in school. My 
family and I took a vacation trip to the Big Bend National Park 
in West Texas.  On the way and a short distant out of Marfa, we
stopped to watch the movie being filmed. As we stood with other 
tourists by the roadside in complete silence, Leslie Benedict   
(Elizabeth Taylor) and Jett Rink (James Dean) were doing a filming
scene over and over.  She was getting out of her car to visit him
at his ranch, Little Reata.  Later we were allowed to walk around
to take pictures where the cast and crew were taking a break.



Little Reata movie set in 1955



Elizabeth Taylor & husband, Michael Wilding 
posing for pictures.



Filming of "GIANT" near Marfa with Elizbeth 
Taylor by the car.


In 2006 after 50 years of the movie release, I returned to Marfa
with my wife.  We first visited The Hotel Paisano (1930) in Marfa
where cast and crew members stayed during the filming.  In the 
hotel is a special memorabilia room devoted to the movie. Across
the street from the hotel is the now closed Palace movie theater
where the filming was reviewed each day after shooting.  We then
drove out Highway 90 looking for remains of the movie set. After
a few miles, "there on the right!". The old windmill at the place
of Jett Rink was the only visible remains of the movie set.  On
our way back to Marfa, we looked for the remains of Reata (home 
of "Bick" Benedict) but didn't see it.  All pictures taken by
Webmaster.


Remains of GIANT movie set near Marfa, Texas



Palace theater in downtown Marfa



The Hotel Paisano in downtown Marfa where cast
members stayed



Patio at The Hotel Paisano



The movie "GIANT" is continuously being 
played at the hotel.



GIANT memorabilia room at the hotel


On our 40th. wedding anniversary in 2007, we returned to San Antonio
where we spent our honeymoon at the historical 1859 Menger Hotel.  
Hanging in the lobby of the hotel is a painting  "Venting Cattle 
on the Frisco System" which was used in the movie "GIANT".     



Painting "Venting Cattle on the Frisco System" 
by F. L. Van Ness used in the movie



1859 Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas