Set in California's Salinas Valley, Elia Kazan's adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel centers on Cal Trask (James Dean), the black sheep son of a stern farmer(Raymond Massey). Tired of being compared to his perfect brother, troublemaker Cal tries in vain to please his father. The two finally face off when Cal confronts his dad with the truth about his allegedly dead mother. Julie Harris, Jo Van Fleet and Burl Ives co-star.