AMPAS Bringing GIANT To Big Screen In NYC

Beverly Hills, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Monday Nights with Oscar® will present “Giant” on Monday, September 12, at 7 p.m. at the Academy Theater at Lighthouse International in New York City. The evening will also feature actress Carroll Baker and historian Foster Hirsch in an onstage discussion about the making of “Giant” and working with George Stevens.

In the 1956 film adaptation of the novel by Edna Ferber, screenwriters Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffatt bring to life the saga of a family of Texas ranchers headed by Jordan “Bick” Benedict (Rock Hudson) and his wife, Maryland socialite Leslie Lynnton (Elizabeth Taylor).  Spanning several decades, Stevens’s “Giant” is drama on a grand scale, confronting themes of family expectations, class warfare, alcoholism, discrimination against Mexican Americans, and how the oil industry transformed a generation of Texas ranchers into super-rich oil barons. In addition to Baker, the star-studded cast includes James Dean in his final role, Dennis Hopper, Mercedes McCambridge, Earl Holliman and Jane Withers.

“Giant” was nominated for 10 Academy Awards® including Best Picture, but received only one, given to Stevens for Directing. This 55th anniversary screening celebrates the life and legacy of Stevens and is presented as part of the George Stevens Lecture Series, established by the Academy in 1981 after Stevens’s personal papers were donated to the Margaret Herrick Library by George Stevens Jr.

Baker appeared in “Giant” as Luz Benedict II shortly before her Oscar-nominated breakout performance in Elia Kazan’s “Baby Doll.”

Tickets for “Giant” are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased online at www.oscars.org or by mail (a printable order form is available in the Events & Exhibitions section of the website).  Tickets may also be purchased at the box office prior to the event (subject to availability).

The Academy Theater is located at 111 East 59th Street (between Park and Lexington avenues) in New York City. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.  For more information, visit www.oscars.org or call (212) 821-9251.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

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All photographs © A.M.P.A.S.