The ’50s Neo-Western Film, Giant, Influenced Taylor Sheridan’s Landman

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Since creating the popular series Yellowstone in 2018, Taylor Sheridan has become known as a leading storyteller in the Western genre, with shows like Landman following its success. Landman‘s second season has quickly become a hit, drawing viewers to Sheridan’s portrayal of contemporary America. Recently, some viewers have noticed similarities between his work and the classic film Giant.

Let’s be honest, making a truly great Western is a huge challenge for any director, and it was especially difficult back in Hollywood’s heyday. While films like Dances With Wolves and The Searchers managed to capture the spirit, they required massive budgets and sprawling landscapes. George Stevens proved himself a true master of the genre back in 1956 with Giant, building on his earlier success with Shane. And looking back after 70 years, it’s clear to me that Taylor Sheridan’s current work isn’t just inspired by Stevens, it’s a direct continuation of his legacy. Sheridan is carrying the torch, and doing it brilliantly.

Giant Birthed the Contemporary Western Epic

In 1956, director George Stevens brought together a remarkable cast – including James Dean, Rock Hudson, and Elizabeth Taylor – for his film Giant. Based on the novel of the same name by Edna Ferber, the movie tells a story that unfolds between the 1920s and 1950s, a time of great change in America.

The story starts with Jordan Benedict, a Texas rancher, traveling to Maryland and falling in love with Leslie Lynnton, a wealthy woman. He marries her and brings her back to his ranch, Reata, in the South. This is a big change for Leslie, as she finds herself in a region facing significant poverty and racial prejudice.

During her time at the ranch, Leslie clashes with Bick’s sister, Luz, creating friction within the family. She also meets Jett Rink, a ranch worker who shares stories of unfair treatment towards the Hispanic laborers. After Luz’s death, it’s revealed she left Jett a small piece of land, which unexpectedly becomes valuable when he discovers oil. Jett, who is in love with Leslie, tries to persuade Bick to look for oil as well, but Bick, struggling in his marriage and determined to preserve his family’s land, declines.

Spanning thirty years, this story centers on Jett and the Benedict family as they experience a time of great social change and start a family of their own. When Bick decides to pursue oil drilling, the family’s fortunes dramatically increase, but their difficulties persist. Over time, as a third generation of Benedicts joins the narrative, viewers see the family overcome obstacles and grow stronger.

Giant Created the Blueprint for Taylor Sheridan’s Westerns

Although Robert Bradbury’s Hidden Valley was the first Hollywood film released in 1956, Giant truly demonstrated the potential of the genre. It powerfully depicted how the oil boom effectively ended the era of the Old West.

At the start of the story, the Benedict ranch feels like a classic, old-fashioned spread, similar to the iconic Ponderosa from the TV show Bonanza, with cars being the only real sign of the modern era. As the narrative unfolds, viewers experience the remoteness of the ranch and the hardships faced by the family who live there, particularly as they struggle to maintain their traditional way of life in a world that’s rapidly changing.

What really struck me about Giant is how it explores the same powerful ideas that run through all of George Stevens’ films. It’s especially clear in the story of Bick Benedict and his fierce devotion to his family and their land. The movie beautifully portrays the conflict between holding onto the traditions of the Old West and the inevitable changes brought by new industries, and how that struggle impacts families trying to survive on the frontier. These themes felt absolutely central to the entire story.

Watching Tommy Norris work in the Texas oil fields feels surprisingly similar to the story of Jett Ryland. Similarly, Bick’s dedication to preserving the history of Reata echoes the Dutton family’s struggle to maintain the Yellowstone Ranch. Rock Hudson’s portrayal of Bick Benedict, a strong ranch patriarch, likely served as inspiration for the character of John Dutton.

Following World War II, America in 1956 was optimistic and rapidly changing, fueled by economic growth and a desire for progress. The film Giant, starring James Dean, Rock Hudson, and Elizabeth Taylor, captured this spirit in a large-scale family story that continues to influence how we see the American West. Similar to modern shows like Yellowstone and Landman, it explores the conflict between tradition and innovation, and the challenges of maintaining a family’s heritage.

The ’50s Redefined the American West For Generations With Movies Like Giant

The 1950s brought a fresh and exciting change to Western films. Earlier Westerns often presented a simple view of good versus evil, but the films of this decade started exploring more complex characters and moral ambiguities. Women gained more significant roles, and filmmakers moved away from the idealized, romanticized depictions of the Wild West. Directors like George Stevens were at the forefront of this shift, with films such as Shane and Giant showcasing a more nuanced and realistic vision of America.

Classic Westerns are notoriously difficult for today’s filmmakers to replicate, but films like this one remain influential. You can see the impact of George Stevens’ Giant in more recent movies like Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood and Taylor Sheridan’s Landman, and it still holds up remarkably well after 70 years.

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2026-02-11 16:07