James Dean (1976 film)

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James Dean is a 1976 American NBC television film about the actor James Dean. Stephen McHattie stars as Dean, and Michael Brandon plays William Bast, Dean’s best friend and the film’s screenwriter. Based on Bast’s 1956 biography, the movie follows Dean’s early acting career and rise to fame, showing his pursuit of authenticity, depth, and artistic meaning. It presents Bast’s perspective on Dean and includes a scene where Bast is encouraged to be more sexually adventurous, leading him to visit a gay bar. The cast also includes Brooke Adams, Candy Clark, Amy Irving, Katherine Helmond, Meg Foster, Dane Clark, Jayne Meadows, and Heather Menzies. Music by Billy Goldenberg. The film is an American production in English and is sometimes shown as James Dean: Portrait of a Friend.