50th ANNIVERSARY

Photo courtesy of the G. William Jones Film/Video Collection, SMU.

Fifty years ago this summer, Hollywood came to the small West Texas town of Marfa to film the movie "Giant." The movie did for Texas what "Gone With The Wind" did for the South: forever burn an image in the mind about a place and its people. In the sweeping saga of the ranching family, the Benedicts, is the story of modern Texas: from ranching to oil, from rural to urban, from Anglo to Hispanic. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the making of "Giant," SMU is opening up its archives and sharing rarely displayed photos and interviews of the film's cast. Reporters are also invited to attend a “Giant” media event in Marfa on July 2, for the anniversary celebration.