 Biography of the young American icon and actor James Dean, tragically killed on the verge of a meteoric career in a sports car accident in September, 1955. Film includes rare archival footage and candid interviews with close friends like William Bast and Betsy Palmer, as well as Dean s family members. Dean is portrayed as a person capable of great charm, but prone to mood swings and rages. Sexually ambivalent and single minded about his career, he is seen as vastly talented, mercurial, though ultimately a profoundly loyal friend.