The family was surrounded by a colorful procession of friends and relatives, for example, Mama""s bullying, overbearing and boisterous older brother Uncle Chris Halverson (Oskar Homolka) - a ranch owner in Ukiah who was partnered with his long-time quiet common-law wife Jessie Brown (Barbara O""Neil), and Marta""s three sisters (all Aunts):Aunt Jenny (Hope Landin), bossyAunt Sigrid (Edith Evanson), whinyTrina (Ellen Corby), a wallflower, timid spinster/fiancee, who had plans o marry undertaker Thorkelson (Edgar Bergen, without a dummy)There was also impoverished boarder Mr.For instance, he faked his signature whenever he used it, to keep other people from forging important papers with his name.During questioning, he asserts to the juvenile officer: "Nobody can help me."The housemaid answers all questions directed toward Plato, and explains how his mother habitually deserts him and his father left the family long ago:It seems like she""s always going away somewhere.Screeching, she turns and runs off in fright, leaving he bewildered Monster standing there.News of Dr.Henry Frankenstein""s demise is brought o Castle Frankenstein - o Henry""s fiancee Elizabeth (Valerie Hobson, who has been substituted for Mae Clarke from the earlierFrankensteinfilm).]The many taglines on the film""s posters exclaimed:"EAST OF EDEN is a story of explosive passions and Elia Kazan has made it into a picture of staggering power.