Both films have for the basis an "annoying/comic" character (known as the "ball-and-chain") trying to kill himself, but accidentally gets hooked up with a hard-edge character.
The character of The Giant is very reminiscent of the character of Jaws played by Richard Kiel. When Reggio and the Giant eat by the swimming pool, Reggio says the Giant reminds him of a movie with a detective making love to wonderful women in english cars.