Rebel without a cause is a great example of a movie which had a social impact on its time due to its material. The tale of youthful defiance, which could have been exploitative but wasnt, provides a rich, but stylized and partly outdated look at the world of the conformist mid1950s from the perspective of the main adolescent male character a troubled teen with ineffectual. Rebel without a cause 1955 trailer james dean movie subscribe to classic trailers. Released right after james deans untimely death, rebel without a cause netted an enormous profit. Rebel without a cause is an interesting and layered movie. As critic jim hoberman has observed, teenagers made rebel without a cause, but rebel without a cause also defined teenagers. Rebel without a cause 1955 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. It has been surmised that sal mineos teenaged character in the film was obviously gay and troubled by typical problems of inthecloset homosexuals in the 50s. Analysis of rebel without a cause and the cold war. Rebel without a cause is a 1955 american drama film about emotionally confused suburban, middleclass teenagers. The hypnoanalysis of a criminal psychopath, but it took them about a decade to crack the storys code.
To receive a uk cinema certificate the film was extensively cut by the bbfc. Rebel without a cause is a 1955 american drama movie directed by nicholas ray. This is quite a descent film as it highlights what teenagers wanted to be like in the 50s. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, rebel without a cause 1955, in which he starred as troubled teenager jim stark. The film helped launch the teenager to a new level of cultural awareness. Nicholas rays film announced the rise of juvenile delinquency among white, uppermiddle class america. The film depicts the dilemma of a typical teenager of the time, who feels that no one, not even his peers, can understand him. Rebel without a cause and juvenile delinquency hysteria. The film presents a boy whose rebellion against a weakling father and a shrewish mother expresses itself in. The result is a movie that leaves a mark when its finished, using an actorcentered filming style and superb acting to tell its story. Rebel without a cause 1955 is a film that sympathetically views rebellious, american, restless, misunderstood, middleclass youth. Filmed in the then recently introduced cinemascope format and directed by nicholas ray, it offered both social commentary and an alternative to previous films depicting delinquents in urban slum environments.
Analysis of rebel without a cause and the cold war leo. James dean in 1955s rebel without a cause the 1950s were a very cool time, i only wish i could have experienced them for myself. However, they must deal with their own inabilities to fit into society. The film was a groundbreaking attempt to portray the moral decay of american youth, critique parental style, and explore t. Jim is neither a goofybutgoodnatured andy hardy type nor a bowery boysstyle juvenile. The 1950 s was an era of extremism marked by xenophobia, misogyny, and ageism. Rebel without a cause 1955 movie clip why do we do this. Rebel without a cause started with nothing more than a title, albeit a long one. Rebel without a cause 1955 cast and crew cast photos. Getting ready for their chickierun, jim james dean and buzz corey allen converse, ebullient judy natalie wood cheering both on, in nicholas rays rebel without a cause, 1955.
James dean, american film actor who became a symbol of the confused, restless, and idealistic youth of the 1950s. Rebel without a cause gave birth to a whole movie subgenre the juvenile delinquent film, which includes such colorful titles as teenage doll1957, tbird gang 1959, high school confidential 1958, and even i was a teenage werewolf 1957, in which an angstridden michael landon seeks help for his uncontrollable anger through hypnotherapy. It depicts life in the 1950 s from the viewpoint of three teenagers who. The film almost seems like a eulogy when seen today, since so many of its cast members james dean, natalie wood, sal mineo, nick adams died young. At that moment, rebel without a cause changed the rules for the portrayal of teenagers on screen. Although he made few films before his death in a car accident at the age of 24, his performances, perhaps most notably in rebel without a cause 1955, have proved enduring. Rebel without a cause, american film drama 1955, a classic tale of. It is a time in american pop culture that is highly idealized for its music, fashion, style and culture. The movie featured james dean in one of his final roles. View the tcmdb entry for rebel without a cause 1955. Chapter 4 of gilberts a cycle of outrage states that from 1953 to 1958, there was a spike in articles about delinquency.
This is important because teenagers wanted to be rebellious against their. It was written by stewart scott and irving shulman. Along with marlon brandos performance in the wild one, this is one of the films to ultimately define the societal rebellion which started to percolate in the 1950s. Indeed, the very notion of the teenager as a powerful cultural identity and social force would be inconceivable without the influence of. Rebel without a cause 1955 after moving to a new town, troublemaking teen jim stark james dean is supposed to have a clean slate, although. Rebel without a cause, american film drama, released in 1955, that is a classic tale of teenage rebellion and angst. In his 1955 film rebel without a cause, the cigarette drooping from the side his mouth symbolized rebellion against the stuffy 1950s. The film was partially shot in black and white, but the studio then stopped production and reshot in colour. Daring for its era, rebel without a cause showed 1950s viewers that nice middleclass suburban kids could go wrong too. Signature james byron dean february 8, 1931 september 30, 1955 was an american actor. Rebel without a cause 1955 trailer james dean movie youtube. Rebel without a cause gave birth to a whole movie subgenre the juvenile delinquent film, which includes such colorful titles as teenage doll 1957, tbird gang 1959, high school confidential 1958, and even i was a teenage werewolf 1957, in which an angstridden michael landon seeks help for his uncontrollable anger through. Its also the most influential youth movie in american film history.
High schooler jim stark james dean is perpetually moody and in trouble, despite maybe because of his doting but conflictshy father jim backus. Rebel without a cause introduction rebel without a cause is a very popular film from 1955. Rebel without a cause 1955 movie clip why do we do. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Footloose, grease, and the outsiders all clearly was inspired by this one film. Rebel without a cause was symptomatic of the fifties as a transitional era. The critical consensus reads, rebel without a cause is a searing melodrama featuring keen insight into 50s juvenile attitude and james deans. The film stars james dean, sal mineo, and natalie wood. Even if you havent watched rebel without a cause, most have seen the iconic image of actor james dean, wearing his red jacket.
Rebel without a cause is a fascinating peak into the life of the american teenager. Rebel without a cause is a searing melodrama featuring keen insight into 50s. However, they must deal with their own inabilities to. I was astounded while watching this movie as i recognized aspects that other films took from this film.
Rebel without a cause, lays the groundwork for its conflict early on, the movie opening in a police station, where a drunken stark entreats his parents to say what they mean. Expertly playing off of teenage angst, rebel without a cause is a crucial film in the way that it defined modes of expression for that angst. Then, in the 1950s, black and white films about rebellious teensincluding the wild one 1953 and the blackboard jungle 1955spiked in popularity. Siskoid rebel without a cause paints a picture of 1950s youth as a listless generation freed from the responsibilities of their parents, i. Find where to watch rebel without a cause and many more fulllength movies from the best streaming services online. American teenagers of the mid1950s, when deans major films were first released, identified with dean and the roles he played, especially that of jim stark in rebel without a cause. The population was warped and manipulated by yellow journalism and a few outspoken individuals, who urged america towards conformity. Rebel without a cause is a very popular film from 1955. Rebel without a cause is the highly influential coming of age drama classic. The birth of the modern teenager cinenation medium. Rebel without a cause is a 1955 american drama film about emotionally confused suburban. Rebel without a cause simple english wikipedia, the free.
They live in a comfortable environment in middleclass america. Everyone looked incredible, and seemed so squeaky clean but you just. Marlon brando s the wild one 1953 popularized juvenile delinquency in films, and rebel without a cause was one of the better movies that dealt with the topic. You say one thing, he says another, and everybody changes back again. If the river cats won, the 1949 mercury driven by james dean in the 1955 movie rebel without a cause would be loaned to the california automobile museum. It is part crime drama, psychological thriller, and budding romance. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing rebel without a cause 1955 near you. Starring james dean in 1955, rebel without a cause disrupted the social belief that home, community and school are the kind places they are meant to be for a normal teenage upbringing. Rebel without a cause 1955 is a prime example of the culture that the united states had post world war ii, depicting the complete opposite of what american society is supposed to look like with its traditional white home. James deans rebel teen jim stark represented the restless youth of the 1950s in rebel without a cause.
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