Rebel without a cause can be perceived as a movie about alienation, from family and from society. While searching for some stability, stark forms a bond with a disturbed classmate, plato sal mineo, and falls for local girl judy natalie wood. Rebel without a cause is a 1955 american drama movie directed by nicholas ray. Rebel without a cause by nicholas ray 1004 words 5 pages. Dec 08, 2006 rebel without a cause but its just all the gay shit duration. Watch rebel without a cause online stream full movie.
Rebel without a cause follows restless teen jim stark james dean as he. Nicholas ray was born raymond nicholas kienzle in 1911, in smalltown galesville, wisconsin, to lena toppen and raymond joseph kienzle, a contractor and builder. It is part crime drama, psychological thriller, and budding romance. Plato even takes a shot at jim his new idlefather figure and misses. Rebel without a cause gcse film studies study guide. The study guide can be used for study in an english or film studies class. He left the university of chicago after a year, but made such. For all that, rebel without a cause is the picture youd screen for an alien.
The film has not aged well, and deans performance seems more like markeddown brando than the birth of an important talent. Nicholas ray was one of the foremost studio directors during hollywoods golden age, responsible for cult classics like they live by night 1949, in a lonely place 1950, and johnny guitar 1954, an unconventional western starring joan crawford. The plot of the film essentially traces jims desire as a teenage boy to. Rebel shaped every other teen movie plato hinted at being gay throughout film, although production code 193462 forbid mention of it in film.
The actors most iconic role besets a voguish drama about hot rods and latchkey kids and juvenile delinquents. A chic, domineering woman in her sixties who has made her son frank dependent upon her for every breath he takes. Rebel without a cause is essentially a dark reinterpretation of the peter pan story, in which the protagonists appear incapable of growing up. Rebel without a cause is a 1955 american drama film about emotionally confused suburban, middleclass teenagers. Rebel without a cause, american film drama 1955, a classic tale of. The film depicts troubled teenagers looking for answers and contemplating about their lives. The storyline focuses on a troubled teenager named jim. After moving to a new town, troublemaking teen jim stark james dean is supposed to have a clean slate, although being the new kid in town brings its own problems. Peary describes the conditions that led up to the overall troubles in rebel without a cause. The film stars james dean, sal mineo, and natalie wood. Jun 19, 2005 the film has not aged well, and deans performance seems more like markeddown brando than the birth of an important talent. Not surprisingly, the landmark rebel without a cause was chosen as one of the alltime top 100 american films by the american film institute.
Nicholas ray was out of place in hollywood where his films like in a lonely. His character embodied the dissatisfaction and frustration of 1950s postwar teens. In 1955 warner brothers released one of the best known films in the juvenile delinquency genre, rebel without a cause. A film guide that looks at rebel without a cause 1955, a classic 1950s film about a moody troublemaker played by legendary actor james dean, who died in a car crash a month before its release. Dean played jim, a troubled but sensitive teenager who, although rejecting his elders. This guide is useful for exploring topics including pshe education, citizenship, and film studies in. Miseenscene in rebel without a cause 1955 behind the. However, judy is the girlfriend of neighborhood tough, buzz corey allen. It has been mentioned in previous columns that the young actress was a hollywood mainstay, appearing in her first film at the age of five. Rebel without a cause jbfc edu jacob burns film center. The movie featured james dean in one of his final roles. The following 5page document is a study guide movie packet to guide a viewers analysis of the 1955 film rebel without a cause directed by nicholas ray.
Frank is an unfeathered man who has never been able to have fun. Director nicholas ray adopted the title from psychiatrist robert m. The notion of jims fatherly role in the final sequence of. Rebel without a cause showcases the coming of age genre perfectly. She is the irritant in the householdthe silent rulerthe silent enemy of franks marriage. Oct 18, 20 in his wellloved and esteemed film, rebel without a cause 1955 starring famed james dean, director nicholas ray uses his extensive knowledge and intellect to manipulate and use the elements of miseenscene as well as sound to execute and explain both the plot and the larger narrative meanings of the film to the audience. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Rebel without a cause is a drama focusing on a group of rebellious american teenagers. At the very end of the film the camera is zooming out with the observatory in the middle of the screen. In 1955, ray directed rebel without a cause, starring james dean in what proved to be his most famous role. Rebel without a cause is essentially a sociological case study in american masculinityits attractions, its limitations, its pathologies, its postures, and its obstacles. The only other option is death, which surrounds the film whether the deaths within it or deans fatal car crash before the premiere to such an extent that it seems no glorious end at all.
Directors influence on rebel without a cause buy study guide nicholas ray was one of the foremost studio directors during hollywoods golden age, responsible for cult classics like they live by night 1949, in a lonely place 1950, and johnny guitar 1954, an unconventional western starring joan crawford. In the police station at the beginning of rebel we see a march of dimes poster on a pole. Rebel without a cause by stewart stern cast of characters jims family jims grandma. Clips from some of our greatest visual storytellers put these terms in context, showing how filmmakers use these concepts and techniques to create iconic imagery, memorable characters, and powerful stories. The film features james dean who was on the rise to stardom before his untimely death aged 24 in 1955. Rebel without a cause is a film set in 1955 and was released in the same year. It is about a troubled teenager who recently moved to where the film is based, one of the most famous scenes is the knife fight between jim stark and buzz gunderson. Rebel without a cause is a 1955 american drama film about emotionally confused suburban.
Rebel without a cause but its just all the gay shit duration. In a sick way, rebel without a cause reaffirms the idea of family by the end, but only by wringing it of its joy and innocence. The 1950s portrayed the family unit having a dominant male father figure and a passive female mother figure. James deans iconic performance in rebel without a cause made the costumes as famous as the film itself. With james dean, natalie wood, sal mineo, jim backus. He attracts similar troubled souls judy natalie wood and plato sal mineo, and the trio form a supportive family unit which reflects dimly on each of their home. Essay on the sounds of rebel without a cause 898 words. Rebel without a cause critical analysis alice bell. The first page provides a cast and crew list and a background and int.
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. The fact that all of the films stars, nick adams, dean, wood and mineo all died tragically and early has also lent a mystique to. Context requirements context is the vitally important information relating to the making of the. James dean, nathalie wood, corey allen, sal mineo, dennis hopper, jim backus, ann doran, edward platt the cinema of nicholas ray, even in early efforts like they live by night 1948, in.
But rebel without a cause was enormously influential at the time, a milestone in the creation of new idea about young people. The notion of jims fatherly role in the final sequence of nicholas rays rebel without a cause. He followed this with was what remains his most famous film. Rebel without a cause has dated poorly, but if watched correctly in the right frame of mind, the film was an enormously reactionary and was considered one of the best films of the 50s about rebellious and restless adolescence.
Rebel without a cause historical context adolescence. This is a film about juvenile delinquency, but from this poster we see immediately that director ray is on the side of all kidswho have all sorts of problems to. The film revolves around protagonist, jim stark, as he starts a new school after running away from several others. The film itself, however, does not reference lindners book in any way. A film guide that looks at rebel without a cause 1955, a classic 1950s film about a moody troublemaker played by legendary actor james dean, who died in a. For queer viewers, rebel without a cause is seminal for sal mineos portrayal of plato whom he later referred to as the first gay teenager on film but the entire movie is bathed in a. Since its october 1955 release, rebel without a cause has become one of the archetypal films of teenage angst, an enduring hit with successive generations and a harbinger of things to come in the tumultuous sixties.
Rebel without a cause simple english wikipedia, the free. The official facebook page for rebel without a cause a rebellious young man with a troubled past comes to a new town, finding friends. The rich language of the cinema provides the foundation for jbfcs visual glossary. Rebel without a cause nicholas ray, 1955 is a film of the coming of age genre. Nov 05, 20 james deans iconic performance in rebel without a cause made the costumes as famous as the film itself. The film is directed by nicholas ray and was nominated for 3.
While it isnt progressive in terms of gender and sexuality, the film provides a fascinating breakdown of the cultural clash happening after the second world war. Rebel without a cause 1955 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Three unloved adolescents are drawn together through a mutual need for love and understanding and form a new kind of family unit, removed from the unsympathetic adult world around them. A fearless genre stylist, ray had directed westerns. Rebel without a cause remains an endearing look into troubled teenagers mindset. Feb 27, 2014 for queer viewers, rebel without a cause is seminal for sal mineos portrayal of plato whom he later referred to as the first gay teenager on film but the entire movie is bathed in a. Jul 08, 2014 not surprisingly, the landmark rebel without a cause was chosen as one of the alltime top 100 american films by the american film institute. All of the elements placements and their effects are evidently. 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. A rebellious young man with a troubled past comes to a new town, finding friends and enemies. Rays early experience with film came with some radio broadcasting in high school. Rebel without a cause 1955 cast and crew credits, including actors.
Rebel without a cause is commonly considered to be natalie woods first adult role. Wood was at a tumultuous time in her life when she signed on to rebel without a cause. The 1950s in the united states of america were marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the 1920stype consumer society built on credit and boomtimes, as well as the baby boom from returning gis who went to college under the g. What kind of psychological illness is plato suffering from. Rebel without a cause is a searing melodrama featuring keen insight into 50s juvenile attitude and james deans cool, iconic performance. Sep 07, 2011 the only other option is death, which surrounds the film whether the deaths within it or deans fatal car crash before the premiere to such an extent that it seems no glorious end at all. So, in explaining why rebel without a cause is one of my favorite movies, and in breaking down why james deans performance resonated with teenagers around the. Directors influence on rebel without a cause gradesaver. Right before the credits begin, a man in a brown suit carrying a briefcase walks up to the observatory. James dean leads the film as jim stark, a highly relatable new kid in town, who merely wants a strong father and a place in this world. Sep 26, 2015 so, in explaining why rebel without a cause is one of my favorite movies, and in breaking down why james deans performance resonated with teenagers around the world and defined the very concept. It was written by stewart scott and irving shulman. Rebel without a cause from the guardian the guardian. Watch rebel without a cause online stream full movie directv.