"Rebel Without A Cause" Film (1955)

A "Rebel Without A Cause" Film (1955) is an American coming-of-age youth-rebellion drama film, directed by Nicholas Ray.

• Context:
  • It can be considered a cultural touchstone for its portrayal of teenage rebellion, depicting disaffected youth and generational divides.
  • It can be categorized as a coming-of-age narrative that addresses themes such as alienation, identity crisis, and family dysfunction.
  • It can range from being viewed as a classic drama film to a social critique on parenting styles and suburban American life in the 1950s.
  • It can be seen as a showcase for James Dean's acting prowess, immortalizing his persona as a troubled youth.
  • It can be contrasted with other 1950s youth films that presented more simplistic views of adolescent life.
  • It can be notable for introducing themes of moral decay and juvenile delinquency, influenced by the era's anxiety over youth culture.
  • It can employ the use of CinemaScope, making it visually distinct from earlier, more constrained film formats.
  • It can explore the generation gap by depicting the conflicting values and expectations between the Silent Generation and Interbellum Generation.
  • It can be interpreted through a psychoanalytic lens, due to its loose inspiration from Robert M. Lindner's 1944 book, Rebel Without a Cause: The Hypnoanalysis of a Criminal Psychopath.
  • It can be included in discussions of Nicholas Ray's filmography, highlighting his unique directorial style and approach to social issues.
  • It can feature symbolism and motifs such as the red jacket worn by Dean, representing defiance and individuality.
  • It can be referenced in popular culture, from TV shows to music videos, as a visual and thematic influence.
  • It can serve as an educational tool in film studies for its historical and artistic significance.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • The Wild One.
  • East of Eden.
  • American Graffiti (1973), which depicts youth culture in a more nostalgic and less troubled manner.
  • West Side Story (1961), which, despite dealing with youth conflict, uses stylized choreography and music rather than intense emotional drama.
• See: National Film Registry, Nicholas Ray, David Weisbart, Stewart Stern, Irving Shulman, James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus, Ann Doran, Corey Allen, William Hopper.

---

---

References

2024

• (Wikipedia, 2024) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebel_Without_a_Cause Retrieved:2024-9-29.
  • {{Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 American coming-of-age romantic drama film, directed by Nicholas Ray. The film stars James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus, Ann Doran, Corey Allen and William Hopper. It is also the film debut of Dennis Hopper, albeit in a minor role. It was filmed in the then recently introduced CinemaScope format. Focusing on emotionally confused suburban, middle-class teenagers, the film offers both social commentary and an alternative to previous films depicting delinquents in urban slum environments.

    The film was an attempt to portray the moral decay of American youth, critique parental styles, and explore the differences and conflicts between generations, namely the Interbellum Generation and the Silent Generation. The title was adopted from psychologist Robert M. Lindner's 1944 book, Rebel Without a Cause: The Hypnoanalysis of a Criminal Psychopath, although the film itself does not make any other references to Lindner's book. Warner Bros. released the film on October 27, 1955, nearly a month after Dean's death in a car crash on September 30, 1955.

    Over the years, the film has achieved landmark status for the performance of Dean, fresh from his Oscar-nominated role in East of Eden, in his most celebrated role. This was the only film of Dean's in which he received top billing. In 1990, Rebel Without a Cause was added to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant".

---