rebel without a cause

Frank is unskilled in helping his son understand what is to be a man, compelling Jim to ask Ray (father figure) how he is supposed to live through the experience; and so forth. She apologizes for her prior treatment of him due to peer pressure, and the two begin to fall in love. Jim: Im getting that way too . Judy and her family explore the shifting relationships that occur as she transforms into a woman; Buzz and Jim become friends; Buzz dies; and so forth. From Oscar-winning films like Call Me By Your NameorMoonlight to critically acclaimed TV shows like Love, Victor and Euphoria, theres an abundance of productions that feature young LGBTQ characters discovering and accepting their sexuality. Embracing all of these well-known story elements and creating a fresh take on this genre is really what this film does best. Released on October 27, 1955, nearly a month after Dean's fatal car accident on September 30, Rebel Without a Cause was a groundbreaking film that portrayed the disillusionment of the post-war American teenager while attempting to shine a light on the less-than-stellar parenting of the era. Stewart Stern, Release Date (Theaters): Jim: What would you do, Dad? As an example of how attention is focused on expectation in the objective story, Jim expects the same kind of amused reaction from the kids when he moos at the planetarium lecturers discussion of the Taurus bull that Buzz received when he imitated the Cancer crab; Judy anticipates the same kind of affection from her father as a teen that she had always received as a little girl; Jims family expects he will make friends if he can stay out of trouble; and so forth. Trust me. The 1949 Mercury two-door sedan James Dean drove in the movie is part of the permanent collection at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. As an example of how Jim uses the future as the standard to judge the degree of his concern, at the start of the story Jim has no friends, however, as he falls in love with Judy he assures her that they will never be lonely again. In one of the most influential performances in movie history, James Dean plays Jim, the new kid in town whose loneliness, frustration and anger mirrored those of postwar teens -- and still reverberates more than 50 years later. The pursuit of realism continued to the supporting cast, which was chosen from somewhere between 300 and 500 young actors who came to the Warner Bros. backlot with their own cars in an attempt to earn a spot in the film. All later UK releases were fully uncut and since 1986 the film has been PG rated. The cold and righteous attitude Franks mother exhibits has caused him to smother his own child with friendship and affection, but without the authority and discipline his son needs. .Its the age when nothing fits. Why did you do it? [18][19] Most of the knife fight was excised and not shown on British screens until 1967. Ray and Dean both placed a lot of emphasis on the realism of each moment in Rebel Without a Cause, and Deans Method acting meant he wanted to place himself in the most authentic situations possible. Frank draws on his own experiences and his basic drive to protect his son when Jim pleads with him for advice, telling him Nobody thanks you for sticking your neck out (Stern 72). Author/co-author of numerous books about the cinema and is regarded as one of the foremost James Bond scholars. Jim and Frank attain the experience necessary to be a man. Franks basic drive to protect his son is put into high gear when he considers the grave danger Jim is in. But at the heart of the matter is their need to win acceptance from their peers, which too often requires they take part in dangerous, illegal rituals, and their need to get their parents attention and understanding. The movie begins with Jim in a police station drunk and his parents arguing about his drinking. . "[17], Rebel was censored in Britain by the British Board of Film Censors and released with scenes cut and an X-rating. Ray relented, and Wood was ultimately nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance. Dont ever, ever say cut to me. Jim wants to do one thing right (Stern 73) by informing the police of his part in Buzzs accident. Wood finally won the role after she was involved in a car crash that also included future Rebel Without a Cause co-star Dennis Hopper, with whom she was romantically involved. Synopsis. Jim begins to develop from a hothead to a cool rebel when he notes the potential for a fight and does his best to avoid the trouble, even after Buzz calls him a chicken. Buzz's gang find and wake up Plato, who, frightened and distraught, shoots and wounds one of the gang. It's the kind of picture I end up recommending, but not exactly under the terminology of how I would find it to be essential or not, because I don't really. At the time she was cast in Rebel Without a Cause, Wood was romantically involved with Hopper, who was also set to co-star in the film. Impressed with Dean, Ray wanted to cast him as the lead in Rebel, but another of Deans soon-to-be-legendary films was standing in the way: Giant, which was all set to start shooting at a time that would conflict with Rebels production. For the Stark family to be a happy, functional family, Frank must overcome his weaknesses and become a real father to Jim; to be part of a peer group family, one must first become friends with the gang; and so forth. Rebel Without A Cause is remembered as the movie that made James Dean an icon, but it also boasted some groundbreaking themes for its time heres the classic films gay subtext explained. By todays standards, thesubtle gay subtext in Rebel Without A Cause is restrained. We search near and far for original movie trailer from all decades. Ray: That why you moved from the last town? Mother: Jimmy, youre very youngand a foolish decision now could wreck your whole life. . What he doesnt do is stand up for Jim and face their problems in a straight forward manner. When his mother, father and grandmother arrive at the police station to retrieve him, conflicts in Jim's family situation are introduced as he explains to the arresting officer. Jim demands immediate and straight forward answers to his problems, and his fathers theorizing gets him nowhere. Coming Soon. 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. That they are unable to articulate their desires leaves them to resort to their physicalitysuch as fightingwhich only undermines their aspirations to be taken seriously. One way this is illustrated is in their uniform attitude: Their clothing is not uniformit is the air they assume . Now I want to do one thing right and Im not letting you run away. I dont know! Once Frank can assure Jim that his son can trust him, he has resolved his personal drive: And you can depend on me, son. As an example of how he does not serve his sons needs, he relies on his experiences that are inappropriate as guidelines, and instead of dealing directly with Jims requests for immediate answers, assures his son once he gains his own experiences his present problems will seem insignificant. Frank comforts his grieving son, vowing to be a stronger father. Judy: Yes! Nicholas Ray, Producer: Here he hopes to find the love he doesn't get from his middle-class family. Judy: Whats he like? Also known as the Hays Code, the guidelines were established in 1934 and sought to limit morally questionable content in film. (the pounding ceases) See? Father: Let him alone! and the In the aftermath of Allen's character dying, the film spirals in ways which seem a bit exaggerated. We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. Speaking to Boze Hadleigh, he said, "[It m]akes sense [that Plato was killed off]: he was, in a way, the first gay teenager in films. In the opening scene, Jim is brought into the police station for public drunkenness. After Judy and her fathers emotionally charged confrontation, Judys parents discuss the changes in their daughter, as she transforms from a teen into a woman: Jim ascertains that the twin forces that diminish his fathers manhood are his mother and paternal grandmother. From a historical perspective, however, and for the significance of James Dean, it is worth a viewing, at least once, if you want to know at least what the industry leaned towards in the 50s. Ray: Do you think your father means that? May 31, 2005, Runtime: ", "The Room: how the worst movie ever became a Hollywood legend as bizarre as its creator", "Rebel Without a Cause" by Raymond Weschler, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rebel_Without_a_Cause&oldid=1150360205, United States National Film Registry films, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Online Film & Television Association Awards. . Another example is when Jim asks if he is going to stop him from heading into trouble. For example, Frank encourages activities that are buddy buddy in nature, but that are not necessarily meaningful for a father and son relationship: Plato, through his death, has helped these two find each other. (He stops as he sees the emptiness in them.) It significantly boosted the career of James Dean, who died tragically in a car accident before the movie's release and became the cultural icon that we know him as today post-mortem. Franks anxieties concerning his family undermine what little confidence he has in himself. Frank fails to provide Jim with the parental instincts his son requires. (Stern 116). Coming Soon. When production began, Warner Bros. considered it a B-movie project, and Ray used black-and-white film stock. Big Think. . Its hard to imagine Rebel Without a Cause in anything but color now, in part because its hard to imagine seeing Dean without that striking red jacket hes wearing on the films posters, but that wasnt always the plan. Jim talks Plato into coming outside. For the scene in which Jim drunkenly pounds on the desk in the police station, Dean apparently actually got drunk and then pounded the desk as hard as he could, breaking bones in his hand and leaving Ray forced to shoot around the bandages. Dean is provoked into a knife fight at one point, and then into a frightening game of 'Chickie Run', with drivers meant to jump out of their cars speeding towards the edge of a cliff at the last minute. The critical consensus reads, "Rebel Without a Cause is a searing melodrama featuring keen insight into '50s juvenile attitude and James Dean's cool, iconic performance. Jim discusses his history of violence with Ray, however, his family tries to hush it up. Former child star Natalie Wood she co-starred in the 1947 Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street became a leading lady in 1955, co-starring in Rebel Without a Cause as Judy, a high school student who finds empathy, and ultimately love, for the misunderstood Jim. Cause you were in trouble? Mother: A minute ago you said you didnt care if he drinks. Frank: ListenI took a steak out of the freezer. As police approach, the gang flees, leaving Judy behind, but Jim patiently persuades her to leave with him and Plato. The three teens band together because they share in the same feeling of alienation from their families, and in the tragedy that strikes during Jims initiation into the gang. Drama, Original Language: Frank recollects his own drunken antics as a teen, as a way to excuse his sons: I guess I cut pretty loose in my day too (Stern 12). Now reconciled to his parents, Jim introduces them to Judy. Warner Bros. wanted the young star to stick around, though, and so Ray settled for giving Hopper a smaller role, with no lines. Father: Listennobody should make a snap decision . In this film's case, it was the Interbellum Generation vs the Silent Generation. Jim is shunned by the rest of the student body but is befriended by Plato, who comes to idolize Jim as a father figure. However, Judy is the girlfriend of neighborhood tough, Buzz. Warner Bros. Production Co: Jim beats Buzz in the knife fight, knocking the switchblade out of his hand and pressing the blade of his own knife against Buzz's neck, and then throws it away. David Weisbart, Writer: Jims threats to go to the police with the story of his involvement in Buzzs death are met with great resistance from his parents. Jim drives back home, and finds Judy waiting for him. In one of the most influential performances in movie history, James Dean plays Jim, the new kid in town whose loneliness, frustration and anger mirrored those of postwar teens -- and still reverberates more than 50 years later. Frank attempts to alleviate what he believes are Jims growing pains: In ten years youll look back on this and wish you were a kid again (Stern 54). . It's an idiotic game, but that's what young people do sometimes, idiotic things, and a classic line has Dean asking 'Why do we do this? I dont see how we can get out of that by pretending it didnt happen (Stern 72); Judy sobs to the juvenile officer: Jim tries to solve his problems by first taking action. Ill take care of him! Griffith Observatory, 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, California, USA. Jim is protective and fatherly toward Plato and sensitive toward Judy. Mother: Shell outgrow it, dear. Buzzs friends, thinking Jim has squealed to the police about what had happened up on the cliffs, set out to avenge their dead friend. [21][22] Rebel was also banned in Spain, where it had to be smuggled into the country for private screenings, and wasn't officially released there until 1964. that jacket . But "Rebel Without a Cause" was enormously influential at the time, a milestone in the creation of new idea about young people. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and What could happen. An accurate assessment of Franks strengths and limitations and the acknowledgment of such will solve problems between the two: Stand up, Jim. Jim: Dad? In a groundbreaking move for the mid-1950s, Ray inserted several clues in Rebel Without A Cause that code Plato as gay. (Stern 86). . What it means to be a teen is explored in the objective story. Related: Why David Duchovny's Trans Twin Peaks Character Denise Was So Groundbreaking. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. (Stern 58). There are many reasons to celebrate Rebel Without a Cause, the epochal 1955 film that screenwriter Stewart Stern called "the story of a generation that grew up overnight.". 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