Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Written by Stewart Stern

Directed by Nicholas Ray

1998 List Ranking: 59

2007 List Ranking: NA - Removed

As I move further along this list, I start to see less and less films that I have zero context for (by my count, there are only 5 left that I’ve never heard of before starting this list), which, conversely, means that the remaining films are those which, while I haven’t seen many of them, I at least know something about them. Such is the case with Rebel Without a Cause, a film I know more for the tragedy surrounding its leading actor than for its plot (other than “You’re tearing me APAAAAAAAART!”, which appeared much earlier in the movie than I was expecting). This film has an intensely silly plot, but it is bolstered by strong performances and themes.

Jim (James Dean) confronts his parents

Jim Stark is a misunderstood teenager (which…aren’t they always?) who frequently is busted by police for getting into trouble, causing his parents to have to move them around continuously in the hope of solving his problems, not knowing that his problems stem from the constant fighting between his parents. New to Los Angeles, he quickly meets Plato and Judy, two other teenagers with home problems. He also quickly runs afoul of the leader of a gang of delinquents, Buzz, and they have a knife fight at the Griffith Observatory (featuring a security guard who watches the whole thing with like ZERO urgency). Plot happens, Buzz dies when his car goes flying off the edge of a cliff, and Jim and Judy get together while Plato has a nervous breakdown.

James Dean as Jim Stark

Before I get into the absurdity of the plot, let’s discuss the performances. Of course, James Dean is pretty great in the film, doing some fine work with a bonkers plot. As I mentioned, his famous and highly emotional line came much sooner in the film than I was expecting, but he never lets that intensity get too boring or overdone. Jim is frustrated and emotional, and, since it’s 1955, he has no real way of expressing himself. All of the things that did annoy me about his role are more the fault of the writing, not the actor, so I’m very willing to give Dean a pass for this film.

Natalie Wood as Judy

As Judy, Natalie Wood is…okay. I’ve only seen one other performance of hers, in West Side Story, where I was equally ambivalent about her. It’s not that she does a bad job, but she also doesn’t do a great job either. She just kind of…exists. I will say the only times I felt marginally invested in her as a character are when she is dealing with her father, who has apparently stopped giving her affection, thus causing her to act out.

Sal Mineo as Plato

Of more fascination to me was Plato, played by Sal Mineo. I found it extremely interesting that Plato VERY CLEARLY is homosexual, yet it can’t be said in the film. He absolutely worships Jim, is constantly trying to get him alone, and wants to be by his side every waking moment (I should point out, now that I realize it, that the bulk of this film takes place over a single day. Good lord that’s a lot for a day). I get why the film can’t be more explicit about it (thanks, Hays Code!), but I think it’s so thinly veiled that audiences probably got it anyway. One VERY strange aspect about Plato that the film essentially just skates right by is that, at the beginning of the film, Plato is brought into the police station because he murdered a litter of puppies. AND THEN NO ONE TAKES A SINGLE SECOND TO SAY “HEY, MAYBE THIS KID IS A FUTURE PSYCHOPATH”. It literally comes up like maybe one more time in passing conversation, and still no one bats an eye at it.

A knife fight at the Griffith Observatory…as one does

Rebel feels very clearly like a film about teenagers most decidedly written by not-teenagers. The narrative hoops these characters have to jump through (and that the actors have to make believable) are astounding. On his first day at his new school, Jim ends up on a field trip to the Griffith Observatory (did permission slips just not exist in 1955?), and then in a knife fight, and then a car chase-chicken thing, and then gets a girlfriend, and then almost gets shot and watches a friend he’s had (again, FOR LESS THAN A DAY) die. Writer Stewart Stern must think that teenagers are literally one lucky moment away from being mutilated, because this film is A LOT.

Remember, her boyfriend DIED just a couple hours ago

The romantic subplot of Rebel is the weirdest part of the film. Judy is dating Buzz, but feels an instant attraction to Jim. Fine, I can live with that. Buzz and Jim have their chicken drive, and Buzz’s car (plus Buzz) goes flying over the cliff and explodes. NOT FIVE MINUTES LATER, SHE AND JIM ARE FLIRTING. Like…Buzz isn’t even COLD yet. HAVE. SOME. RESPECT. Later that night (THE LONGEST NIGHT EVER), she and Jim are canoodling and they express their love for each other. At which point, in my notes, I wrote in all caps: YOU TWO HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR LESS THAN A DAY. Why this film has to take place over a single day, or why these teenagers behave so bizarrely, is completely beyond me.

When I reviewed the Academy Award for Best Picture list, I reviewed Ordinary People from 1980, and strangely, Rebel Without a Cause feels somewhat like a precursor to that film. They both prominently feature people who refuse to listen to one another and who make poor decisions. The plot of Rebel is completely insane, but at least the performances, led greatly by James Dean, make this film feel more important than perhaps it actually is.

FINAL GRADE: B-