Rebel Without A Cause Director: Nicholas Ray Starring: James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus Approx Running Time:
Rebel Without A Cause spoke to an entire generation of young men and women, struggling with thier own identities, while living in the confining 1950s. It taught them how to speak for themself, laugh at authority and wear blue jeans. But that generation is now in control of this country. They are in their 50's now, long since moved on from their teen years, and they should have taken Rebel Without A Cause with them.
James Dean's most breakthrough film, the picture that would have made him one of the biggest stars in history (and three films alone almost put him there), does not stand the test of time. Frankly, I don't see how it even stood at all during the 50's, for bad filmmaking has always been bad. Nicholas Ray does some interesting things with the camera, has some thought-provoking metaphorical and symbolic aspects, but fails from a directorial standpoint, as does the film's screenwriter with his ludicrous story.
The biggest problem with Rebel Without A Cause is what it asks us to accept. The film opens with Jim Stark (James Dean) being hauled into a juvenile detention center for public drunkedness. He is a lost and confused soul because his mother dominates his immasculine father. The next day, he begins school, and the major events of the film unfold. This is where the tall tale begins. Jim matures from new kid on the block to punk veteran in the course of one day. We see him snubed by the pretty girl on campus (Natalie Wood) in the morning. He's challenged to a knife fight by mid-afternoon, and he gets the girl and becomes Mr. Cool Rebel by midnight. The tough-guy character of Buzz is a violent punk, but he comes off like a pussycat. Right before the Chicken Race, he tells Jim how much he likes him personally, though just hours before they were slashing each other with switchblades. Judy (Wood) is Buzz's main squeeze, but when he dies in the Chicken Race, she immediately falls for the now-cool Jim Stark. By midnight, she is professing her deep love for him.
Though James Dean gives a fantastic performance, he and all the other teens, save for Sal Mineo, look more like they are ready to graduate from college than from high school. Because of that, Mineo, the only one who does look like a high schooler doesn't fit in! He too gives a fine performance as a crazed, confused youth, looking for normalcy and a family life.
Basically, all three main characters, Jim, Judy and Plato (Mineo) are looking for a family that they can't have except with each other. Jim has a weak father (Jim Backus, who looks stunning in a frilly kitchen apron) who won't take a stand against his wife. Judy doesn't get the affection she needs from Daddy, and Plato is being raised by a housekeeper. But only Plato's rage and confusion is understandable. We never meet his parents, because neither of them is around for him. But Jim's parents are quite normal (with the average family quirkiness) He could do a lot worse. But there is never any foundation laid for his emotional problems. He is reckless, but why? Because his loving parents aren't quite loving enough? Because the film essentially takes place in a 24 hr. period, we never get a feeling of why he is the way he is.
The unrealistic time frame and lack of proper character development make me wonder why this is regarded as one of the most woderful films of the 50's. One should only see this film for Dean's performance and perhaps to see what all the hoopla is about. Should you happen to check it out in it's newest form, Warner' Bros. widescreen editon, you may be interested in the 25 minute trailer that shows parts of a TV show hosted by Gig Young. It has behind the scenes looks at the filming (though the "behind the scene" part is very stagey) and contains interviews with Jim Backus and James Dean. But by all means, if you havn't seen it, view this "classic" and come to your own conclusions.
1 1/2 out of 4 stars Copyright (C) Nick Amado 1997 ******************************* Comments? (I expect plenty!) Complaints? (Those too) Debate? (Lots of that) Email me at NAMIAM@AOL.COM
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