He originally had written a number of scenes that were shot and later cut from the final version of the film. Jim gives Plato his opinion on when the world will end, just moments before Platos life ends. Plato, concerned that Buzzs friends will do harm to Jim, believes he has no other option but to brandish a gun to protect his friend; Jims angst has turned to utter devastation when Plato is killed, which at this point leaves him one of two options, continue to spiral downward in his depression, or look to his father to resurrect his spirits; once Frank recognizes he may lose his son, he takes the option to grow up to be a real man and father; and so forth. Once Frank can assure Jim that his son can trust him, he has resolved his personal drive: And you can depend on me, son. For example, the blood on Jims shirt is evidence enough to create the suspicion that he is in some kind of trouble, and his hints that more trouble lies ahead should be enough for Frank to take direct action to find out what kind of problem Jim is struggling with. You better give me something fast. Also known as the Hays Code, the guidelines were established in 1934 and sought to limit morally questionable content in film. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Salvatore Mineo Jr. (January 10, 1939 - February 12, 1976) was an American actor. You can talk about it if you want toI know about it anyway. When Marlon Brando did a five-minute screen test for the studio in 1947, he was given fragments of one of the partial scripts. An example of how the objective story explores a certain way of thinking is when Buzz indicates to Jim that he likes him, just before the chickie race. As production began, Deans passion for Method acting led Ray to give him an extremely large share of creative control over each scene, to the point that it was often Dean who would dictate that pace and tone of a scene to the other actors. Updates? These middle-class teen-agers have more complex problems. Rebel Without a Cause was also being shot in the widescreen format CinemaScope, though (which frustrated Ray, who couldnt figure out how to fill the frame), and it turned out there was a clause in the CinemaScope licensing agreement which said all CinemaScope films must also be color films. 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. Ray, hoping for a classic, timeless tone to his story, claimed Romeo and Julietthe best play written about juvenile delinquentsas an inspiration, while Stern would later recall that he considered the film to be in some ways a new take on Peter Pan, with the crumbling mansion standing in for Neverland, Jim standing in for Peter, Judy for Wendy, and Plato for The Lost Boys. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. He always wants to be my pal, you know? The father goes back to mopping up the mess. It's not a sort of seminal, staggeringly entertaining and artistically satisfying work about being an outsider in the 50s like On the Waterfront or even one most people wouldn't think of like Ikiru. The three act as a family and find a few moments of peace. You've reached the "hub" for any and all Dramatica analysis of Rebel Without a Cause. 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. When the juvenile officer refuses the gift, Frank continues to press him until his wife drags him away in embarrassment. His frustrations are made manifest to officer Ray Fremick when Jim is released to their custody. (breaks off, then) You couldnt help it son. When Carol declares they are moving again, Jim protests and pleads with Frank to stand up for him; but when Frank refuses, Jim attacks him in frustration, then storms off to the police station to confess, only to be turned away by the desk sergeant. Franks lack of confidence keeps him from being the kind of man his family can respect. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He speaks very gently. After a field trip to Griffith Observatory, Buzz provokes and challenges Jim to a knife fight. Marlon Brandos The Wild One (1953) popularized juvenile delinquency in films, and Rebel Without a Cause was one of the better movies that dealt with the topic. 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. Coming Soon. For example, Jims parents are not concerned enough to realize he is not in his bed; Judys parents let her flounce out the door without knowing where she is going, when she had been picked up wandering aimlessly around only the night before; the police officer isnt concerned enough to bother with Jim when he comes in to relay his part in Buzzs death; and so forth. The following analysis reveals a comprehensive look at the Storyform for Rebel Without a Cause. Dont you ever cut the scene, co-star Dennis Hopper later recalled, and noted that Dean wanted to preserve the realism of his injury for the camera. 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. The events that occur in the present 24 hour period of Jims life, although filled with tragedy, give him hope for the future. An example of this conflict occurs when Jim informs his parents of the fatal car accident: Why David Duchovny's Trans Twin Peaks Character Denise Was So Groundbreaking, Live Fast, Die Young: The Wild Ride Of Making Rebel Without A Cause, How John Waters Shaped The Simpsons Groundbreaking LGBTQ+ Episode, Top Gun 3 Should Still Use Maverick's Dark Dropped Sequel Story, Quentin Tarantino's Next Movie Breaks A Tradition For The First Time Since 1997, 5 Ways Keanu Reeves Can Return For John Wick 5. The title was adopted from psychiatrist Robert M. Lindner's 1944 book, Rebel Without a Cause: The Hypnoanalysis of a Criminal Psychopath. Frank does not act on his intuition that his son needs his immediate help. Rebel Without A Cause boasted some especially groundbreaking themes for the era in which it was made, and heres the movies gay subtext explained. Thankfully, LGBTQ teen characters dont have to look too far for onscreen representation these days. 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. Rebel Without a Cause: Directed by Nicholas Ray. Ranked 477th on list of the 500 greatest movies of all time in 2008. Privacy Policy Patent #5,734,916; #6,105,046. The entire knife fight scene between Jim & Buzz was removed, and heavy edits were made to the chicken race scene, shots of Jim attempting to throttle his father, and the fight between Jim and probation officer Fremick. Shortly after Warner Bros. bought the rights to Lindners book, Jacques Le Mareschal produced a treatment, and over the next several years writers Peter Viertel, H.L. . Corrections? Warner Bros. wanted the young star to stick around, though, and so Ray settled for giving Hopper a smaller role, with no lines. Synopsis. Not surprisingly, the landmark Rebel Without a Cause was chosen as one of the all-time Top 100 American Films by the American Film Institute.Rebel Without a Cause What he doesnt do is stand up for Jim and face their problems in a straight forward manner. To gain acceptance within the gang, he must engage in dangerous pursuits. Rebel Without a Cause (1955) Trailer - James Dean MovieSubscribe to CLASSIC TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u43jDeSubscribe to TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/sxaw6hSubscribe to COMING SOON: http://bit.ly/H2vZUnLike us on FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/1QyRMsEFollow us on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/1ghOWmtA rebellious young man with a troubled past comes to a new town, finding friends and enemies.Welcome to the Fandango MOVIECLIPS Trailer Vault Channel. Judy falls in love with Jim and is happy, something she never thought she could be; the Stark family is united with the indication that they will be a happy family: Warner Home Vdeo, 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. As an example, he is not equipped to deal with Platos instability when he fails to fulfill the boys desire to be his father figure: Frank comforts his grieving son, vowing to be a stronger father. (reaches out, gently, but firmly) You did everything a man could do. 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. Sadly, Dean was not the only member of the films cast to suffer a tragic early death. Buzzs friends, thinking Jim has squealed to the police about what had happened up on the cliffs, set out to avenge their dead friend. The film opens with the image of a seemingly drunken young man named Jim Stark, lying down and playing with a toy monkey. [15], Robert J. Landry, managing editor of Variety magazine at the time, wrote a review published on October 26. Whatever comes well face it together, I swear (Stern 116). Jim wants to do the right thing and report his involvement in Buzzs untimely end to the police, much to his parents dismay. With its densely expressive images, the film has been called a "landmark a quantum leap forward in the artistic and technical evolution of a format."[12]. . After explaining she had a fight with her father, the juvenile officer asks: Do you think you can get back at your dad that way? (Stern 6); Buzz tests Judys loyalty after observing her walking with Jim; Buzz challenges Jim at the planetarium, This is the test, man. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Thankfully, LGBTQ teen characters don't have to look too far for onscreen representation these days. The circumstances surrounding Buzzs death force him to deal with how things standlaws have been broken, a boy is dead, and he is neck deep in it: Frank Stark is too ineffectual a man to be of use to his son, leaving Jim feeling alone and disassociated from his family. Warner Bros. Pictures, Embracing all of these well-known story elements and creating a fresh take on this genre is really what this film does best. Deans death made the film a must-see, but the making of the film made it a classic that endures today. According to a biography of Natalie Wood, she almost did not get the role of Judy because Nicholas Ray thought that she did not fit the role of the wild teen character. They look at each other a moment then Jim goes to his bedroom. Frank, not fully comprehending the danger his son is about to put himself in answers: You know I never stop you from anything (Stern 54). By what name was Rebel Without a Cause (1955) officially released in India in Hindi? And man, existing alone, seems himself an episode of little consequence." 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? 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. Based on theories and materials developed by Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley. This action calls attention to the police and to Jims parents. You must have had a reason (Stern 13). Rebel Without A Cause (1955) Presented by TMC: Fathom Events Trailer. Dennis Hopper made his debut in a brief role as a goon. Frank learns what it really means to be a father and Jim learns from Frank he did everything he could have done to protect his friend Plato. The movie is written and acted so ineptly, directed so sluggishly, that all names but one will be omitted here. Plato describes Jim to Judy: James Dean was killed in a car accident at the age of 24 just a month before 'Rebel Without a Cause' was released, and that tragedy, along with his electric performance of teenage angst in the film, would seal his legend. Cinemark That night, during the chickie run, Buzz plunges to his death when the strap on his jacket sleeve becomes entangled with his door-latch lever, preventing him from exiting the car in time. In Los Angeles during the mid-1950s, teenager Jim Stark is arrested and taken to the juvenile division of a police station for public intoxication. . Hes mine! It is not until he is filled with concern for his sons life that he can stand up and be a real man. Mazzola, a graduate of Hollywood High School, was also a member of The Athenians, a gang that Mazzola himself referred to as a social club that was nonetheless very tough and territorial. However, Hays Code censors soon put the kibosh on the kiss via a warning memo sent to a Rebel Without A Cause producers Warner Bros that stated, It is of course vital that there be no inference of a questionable or homosexual relationship between Plato and Jim.. The film has not aged well, and Dean's performance seems more like marked-down Brando than the birth of an important talent. (Stern 86). Helen is a lifelong fan of the horror genre which started in the 1980s when films like Gremlins and Cats Eye scared the life out of her as a kid. Jim tends to use the technique of binary reasoning to problem solve. Buzzs friends come after Jim, thinking he has ratted on all of them. . Their other friend, a repressed gay character played by Sal Mineo, has parents who are absent entirely, with devastating results. This also means it has been incorporated into the Dramatica Story Expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example. Jim demands immediate and straight forward answers to his problems, and his fathers theorizing gets him nowhere. Oct 27, 1955 Coming Soon. Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 American coming-of-age drama film about emotionally confused suburban, middle-class teenagers. Drama, Original Language: the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. (the father is mute, helpless . it is extremely well-written, well-acted, well-directed, and very well-shot. The exception is Dean, the gifted young actor who was killed last month. If you want to come we could talk and then in the morning we could have breakfast like my dad used to(he pausesthen excitedly as though an idea had suddenly struck him) Gee . 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 - here's the classic film's gay subtext explained. Warner Bros. went through several drafts of this early version of Rebel Without a Cause between from 1946 through 1949, and while the film never got off the ground during that period, the studio did at one point feel they were far enough along in the development process to consider a star for the project. . (Stern 16) This determination of why his father is a chicken is what keeps Jim from holding his father totally responsible for his actions, thereby allowing him to have a superficial buddy buddy relationship with his father. Jim Stark is the new kid in town. Some things in the movie may not have aged that well, but it still pulses with youthful energy and impresses with the psychological complexity of its characters - and it should always be remembered for James Dean's iconic looks and performance that spoke to a generation. Shortly after moving to Los Angeles with his parents, 17-year-old Jim Stark (James Dean) enrolls at Dawson High School. Jim feels, for the first time, the love and security he has always wanted. 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 a groundbreaking move for the mid-1950s, Ray inserted several clues in Rebel Without A Cause that code Plato as gay. People he really likeshe lets call him Jamie. (Stern 58). (Stern 83-84). Watch 'Rebel Without a Cause' | Anniversary Mashup, In celebration of the 65th anniversary of, The exterior of the mansion where the main characters confront each other with guns, as well as the empty pool in which they sit and discuss their lives, previously appeared in. Dean died in a car crash at age 24; Mineo was stabbed to death at 37; and Wood drowned amid mysterious circumstances at 43. Youre not tearing me loose anymore. Jims inability to communicate with his parents and other adults . swaggering, self-conscious, piratical (Stern 22); Buzz and Judy are big wheels on campus; Jim and Judy pretend to be married and Plato pretends to be their real estate broker; Plato wants Jim and Judy to be his family; Judys father ponders the complexity of being a father to a sixteen year-old girl, when it appears so easy to be a father to a little boy; Jim and Frank act buddy buddy; Jims grandmother puts on an act at the police station that everything is all right with Jim: Hes always been a lovely boy (Stern 17); Jim confronts his mother when she acts as if their family is not involved with the tragedy of Buzzs death: A boy was killed! ', and the other boy, played by Corey Allen, responding, "You've gotta do something, don't you?" Jim: Buzz? Upon hearing this, Ray rushed to the hospital. [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. The film was an attempt to portray the moral decay of American youth, critique parental style, and explore the differences and conflicts between generations. Just mush. The scenes that follow depict these teens as they try to fit in with their peers and find the love they so desperately need from their families. Jims father stands up as a man and turns to help his son stand up, assuring Jim he can trust him; Jim introduces Judy to his parents as his friend; and so forth. Helen Armitage is a freelance writer based in the UK who has been writing online since late 2013. Stewart Stern, Release Date (Theaters): The fathers arms envelop him. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. "Jimmy did most of the directing. By todays standards, thesubtle gay subtext in Rebel Without A Cause is restrained. His parents are often fighting. The young actor challenged the director to a fist fight, and Rays preference was to simply fire Hopper and keep him away from the set. The father stares down at Jim for a moment. [13] The movie opened to mixed reviews when it was released on October 27, 1955, less than a month after James Dean, whose performance was praised all around by film critics, died on September 30. In the aftermath of Allen's character dying, the film spirals in ways which seem a bit exaggerated. In 1947, they took a chance and screen tested a young New York theater actor to play the rebel at the heart of the story, then envisioned as a much more psychopathic criminal than the disillusioned teen that Jim Stark ultimately became in Rays film. The thematic conflict that Jim must grapple with is the absence of a secure family home life that he so desperately needs to counteract the outside world in which he is vulnerable. 1h 51m. This was the only film during Dean's lifetime in which he received top billing. Jim does not anticipate turning out like his father: One thing I know is I never want to be like him (Stern 16). we could . The first, Judy, tells the policeman she goes wandering at night because she hates her father. To achieve this vision, he consulted with experts, pushed for realism at every turn, and found a collaborator in a rising young actor named James Dean. 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. 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