Rebel Without A Cause [1956]

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
When people think of James Dean, they probably think first of the troubled teen from Rebel Without a Cause: nervous, volatile, soulful, a kid lost in a world that does not understand him. Made between his only other starring roles, in East of Eden and Giant, Rebel sums up the jangly, alienated image of Dean, but also happens to be one of the key films of the 1950s. Director Nicholas Ray takes a strikingly sympathetic look at the teenagers standing outside the white-picket-fence '50s dream of America: juvenile delinquent (that's what they called them then) Jim Stark (Dean), fast girl Judy (Natalie Wood), lost boy Plato (Sal Mineo), slick hot-rodder Buzz (Corey Allen). At the time, it was unusual for a movie to endorse the point of view of teenagers, but Ray and screenwriter Stewart Stern captured the youthful angst that was erupting at the same time in rock & roll. Dean is heartbreaking, following the method acting style of Marlon Brando but staking out a nakedly emotional honesty of his own. Going too fast, in every way, he was killed in a car crash on September 30, 1955, a month before Rebel opened. He was no longer an actor, but an icon, and Rebel is a lasting monument. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com

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Customer reviews

review by: rowbo date: 2007-03-22 rating:
nobody talks to children, they just tell them..
due to being released shortly after dean's death, this films success was virtually guaranteed and it certainly does not disappoint.

Dean's performance is utterly captivating, not forgetting great supporting roles from Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood. The plot and script are perfect, and feature so many memorable scenes and locations- the knife fight, the 'chickee run', the abandoned house, and the final sequence to name just a few.

a film i can relate to and never get tired of viewing, Rebel without a cause remains one of my favourite films.. sheer quality.

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review by: MGPB1936 date: 2006-12-20 rating:
16yr old reviewer
Sorry to say that I didn't really enjoy this film. I'd heard a bit about James Dean eg. icon etc. Being a fan of old films, especially 30's to 60's, and iconic actors eg. Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn etc I watched this film.
I thought James Dean to be an excellent and extremely good looking guy to say the least but I honestly didn't enjoy it.
It didn't give the viewer of teenagers an honest portrayal and it wasn't really very gripping and couldn't relate with the characters.
Liked it for the fit lead and acting but..not much else.

Just thought I'd mention - am 16 yrs old and female.
Wouldn't recommend to people who were expecting something good because it's just a James Dean film.

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review by: purple-dream date: 2005-10-19 rating:
James Dean shines
In each of James Dean's few films the effort and talent is always outstanding. His performance in a film allows it to be worth watching on that single merit. This is one of the earliest films that tackles high school life and being one of the originals in having the main focus on teenagers. The studio felt the need to have it be in colour for it to stand out but even to keep it black and white as many mid fifties films were, it would have still stood the test of time. This film displays the talent they did possess. Dean proves easily that he is a compelling leading man and it is also interesting to see an early performance from Dennis Hopper as one of the gang who react against Jim.
To watch the film once would be part of anyones rites of passage but i guarnantee you will watch it again.

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review by: grovelsjon date: 2004-12-03 rating:
It is never out of date
Having a visual insight into a culture at a particular point in time is an excellent way of understanding what was happening. This film, because of the iconic status of James Dean, does just this. The film gives an informed view of the changing nature of families and young people in the 1950s. It expresses the desire of young people to change society without them knowing what they wanted the new society to be like, but recognising that a new order needed to be established. This film signals the development of Youth Culture as a force of change and gives an insight into the changing relationships within families that were being experienced at the time.


review by: date: 2004-10-15 rating:
Classic James Dean
The unique charisma and talent of James Dean make Rebel Without A Cause an absolute must-see for all film buffs. Dean stars as Jim, a lonely and misunderstood teenager whose trouble-making has forced his family to move to a new neighborhood. On his first day, Jim alienates a gang of boys, gets a girlfriend (Natalie Wood), befriends a neurotic outcast (Sal Mineo), and takes part in a "chicky-run" over a cliff.

Every minute of this film has become beloved by its fans, thanks to Dean, who owned the screen in his famous white tee shirt, red jacket, and jeans. 50s teens thought Dean spoke for them and they idolized him. He still deserves his icon status, because of the unforgettable character he created. When he cried to his parents, "You're tearing me apart!" you believed it was real. He was the epitome of the cool rebel.

Almost fifty years later, the character created by James Dean still rings true. They say a thing of beauty is a joy forever. That applies both to James Dean and this movie. A must-see classic film.

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