REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE

Christine Joung

Rebel Without A Cause

A person who is dissatisfied with society but does not have a specific aim to fight for.

Basic Information

Melodrama, teen film January, 1955 Nicholas Ray, Stewart Stern James Dean, Natalie Wood Suburban, middle-class teenagers Originally black & white

Plot

Jim Stark (James Dean) is a troublemaking teen.

Jim moves to a new town and tries to make friends.

However, being the new kid in town brings problems. (e.g. Buzz challenges Jim to race him.)

Through conflicts, Jim forms a bond with Plato and falls for local girl Judy.

Setting

Mid-50s Los Angeles (U.S. urban slum environment)

Social Context

1950s America – Unity of community, everyone being happy, utopian society

New Age of Film- Addresses social issues- Not completely happy ending

Jim = Rebel = New type of role Emergence of teenage audiences

Characteristics

Several different plots within a plot (life that each of the three characters go through)

Both beginning and ending Dawn, police- “Do you think the end of world will come at

nighttime?” “Uh-uh, at dawn.”

Color

Much emphasis on red- Jim’s red Jacket, Judy’s red lipstick and clothes,

Jim’s couch, Plato’s socks, the monkey doll etc. Red = Desire, passion, love, anger, rebellious Connection among three characters

Symbols and Allusions

Plato shooting puppies “Chicken” Father’s apron Playing house until interruption

Themes

Existentialism- Seeking identity and purpose of life- “Is this where you live?” “Who lives?”- “I don’t know what to do anymore, except

maybe die.” Family- Dysfunctional conflict between parents and

children- Problems that children face due to lack of

“father figure”- “If only you coulda been my dad.”

Themes (Common themes in 50s)

Women’s changing roles- Jim’s mother, grandmother > Jim’s father Post-war prosperity- Cars, TVs, large houses etc. The rise of suburbia

Aspects of Melodrama

Melodrama: sub-type of drama films, characterized by a plot designed to appeal strongly to the emotions

Family melodrama- Conflicts in family- Characters’ aspiration of happy family Male melodrama- Struggle of identity is the core - Masculine figure becomes emotional- “You did everything a man could.”

Aspects of Melodrama

Melodrama: moral tales that illustrate a battle between good and evil

Conflicts / Struggles

Seeming vs. Being- Judy acts differently according to the group- Jim’s parents tell him not to confess to the police- “I don’t know!  I mean maybe he doesn’t mean it

but he acts like he does.”  Lack of trust among all characters- Judy hesitates following Jim to the room - Plato loses trust for Jim when he leaves with Judy- Police shoots Plato even when Jim tells him he’s

safe

Conflicts / Struggles

Desire vs. Ability- Jim’s desire for Judy- Jim’s desire to see his father act like a man- Judy’s desire to receive her father’s love- Plato’s desire to be with Jim or his family- Buzz’s desire to prove his authority and power

Expectation vs. Reality

Jim, Judy and Plato

Middle-class, misunderstood, alienated teenagers Identity-seeking Confusion- “You're tearing me apart!...You say one thing, he

says another, and everybody changes back again.”

- "I'll tell you one thing, I don't ever want to be like him.”

Attain maturity through rebellion and tragic circumstances

Plato (Sal Mineo)

Powerless figure- Housemaid answers all his questions, tells him

what to do and stops him every time - Only feels safe by a presence of Jim or gun

Skeptical of paternal gestures and kindness- In the beginning, rejects Jim’s offer of jacket in

the end, accepts it

Plato (Sal Mineo)

Closeted gay- Milestone for gay rights- The first in a mainstream film to depict

homosexual desire

Psychopath- Shoots puppies

Resolution

Three characters’ search for ideal father figure- Jim Hears father say “I’ll stand up for you.”- Judy and Plato Finds Jim

Connections

The Outsiders

(1967, 1983)

The Catcher in the Rye

(1951)