Rebel Without a Cause

Teenagers are pretty flowers. It's a well-known fact that sometime in the 1950s something happened in many liberal countries (many hackneyed and familiar factors) that caused the adolescent mind to become severely wilful and look up to intrepid western heroes rather than their parents. And it's also a well-known fact that Rebel Without a Cause is the pinnacle of that particular wave of cinema. The story is very basic, and looking at the script itself, anyone would be surprised that it has the label of cult classic, but appearances are deceiving. Everything is exactly where it should be, the rebellious teenagers are far from being just a bunch of obnoxious brats, and the main idea, so blatantly proclaimed in the distributors' blurbs, is portrayed so cleverly and impressively that the ageing that could be caused by the different generational habits is definitely not a risk (quite the opposite). And then there's James Dean – an actor with the character of Brad Pitt and the talents of Marlon Brando – whose untimely passing I only now highly regret. He’s the prime mover who was ahead of his time and secured the film the status it still holds today. Honour his memory. 85% (08/05/2014)

James Dean was a promising actor with decent charisma, which would have probably destined him for a similar path as tough guys like Steve McQueen - if he had survived his car accident. Natalie Wood was beautiful and talented, and both of them logically became idols of the youth of that time. Dean's early death caused him to become a legend of the film industry and each of his films gained cult status in a way. Beyond that, from today's perspective, Rebel Without a Cause is just an average drama, which is watchable, but his rebellion now seems completely toothless and rather testifies to the middle-class environment of America at that time. It has simply felt the ravages of time, and many elements, such as music trying to build tension, seem like a period mannerism and are therefore disturbing. Overall impression: 55%. (10/12/2011)

I love somebody... Adult children, vulnerable souls, and a desire for the emotions that only loved ones can give. Adolescent disenchantment and anxieties seem to have been present even sixty years ago, and they looked just as good onscreen as they do today. Rebel Without a Cause succeeds in pouring a sense of family atmosphere, a desire for reconciliation of all conflicts, and last but not least, the image of James Dean into your heart. He may not have been the most characteristic actor or the most typical representative of a poster heartthrob. And yet charisma emanates out of him from his very first sentence. (12/11/2011)

I first saw James Dean in East of Eden, and since his performance caught my attention, I picked up Rebel Without a Cause. And I’ll say what many others have already said: he went to acting heaven too early, after only three films, but he has stamped his legacy forever. He was really convincing as the rebel and I just believed him. He had so many expressions throughout the film, and not single fake one. The young Natalie Wood was a great second to him and Sal Mineo was amazing as the mentally disturbed man. A subtle score accompanied the entire film and added to the atmosphere wonderfully. In short, James Dean was truly a rebel and most importantly an great actor, now all I have left is Giant. P.S. Even back then, bored youths who didn't know what to do were entertained by the "fear ride". (07/27/2010)

Fifty years since its creation, Rebel Without a Cause has lost a lot of its impact that once captivated audiences sitting in the movie theater two generations before me. Those people definitely enjoyed the heroic position of the young tough guy in (which is today disgustingly kitschy) red nylon jacket against the gang of even bigger tough guys. However, from today's viewer's perspective, Stewart Stern's screenplay is strongly naive and lacks any hint of originality, making the plot predictable for long minutes ahead of time. Additionally, director Nicholas Ray offers nothing more than a dry narrative, sometimes allowing the actors to overact, including James Dean. Moreover, this assessment is objective only after the first half hour of the film, which lulled me to sleep with boredom. The only thing that has truly not aged is the statement of one of the contemporary film critics who humorously renamed the film "Cause without a Rebel," which perfectly captures what could be elaborated on many more lines. (07/23/2005)