Rebel Without A Cause

Bell Ringer What is it that tends to generate “rebelliousness” in teenagers? When does it become a problem? How should it be handled? Why is it that some aren’t tempted to rebel? Why is our culture so interested in the “bad boy” image?

Historical/Social Context Rebel Without a Cause disrupted the social belief that home, community and school are the kind places they are meant to be for a normal teenage upbringing. In modern times a film like this is considered common but in 1955, it drew much attention because the social barriers it broke concerning these institutions.

1950s Time Period Economic Growth as part of the WWII Post War Boom Historians use the word “boom” to describe a lot of things about the 1950s: the booming economy, the booming suburbs and most of all the so-called “baby boom.” This boom began in 1946, when a record number of babies–3.4 million–were born in the United States. About 4 million babies were born each year during the 1950s. In all, by the time the boom finally tapered off in 1964, there were almost 77 million “baby boomers.”

1950s Conformity Traditional gender roles (Husband = breadwinner; Wife = homemaker) Growth of Suburbs (“Cookie-Cutter” Homes) Growth of Consumerism & Advertising (Everyone wants/buys the same products) Conservative Politics & Patriotism (Anti-Communism; “Red Scare”/McCarthyism; Xenophobia) Repressed Sexuality (Underwear called “unmentionables”; sex called “birds and the bees”; TV spouses slept in single beds)

Teenage Culture The word teenager didn’t enter the American language until the 1950s Adults thought that teens of the 50s were sheltered and didn’t know the harsh realities of WWI, Great Depression, or WWII. They felt that they had it too easy. Teens were getting after-school/summer jobs and had their own income to spend, so they became a serious market for advertising. Educational Film: The Joy of Popularity `What has changed?

Expectations for 1950s Teens Obey Authority Control Your Emotions Don’t Make Waves: Fit in with the Group Don’t Even Think About Sex!!!

Juvenile Delinquency “Juvenile delinquency” was a buzzword in the early 1950s, a catch-all term for basically any teenage behavior that wasn’t strictly within the limits of accepted decorum. The advent of rock ‘n’ roll brought about an epidemic of “juvenile delinquency.”

Rebel Without a Cause (Director: Nicholas Ray, 1955) Sympathetically views rebellious, American, restless, misunderstood, middle-class youth. The tale of youthful defiance, which could have been exploitative - but wasn't, provides a rich, but stylized (and partly out-dated) look at the world of the conformist mid-1950s from the perspective of the main adolescent male character - a troubled teen with ineffectual parents, who faces a new school environment.

Cultural Impact The colorful wide-screen Cinemascope feature is most remembered for being the film that best presented the talent of young charismatic cult star James Dean. It was originally intended to be a black and white typical B-movie, but James Dean’s growing popularity led the studio to invest in the much more expensive color film. It also served as a springboard for the acting careers of its two other stars Natalie Wood (in her first non-child “adult” role) and unknown 16-year-old actor Sal Mineo. All three leading stars, who experienced troubled lives of their own, suffered premature deaths under unusual and tragic circumstances - a car crash at age 24 in 1955, a mysterious drowning at age 43 in 1981, and a stabbing-murder at age 37 in 1976.

Awards The film received only three Academy Awards nominations (no wins though): Best Supporting Actor (Sal Mineo, first of two unsuccessful career nominations) Best Supporting Actress (Natalie Wood, first of three unsuccessful career nominations) Best Motion Picture Story (Nicholas Ray) James Dean was nominated for East of Eden in the same year, the more “serious” of the two roles

James Dean (1931-1955) Cultural Phenomenon Dropped out of UCLA and did first Pepsi commercial at age 20. Nominated for 2 Oscars for Best Actor (East of Eden; Giant) in 3 years. Inspired by Marlon Brando’s Method Acting (a technique of acting in which an actor aspires to complete emotional identification with a role) Over an 18 month period, Dean starred in three major motion pictures, beginning with the film adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel, East of Eden. Director Elia Kazan chose Dean after Dean met with Steinbeck, who thought him perfect for the part. Many of Dean's scenes in the film were unscripted improvisations. He would eventually be nominated for an Oscar for this role, making him the first actor in history to receive a posthumous Oscar nomination. Dean died in a high-speed head-on collision with another car on his way to an auto racing event in California.

Dean as a Rebel Rebel Without a Cause opened at the Astor Theatre in New York on October 29th, 1955, about a month after the death of its star. The movie is thought of as the embodiment of the “rebelliousness” of this generation. Dean stars as the agonized teenager Jim Stark in Rebel Without a Cause, a role that would define his image in American culture. Dean then landed a supporting role to Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson in Giant, playing an older, oil-rich Texan. Giant was Dean's last film. It was released after his death in 1956. Dean received an Oscar nomination for this role, making him the only actor in history to receive more than one Oscar nomination posthumously.

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