RWAC analysis

Sometimes a movie will just pop into my head. last night Rebel Without a Cause (1955) was one of these movies. Let me just say that it is one of my favourites.
Instead of doing a plain old review i thought that i would try to analyze the 3 main characters, Plato (Sal Mineo), Judy (Natalie Wood) and Jim (James Dean). Now i don't think i'm very good when it comes to analysis but i'll let you be the judge.

Plato

John "Plato" Crawford is probably the most disturbed of the 3 characters. He has been pretty much abandoned by both parents and since he has no friends he mostly spends his time with his maid or at one point killing puppies. The way i see it Plato killed these puppies not out of angst or hate but a warped view of justice. Puppies are abandoned by their mother, the way he was abandoned by his, he shot them because he saw himself in them. He was sort of suicidal. But as far as we know he never attempted it, but why not? Perhaps subconsciously he thought things would get better and when Jim arrived they did (for a little).

Plato's relationship with Jim is just one of the many interesting relationships in this movie. Jim and Judy became sort of surrogate parents to Plato during their brief time at the secluded mansion. But yet Plato is obviously attracted to Jim, for a fifties movie it's astounding that it was even featured, but nonetheless it was and it adds a whole other layer to the movie. Plato both see's Jim as a father figure and a potential lover. he was certainly a confused young man.

Judy

Continuing the trend of complex father relationships in this movie is Judy's need for attention from her father. It is natural for a girl to still want some attention from her father even though she is growing up, but he doesn't seem to want to show any kind of affection. Even slapping her when she tries to. i once read someone else's theory that he was afraid of his attraction to her, which is a very good idea and i think it is just about right.
It has been debated on the IMDB boards about why she suddenly fell in love with Jim mere hours after Buzz (her boyfriends) death. This i think i can explain. Judy's father was pushing her away, Buzz became the man of her life, she was close to him and was allowed to show the affection she couldn't show to her father. But did she love him? No. The fact that she didn't have a huge mourning over him is because she had to push him out of her mind. To be strong and find another man to be her rock. This man was Jim. She said she loved him because he was security, he was attentive and loving (and he was James Dean), she loved the idea of him.

Jim.

The template for teen angst everywhere is Jim Stark. The 'rebel' who wants to break away from his restraints but at the same time fit in. A paradoxical character, (in fact they all were). He doesn't want to be like his Father (Jim Backus), who is a push over who can't stand up to his own (shrewish) wife. Jim hates being called 'chicken' as it reminds him of his Dad, who he doesn't want to be. Here is the main cause of his 'rebellion', he wants to be seen as his own man, a real man. To be a real man he thought he mustn't be afraid of even the most dangerous  and stupid things (like driving a car towards a cliff). His relationship's with Judy and Plato were perfectly suited to him. Judy was very different from his own mother, she didn't tell him what to do or was demanding. Plato was the son. Plato wanted parents. The entire family dynamic is very well put together.

I may be wrong about quite a few of these things, after all I've never been great at analysis. But the thing i love about this movie is that it can be interpreted in many different ways. i also love it's basic theme- teenagers trying to find their own way. It is still so culturally significant today (and will be in the future). Sure the events are melodramatic (impromptu switch blade fights...)  but again, the theme isn't teen violence or even rebellion, it's finding a purpose.

"You have to do something" Buzz Gunderson (Corey Allen), Rebel Without a Cause.

To fast to live too young to die

This post is about James Dean (*obviously). I was prompted to post this because he was brought up in quite an unlikely place today at school, it was during History and we are soon to be learning about 'Youthquake' and my teacher wants to show us a little 1950's youth movie named Rebel Without a cause. which, according to her, well i'll quote her:
"It's very famous but probably no-one in here has seen  it (this is where i started to think it must be Rebel without a cause) it's called Rebel without a cause ("I've seen it!" i said, trying to show how i'm a bit different to everyone else) and it starred James Dean who was a big famous icon in the mid 50's and wrapped himself around a tree when he was 20something (i mumble, and she says without looking at me as she knew who it was) how old was he? (i say 24) he only made 3 movies. that was how big an impact he made"

The people in my history class, well most of them, have closed minds when it comes to movies, they'll only watch new movies or horror movies, because they think that following the masses is 'cool'. I've got news for them, thats not cool, James Dean was cool. He and Steve Mcqueen were the essence of 'cool.' So anyway this announcement got me hyped for this class, to be honest i thought history would be boring but if i get to watch one of my favorite movies then i'm all for it. I don't think my class will really understand and respect it the way i do but you never know. I hope so.

In one of the best known trivia in movie history the 3 young stars of this iconic film all met with tragic ends: James Dean at 24, car accident, Natalie Wood at 43, drowning and Sal Mineo at 37, murder. Of course, they were all well respected actors and shouldn't just be remembered for dying young, Rebel without a cause is one of the finest of all of the actors' careers. The film gave James Dean iconic status (partly because it was released barely a month after his death), Natalie Wood forged an adult career by being in this film and Sal Mineo got his big break. Dennis hopper also appears (with little to no lines but still if you look you can see him) in the film. So it's pretty special.

"Please lock me up, i'm gonna hit somebody and i don't want to" Jim Stark (James Dean) Rebel Without A Cause.