Episode 40 – Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

It's 1955. It's a time we look back at with nostalgia, thinking it a simpler, more peaceful time. But in one of first important "juvenile delinquent" films, Rebel Without a Cause, director Nicholas Ray and actor James Dean explore teen culture and find that the kids are not all right. Following a little over 24 hours of the lives of Dean's Jim Stark, the disturbed "Plato," and Judy, the bully's girlfriend, the movie shows the search for meaning and mentors that seem to plague a generation of angry, confused, and lost teens. What Rebel Without a Cause offers casual movie fans who have always meant to watch classic movies: the iconic James Dean in that red jacket, a haunting lecture in an observatory, a tragic "Chickie Run," complicated child-parent relationships, and a surprisingly modern look at growing up from 70 years ago. Show Notes