Dana and Tom with 5x Club Member, Peterson W. Hill (Co-Host of the War Starts at Midnight podcast) discuss Rebel Without a Cause (1955) celebrating its 70th anniversary: directed by Nicholas Ray, written by Stewart Stern and Irving Shulman, cinematography by Ernest Haller, music by Leonard Rosenman, starring James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, and Jim Backus.
Plot Summary: Rebel Without a Cause explores teenage rebellion and emotional confusion in 1950s America. The movie stars James Dean as Jim Stark, a troubled teenager who struggles to fit in after moving to a new town. His parents, played by Jim Backus and Ann Doran, constantly argue, leaving Jim feeling misunderstood and angry.
At his new high school, Jim quickly gets into trouble with a local gang led by Buzz Gunderson (played by Corey Allen). When a “chickie run” ends in tragedy with Buzz's death, Jim quickly becomes the enemy of the gang. Afterward, Jim finds himself drawn to Judy (Natalie Wood), Buzz’s girlfriend, who also feels neglected by her parents. The two bond over their shared loneliness and confusion about adulthood. They are joined by Plato (Sal Mineo), a shy and troubled boy who looks up to Jim as a father figure.
The three teens briefly imagine forming their own “family,” away from the chaos of their parents’ lives. But when the police close in on them, tragedy strikes again, showing how fragile and misunderstood young people can be when they have nowhere to turn.
Guest:
Peterson W. Hill - Co-Host of the War Starts at Midnight podcast
- @petersonwhill on IG, Letterboxd, and Twitter
- Previous Guest on Gone Girl (2014), Parasite (2019), Fight Club (1999), Ben-Hur (1959), Up in the Air (2009), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), La Dolce Vita (1960), The Social Network (2010) Revisit, Pather Panchali (1955), Se7en (1995), Spartacus (1960)
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction, Cast, and Background for Rebel Without a Cause
04:04 Welcome Back Peterson W. Hill
04:54 James Dean
16:35 Relationship(s) with Rebel Without a Cause
22:34 Plot Summary for Rebel Without a Cause
24:16 What is Rebel Without a Cause About?
40:39 Did You Know?
43:49 First Break
44:32 What's Happening with Peterson?
45:29 The CLP Rankings - #69-61
01:04:35 Best Performance(s)
01:14:57 Best Scene(s)
01:27:14 Second Break
01:27:52 In Memoriam
01:31:24 The Stanley Rubric - Legacy
01:42:15 The Stanley Rubric - Impact/Significance
01:46:03 The Stanley Rubric - Novelty
01:51:36 The Stanley Rubric - Classicness
02:00:53 The Stanley Rubric - Rewatchability
02:06:50 The Stanley Rubric - Audience Score and Final Total
02:10:43 Remaining Questions for Rebel Without a Cause
02:14:52 Thank You to Peterson and Final Thoughts
02:25:12 Credits
You can also find this episode in full video on YouTube.
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For more on the episode, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/rebel-without-a-cause-1955-ft-peterson-w-hill
For the entire rankings list so far, go to: https://www.ronnyduncanstudios.com/post/greatest-movie-of-all-time-list
Keywords:
Rebel Without a Cause, James Dean, teenage rebellion, film analysis, cultural impact, emotional confusion, parental relationships, classic films, movie legacy, character analysis, thrill-seeking, youth, identity, cinema, film techniques, cultural symbols, rankings, film discussions, directorial choices, cinematic reflections, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus, Natalie Wood, Leonard Rosenman, 1950s
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