Rating: 
Summary: A little overrated - but fine period piece and very American
Review: I could have seen this classic film when it first came out, but I didn't - I saw it for the first time only recently. In most films, the little artifices become more prominent and obvious over time, making the production appear somewhat contrived, and this film is no exception. For example, to make the male parents seem overwhelmed and inneffectual, they are shown wearing frilly aprons or sitting in bed in pyjamas while the kids get up to god knows what. And when I saw Dennis Hopper in those pyjamas, I just couldn't stop laughing. You see, back in the early sixties when I lived in the UK, Dennis Hopper used to come in for some good natured ribbing among the critics for the seemingly endless parade of checked sports jackets that he wore in the Perry Mason episodes - a different one every week. They were what we used to call "loud". And true to form, in this film he's wearing pyjamas with his trademark loud check ! I read somewhere that film actors often get to pick their own wardrobe - and in Hopper's case I believe it. But kidding aside, it's still quite watchable, although I wonder how many people actually indulged in those "chicken runs" in the fifties ?
Rating:
Summary: The first teen flick - it has a bite!
Review: Prior to "Rebel Without a Cause" there was no such thing as a "teen flick" (a film targeted at a teen audience). There were films for adults and films for adults and children, and then there were kiddie pictures. "Rebel" broke the mold and nothing's been the same ever again."Rebel" was released after Dean's death, but is probably the most popular of his three films. It is certainly the most accessible and appreciable for even today's youth. Brando had made "The Wild Ones," but Dean's "Rebel..." was far better received. It is the story of "a day in the life...of a teenager" and that is what makes it so great! The story and the action in this film revolve around Dean's character - Jim Stark - a new kid in a new high school, just trying to fit in. His first day he runs into Plato (Sal Mineo), the school nerd, and befriends him. He falls for Judy (Natalie Wood), the girlfriend of the school tough guy. In the course of this one day, he is forced to prove his worth and his manhood to not only his new classmates, but to his father and mother and the local police, as well. Some of the most riveting scenes are: the planetarium and when Jim, Judy, and Plato visit the old empty house. In the planetarium we see poor Plato amazed with the confidence and bravado that Jim shows, not knowing that Jim is terrified of not fitting in and that he is grasping for position. In the abandoned house we see Jim take his position, if only for a moment in time, as husband to Judy and father to Plato. For as much as Judy has fallen for Jim, it is Plato who has truly fallen for Jim. It is Plato's realization that his position as outcast can never be altered because of who and what he is. It is this realization that ultimately brings about the film's tragic ending. Today, Hollywood, it seems, has a factory that produces films only for teen audiences and they have forgotten the adults. When "Rebel" was made, it was done so with an eye for adults and young adults alike. In doing so, the film doesn't insult the viewer - regardless of age. It also proves that drama, even for a young audience, needn't have nudity, four letter words, or blatant sex in order to tell a good story. Today, Hollywood could learn a lesson from a film over fifty years old.
Rating: 
Summary: Es lo mejor de James Dean
Review: Es una de la mejores 100 peliculas del Siglo pasado. En esta movie Jimmy hace el papel de joven REBELDE, el cual muchos jovenes de los años 50 cojen la figura de (James Dean) como modo de vida, rebelde, incoformista, solitario, etc.
Rating:
Summary: Almost 50 and Still a Significant Tale
Review: This review refers to the Warner Bros DVD release of "Rebel Without a Cause"...... After nearly 50 years from it's release in 1955, this is a film that still truley embodies the feelings of teenage angst.The three teens that this story revolves around are played powerfully by James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo.It's not just about how the kids deal with the problems that life hands them but about the parents as well. Jim Stark(Dean) is the newcomer to the neighborhood. The family is always moving around seemingly due to Jim's inability to stay out of trouble. The parents(Jim Backus/Ann Doran) may be at the core of Jim's problems.There's a great scene at the police station, where the parents are arguing(as usual) over what's right for the boy and Jim sums up the whole event by crying out, as only James Dean could do.."You're tearing me apart". Judy(Wood),very cool and part of 'The in-crowd" comes from what seems to be a typical middle-class family, but underneath there are problems galore.At 16, Judy longs for the affection her father(William Hopper) gave her as a little girl, but he seems to be confused by her impending womanhood and pushes her away both emotionally and phyically. Judy does whatever she can to gain her father's attention. Perhaps the most deeply troubled of all is John "Plato" Crawford(Mineo) who comes from a well off family but they are never around to care for him or about him. He is cared for by his well meaning housekeeper/nurse played brillantly by Marietta Canty. Trouble once again finds Jim on his very first day of school, which erupts in a knife fight that is so beautifully acted and directed it takes on the look of an exquiste dance,and ends with a tragic car race.The parents seem to be of no help in the dilemna. Jim, Judy and Plato find each other in their loneliness and form a makeshift family of their own, that also is beset with some devastating results. Beautifully directed by Nicholas Ray(Johnny Gutiar/The Flying Leathernecks), watching this film again was like finding a buried treasure in a time capsule. It is a story, that will always have meaning as although the times(and types of problems) may change, people really don't.These young brillant actors had an on screen chemistry and charisma that is unsurpassed. I also want to make mention of Edward Platt, who played the empathetic Juvenile Officer, Corey Allen as "Buzz"(Dean's rival), and also look for Dennis Hopper in an early role as one of "The kids". Warner Brothers has done a superb transfer of this 48 year old film. It has been restored, looks brand new, and is presented in the original widescreen. The sound was also terrific in the remastered Dolby Digital 5.1. There are some excellent special features to peruse. Behind the scene documentaries which were actually filmed around the time of the making of "Rebel" enables us to see interviews with the stars. There is one with James Dean not only talking about the film, but advising young people to "Drive Safely"! You will also see the screen tests and learn where that toy monkey came from in the opening scene. If it's a film you already know you love, you will love the DVD. If you haven't seen it, whether you are a teen or an adult, you will be moved by this story and it's a must have for your classic DVD collection. Thanks and enjoy.....Laurie
Rating:
Summary: Rebel rocks!
Review: If you are looking for a good classic movie with a star that lives up to his legend, then Rebel is the one to see. In the movie James Dean becomes a real rebel when a gang of hoodlums challenges him to a fight. All through out the movie James Dean and Natalie Wood give a wonderful performance, not to mention that James will steel your heart from the moment you lay eyes on him. This is by far my favorite James Dean movie! See it, I know that you will love it!
Rating:
Summary: Privileged Youth Rebell Against No-Future Society
Review: Brilliant cast of well-known Hollywood icons in hard-hitting treatment of story that focuses on the hopelessness exhibitied by many middle-class teenagers who were too young to recall the pains of WWII, but saw daily reminders of the threat of "the bomb", as well as inequities around them. James Dean stands out as the troubled kid whose parents keep "moving" to escape their community's effects of their son's strange behavior. Equally great are the performances of Natalie Wood as a "wanna-be-bad-girl" who is hurt by her parents' implications that she is a "tramp"; and the child-like Sal Mineo, who lives in a mansion with a maid, but feels the pains of neglect from never-present parents. The trio first meet at a police station, where they all see a well-meaning officer who is genuinely interested in getting these troubled kids back on the right track rather than throwing the book at them. He does seem to reach James Dean, who seeks help after gettin into more trouble. The relationship between the James Dean character and that of Sal Mineo is somewhat elusive. At times a more than friendly association is suggested, then the appearance of Natalie Wood makes it look like an odd threesome. 1950s America was definitely unprepared for any "spelling out" of suggested terms, so for nearly 50 years now anyone's guess as to what was going on here is as good as the next. The supporting cast include Jim Backus as James Dean's well-to-do yet wimpish and henpecked father as well as a young Dennis Hopper as a member of a greaser gang. The parade of big name stars in itself is eye-candy of the highest caliber! References to scientific findings are still awe-inspiring today. Showing young college students' reactions to film footage during a lecture shows that humans can't fully grasp the insignificance of earthly life compared to the vastness of the universe. Carefully watch the final scene as the end credits are shown, when this "point" is driven home. Rebel Without A Cause is one of the great classics with a sociological impact that has seldom been reached by any film, and likely never surpassed. This film is a ceaseless source of discussions. I recommend this film also for high school History, Sociology or Language Arts classes. A five star gem!*****
Rating:
Summary: A Definate Must See
Review: This is an amazing piece of classic film. James Dean and Natalie Wood are very convincing as troubled teens looking for understanding and acceptance from their parents. The raw emotion that they display is both heartbreaking and compelling. Sal Mineo plays the part of Plato beautifully, as the misfit that has neither family nor friends.
James Dean's character Jim has trouble fitting in the new town his family has moved to and meeting the expectations of his dominating mother and spineless father. Then he has a run-in with a gang of boys who challenge him to a game of "chicken", and that is where the real trouble begins. To tell anymore would be to give the movie away.
This movie portrays a new angle to being a teenager that I think could fit into any time frame. I can see why this film is considered a classic.
A must see on DVD as there are new scenes that have been added that make the movie flow that much better.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing Better!
Review: Before I saw this film, I thought it was ridiculous that someone could say that James Dean was their favorite movie star. Not so anymore.
This is truly a classic film, with the war on these teenagers backs. But even now, if we didn't have a war going on, it would still transcend the ages and delight viewers of all ages.
From the comedy, when Jim and Judy are acting like a married couple and talking about kids, to the action, when Jim's in the knife fight and and car race, to the drama, when Plato gets shot, and Jim has his only friend left, Judy, at his side, it is both written and acted wonderfully!
Buy the movie, embrace it, and show it to your friends. It's that good.
Rating:
Summary: "Don't call me chicken!"
Review: James Dean is terrific as Jim Stark (star, get it?) the new kid in town. On his first day in school, Jim runs afoul of the local gang of toughs. Jim is forced to defend himself, first in a knife fight with the gang leader Buzz, then in a "chickie run". When Buzz is accidentally killed, the gang blames Jim. On the run from both the gang and the law, Jim forms a family of sorts with Buzz's girl Judy, and a sensitive introverted boy named Plato (what a name!). "Rebel Without a Cause" was quite popular during the fifties and for decades after that. It was a youth oriented film that delt with kids on their own terms when most films were still marketed at adults. It addressed the growing youthful unrest in the Eisenhower era, superficially a happy decade. It also had James Dean in his signature role. This, combined with Dean's death in a car accident one month before this film's release would transform him into a teenage icon. Good though it is, I have a few complaints. For one thing, why does the film assume that if a kid falls into gangs or crime that the parents are responsible? That doesn't seem right to me. For that matter, the "bad parenting" shown seems pretty mild to me. Judy falls into a gang because her father doesn't show her as much affection as he should. Jim gets drunk simply because he is annoyed by his father's unmanly habbit of wearing an apron and making his wife dinner in bed. Couldn't the filmmakers have thought up anything better than that? Why not have some of the kids come from a broken or abusive home? Probably the weakest part of the film is at the beginning where the three main characters find themselves at juvenile hall. Surely police officers have better things to do than pick up teens on minor offences. And three teens in one night? Jim's offence is being drunk, Judy's is walking outside after curfew (a curfew?!?). Fortunately, the good outways the bad. Nicholas Ray gets great performances from his youthful cast. Ray's direction is superb. He makes striking use of colour and widescreen, so be sure to see this film on a widescreen DVD. Don't make the mistake of seeing it on a pan & scan VHS like I originally did.
Rating:
Summary: LOVE IT
Review: Could the acting be any better? Plato's charecter is very believeable. Natalie Wood is as gifted and beautiful as ever. And could James Dean be any sexier?
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