1 of 26 GCSE FILM STUDIES Component One : Key Developments in US Film (1930 - 1960) Revision Guide Section A: Rebel Without a Cause (1955) Focus Areas: Genre, Narrative and Context 2 of 26 Rebel Without a Cause Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 American drama film about emotionally confused suburban, middle-class teenagers. Filmed in the recently introduced CinemaScope format and directed by Nicholas Ray, it offered both social commentary and an alternative to previous films depicting delinquents in urban slum environments. The film was a groundbreaking attempt to portray the moral decay of American youth, criticise parental style, and explore the differences and conflicts between generations. The title was adopted from psychiatrist Robert M. Lindner's 1944 book, Rebel Without a Cause: The Hypnoanalysis of a Criminal Psychopath. The film, however, does not make any references to Lindner's book in any way. The film was in production from March 28 to May 25, 1955. When production began, Warner Bros. considered it a B-movie project, and Ray used black and white film stock. When Jack L. Warner realised James Dean was a rising star and a hot property, filming was switched to colour stock, and many scenes had to be reshot in colour. It was shot in the widescreen CinemaScope format, which had been introduced two years previously. With its densely expressive images, the film has been called a "landmark ... a quantum leap forward in the artistic and technical evolution of a format.” Warner Bros. released the film on October 27, 1955. Over the years, the film has achieved landmark status for the acting of cultural icon Dean, fresh from his Oscar nominated role in East of Eden and who died before the film's release, in his most celebrated role. This was the only film during Dean's lifetime in which he received top billing. In 1990, Rebel Without a Cause was added to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant". Released October 27th 1955 Directed by Nicholas Ray Produced by David Weisbert Screenplay by Stewart Stern Cinematography Ernest Haller 3 of 26 Cast James Dean Natalie Wood Sal Mineo Jim Backus Ann Doran Corey Allen William Hopper Plot In Los Angeles, teenager Jim Stark is arrested and taken to the juvenile division of a police station for "plain drunkenness". At the station he meets John "Plato" Crawford, who was brought in for killing a litter of puppies, and Judy, who was brought in for curfew violation. The three each separately reveal their innermost frustrations to the officers; all three of them suffer from problems at home: Jim feels betrayed and anguished by his constantly bickering parents, Frank and Carol, but even more so by his father's milquetoast (mild, meek and timid) attitude and failure to stand up to Carol. Judy is convinced that her father ignores her because she is no longer a little girl, so she dresses up in racy clothes to get attention, which only causes her father to call her a "dirty tramp”. Plato's father abandoned his family when he was a toddler, and his mother is often away from home, leaving Plato in the care of his housekeeper. On the way to his first day at Dawson High, Jim again meets Judy and offers her a ride. Seemingly unimpressed by Jim at first, she declines and is instead picked up by her "friends", a gang of delinquents led by "Buzz" Gunderson. Jim is shunned by the rest of the student body but is befriended by Plato, who comes to idolise Jim as a father figure. After a field trip to Griffith Observatory, Buzz provokes and challenges Jim to a knife fight. Jim bests Buzz in the knife fight, so to preserve his status as gang leader, Buzz suggests stealing some cars to have a "Chickie Run" at a seaside cliff. At home, Jim ambiguously asks his father for advice about defending one's honour in a dangerous situation, but Frank advises him against confrontation of any kind. That night, during the chickie run, Buzz plunges to his death when the strap on his jacket sleeve becomes entangled with his door-latch lever, preventing him from exiting the car in time. As police approach, the gang flees, leaving Judy behind, but Jim patiently persuades her to leave with him and Plato. Jim later confides to his parents his involvement in the crash and considers turning himself in. When Carol declares they are moving again, Jim protests and pleads with Frank to stand up for him, but when Frank refuses Jim attacks him in frustration, then storms off to the police station to confess, but he is turned away by the desk sergeant. Jim 4 of 26 drives back home, and finds Judy waiting for him. She apologises for her prior treatment of him due to peer pressure, and the two begin to fall in love. Agreeing that they will never return to their respective homes, Jim suggests they visit an old deserted mansion Plato told him about. Meanwhile, Plato is intercepted by three members of Buzz's gang, who are convinced that Jim betrayed them to the police. They steal Plato’s notebook and go off after Jim; Plato retrieves his mother’s gun and leaves to warn Jim and Judy, where he finds them at the mansion. The three new friends act out a fantasy as a family. Plato then falls asleep, and Jim and Judy leave to explore the mansion, where they share their first kiss. Buzz's gang find and wake up Plato who, frightened and distraught, shoots and wounds one of the gang. When Jim returns, he attempts to restrain Plato, but he flees, accusing Jim of leaving him behind. Plato runs to the observatory and barricades himself inside as more police converge including Fremick who, with Frank and Carol, was searching for Jim. Jim and Judy follow Plato into the observatory, where Jim persuades Plato to trade the gun for his red jacket; Jim quietly removes the ammunition before returning it, and then convinces Plato to come outside. But when the police notice that Plato still has the gun they shoot Plato down as he charges them, unaware that Jim had removed the bullets. Frank comforts his grieving son, vowing to be a stronger father. Now reconciled to his parents, Jim introduces them to Judy. Narrative ‘The Outsider’ is a typical narrative convention of teen genre: this trope allows the audience to experience the new school location & characters with the protagonist. It takes place over a 2 day period and is from a teenage point of view showing a mistrust of authority figures, while parents are overtly criticised for being too weak, or too dominant. In this film adults cannot win, but this message is clearly constructed to appeal to the teenage target audience. Using Todorov’s Equilibrium Theory plot out the main events from the film using Jim’s perspective. Equilibrium (Normality) Disruption (Something happens that changes everything) → New Equilibrium (a new normality is achieved - this can be good or bad) 5 of 26 ↑ ↓ Recognition (the hero realises nothing will ever be Todorov: Equilibrium Theory the same) Name of Film: : Attempt to Repair (the hero tries to put things right) ↖︎↩︎ Binary Oppositions (Levi Strauss) Binary oppositions are oppositions that create conflict, which then drive along the narrative. Make a list of binary oppositions in Rebel Without a Cause. They can be characters, places, ideas or events. Characters Describe them - who they are, where Are they a stereotype, countertype, flat or they live, age, gender personality type rounded character? Do they fulfil any of Propp’s Characters etc. character types? 6 of 26 Jim Stark Plato Sgt Eldridge Judy Buzz Frank Stark 7 of 26 Carol Stark Propp’s Character Types Vladimir Propp suggests that most stories are based on the same character types again and again. In some stories characters can fulfil more than one of Propp’s types (like a mentor can also be a dispatcher etc.). Some may not necessarily be a person: for example ‘the princess’ may be an idea like ‘truth’ or ‘justice’ or ‘peace’. Can you spot them in Rebel Without a Cause? Historical Context Released in 1955, the film is set during the America-led crusade against Communism. This crusade was otherwise known as the “Red Scare”, with the large sections of the American population and media believing that Communism threatened the American way of life and that communists wanted to take over the world. This means that there was a paranoia as a recurring mood in many films of the 1950’s and created an often a climate of fear created by the mass hysteria of the McCarthy ‘witch hunts’. Many people - especially families - moved out of city centres, to the ‘suburbs’ or to small towns, where new, more spacious houses suited growing families. The story focuses on the suburbs of Los Angeles and how the youths of 1950s adjusted to this new way of life. These family homes were desirable, but cold and lifeless resulting in little affection. 8 of 26 Inequality and the importance of civil rights was an important political movement in this time, especially for young people who wanted to do the right thing and treat each other with civility and respect. The US had a post-war economic boom, becoming the wealthiest population in the world in the 1940s; many men left to fight in WWII. Women took many traditionally masculine jobs: mining, steel-working, farming, but also in banking, law and other areas.