Rebel Without A Cause
- Director: Nicholas Ray
- United States, 1955
This simple story about teenage disaffection makes pretty depressing reading today, in a society where the problems of youth seem only to have multiplied.
Let us however take nothing away from James Dean’s edgy, understated performance, as it oscillates splendidly between vulnerability and violence. There are undeniable echoes of Brando here, but we never did get to see much more of Dean’s individual development as an actor since he died that same year.
Dean’s starmaking performance is so strong that the contrast of his acting style with those of the other characters makes Rebel an unusual viewing experience, yet one in which the artistry of modern acting is clearly presaged.