Rebel Without A Cause - Nicholas Ray (1955)

I've seen this movie a few times. I like it. I wouldn't say that it's on my top 10 list of favourite movies. I find it a little too teen angst-y for my liking. Having said that, I am a fan of James Dean. So any time I have a chance to watch one of his films I am in.

The thing that struck me about this movie that I didn't realize before was the character of Plato (played by Sal Mineo) is portrayed as gay (not that there is anything wrong with that). At the time this movie was made, films were subject to the 'Production Code'. These were the guidelines that movies had to follow - what could, but mostly could not be portrayed in a film. (This was the pre-cursor to our current MPAA rating system.) And along with 'nakedness and suggestive dances' (that one cracks me up) that can't be in a film, homosexuality is one of the big no-no's. So film makers were not allowed to overtly portray any character as gay. In 'Rebel' James Dean, Nicolas Ray (the Director) and Sal Mineo worked out ways to portray this subtly. There were longing glances between Mineo's character and Dean's. Plato had a picture of Alan Ladd in his locker. So you kind of put the pieces together and go....OH!!! Got it.

And in case you were wondering, the movie was released about a month after James Dean's death.

Good movie. Another one of those films that you should see.

One word to describe 'Rebel Without a Cause': Angst