MovieChat Forums > Rebel Without a Cause (1955) Discussion > For all those who called this dated...

For all those who called this dated...

posted 14 years ago by Al_Scarface_Capone
23 replies | jump to latest

I am a High Schooler, and I can tell you that last year when I moved to a new school with a bunch of people I didn't know, I had some of the same experiences and emotions that James Dean had in this.

I would dare say that this, along with Breakfast Club, are the only films that have captured the emotions and pressures involved in being a teenager in America.

The only differences between this and my high school experience are the clothes, the car, the models of guns, and the drag racing. And that last one can be replaced with any number of things.

"You gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?"

[–] novastar_6 14 years ago

Exactly, people who say this movie is dated and people today can't understand it, can't relate to it...they have no idea what they're talking about, it leaves you to wonder if they've even seen the movie.

[–] willy99 14 years ago

This movie is dated.
It captures some of the spirit.
But it doesn't capture the reality.

[–] novastar_6 14 years ago

What reality is that exactly? And what is reality to a 17 year old?

[–] HoneyBakedHam 13 years ago

Its certainly not dated

Because they have massive cars its dated?
Because theres no CGI or massive boom boom explosions its dated?
Please...

[–] Clyburn 13 years ago

It is dated no doubt.

Over the years, films have learnd how to capture the dialogue of young people. I assume it comes from research and actually talking to young people. The whole RWAC script seems like adults trying to guess how young people would talk and act - and really missing the mark by a lot.

At least something like West Side story had an excuse. It is funny to see supposedly tough kids doing ballet - it's dorky and unnatural - but it's a musical so it makes a kind of sense.

Rebel Without a Cause is just dorky and unnatural - (but funny).

[–] novastar_6 13 years ago

Sounds like you don't know much about this movie. Years of research was done by the director and the writers going to juvenile lockups and talking to the kids and finding out what made them tick.

[–] Blondfashionisto 13 years ago

I think the message is certainly quite relevant today - Look at cyber bullying...Kids being bullied and bringing weapons to school...Etc.

‘Six inches is perfectly adequate; more is vulgar!' (Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Re: An open window).

[–] novastar_6 13 years ago

And in I think earlier treatments of the script, and in its redone novelization by Irving Shulman, Children of the Dark, Plato's character makes zip guns and winds up killing a woman with one of them, because she reminds him of his mother, that could very well be worked into something today.

[–] carthur27 11 years ago

"Years of research was done by the director and the writers"

I always become immediately skeptical when I hear that cliche -- "years of research." I don't believe for a second Nicholas Ray et al. spent years doing what you claim.

[–] ae7641 13 years ago

A description of the movie states : "The story of a rebellious teenager, who arrives at a new high school, meets a girl, disobeys his parents and defies the local school bullies was a groundbreaking attempt to portray the moral decay of American youth, critique parental style, and explore the differences and conflicts between generations."

We have rebellious teenagers, we have bullies and all these things in real life today as we have in the movie. For this reason, I'll have to say it is not dated.

[–] rasheed_node 12 years ago

It captures almost the complete story of today's America, doesn't it?

Stupid American kids with their stupid parent's stupid gun in their stupid school, killing other stupid American kids, almost everyday!

[–] TheCineSinge 11 years ago

I can happily watch older films but this does seem a little dated, undoubtedly and most notably, in its gender politics. The in-the-kitchen mother, the father who wears an apron and who, therefore, isn't 'manly'.

As well as the insinuation that Plato is gay and disturbed as a result of lacking a father figure. Silly and reductionist 1950s ideologies.

I did find those weak but the main theme - rebellion, obviously - in conjunction with the discourse on teen-parent relationships still stands pretty well.

Visually a little dated, too, though such as the scene with the kids looking down at the ocean from the cliff and that odd thing I've come across from films around that era of the colour dropping out a little before a fade happens. It's miniscule but you notice it when it happens over and over again.

The acting styles but of course, they have changed throughout cinema history and will continue to do so.

I think it's difficult to deny it does look and feel a little dated but that doesn't mean it isn't relatable and it does still stand up well when compared with other films from around then.

For example, I actually did a "CinemaScope double-bill" of this followed by How to Marry a Millionaire - both released in the early-mid 50s and both I watched for the first time, today, in 2013. The long and short of it is that Rebel easily comes out on top.

[–] novastar_6 11 years ago

As well as the insinuation that Plato is gay and disturbed as a result of lacking a father figure. Silly and reductionist 1950s ideologies.

Plato is disturbed because 1. his father is only there for him through child support checks. 2. his mother also wants nothing to do with him and she's the parent who's 'THERE'. 3. Plato was seeing a psychiatrist and therefore was getting therapy for his problems but his mother decided it was too expensive so instead she took the money and ran off to Hawaii and left him at home with the maid. And this has gone on for most of his life, can you name any child who could endure all that and NOT be disturbed?

[–] VintagePhotograph 13 years ago

I agree. Acting styles were different then, much more theatrical than today's acting. Even so, there were little moments in the film, mostly around Dean's lines, where you can see the subtleties of natural conversation.

"Look at the world: so close, and i'm halfway to it."

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] mik912 13 years ago

It is most certainly dated, but only in the technologies (as the OP said) and colloquialisms. Understanding the time and setting is important as the happenings are still very much relevant today.

As far as the acting styles--that could very much play a role in its outdated aspects. Viewers of movies today are used to seeing the method style from actors like De Niro and Pacino in the 70's, DDL, etc. Every method actor today can attribute something to Dean and Brando. Dean was the only one in this movie acting with a style that's become popular. Every other actor was trained with the classic Hollywood style which is not quite as practiced today.

[–] jac91604 12 years ago

Even if a film is dated so what? It captures a period in our history.

I love the scenes at the Griffith Obeservatory, I used to go up there and I could see my apt building in the 90s. My building wasn't around in the 50s, so it's interesting to see how the landscape has changed.

Films gives a visual history of that time period.

An the fact that the OP is currently in HS and they can relate to this as being the new kid, well that story never goes out of style.

[–] novastar_6 12 years ago

It's funny because in 1955 there were TWO movies done about juvenile delinquents, this and Blackboard Jungle. Now if you ask people which is the better picture, (almost) everybody is going to say Blackboard Jungle, why? You want to talk about dated, that movie REALLY dated itself, first movie to have a rock and roll soundtrack whereas here the only music is classical, go figure. But anyway...the only thing I can figure about that is everybody who says Blackboard Jungle is better...they are not kids, they are adults, they are looking at it from the perspective of the teachers in the movie, their days of relating to Jim and Judy and Plato are long gone and they've probably forgotten what it was like being that age. That does seem to be a big problem about the generational gap, kids grow up, become adults and then by the time they have their own kids, they forget what it was like to be that age so they can't understand what their own kids are going through. That's my take on it anyway.

[–] igotguts94 12 years ago

I completely agree with you! This movie is definitely not outdated.

It touches upon a lot of issues that teenagers deal with today. Such as...

-kids being bullied and isolated to the point that they act out violently or irrationally.
-kids constantly seeking approval from their parents and piers.
-kids always feeling they do everything wrong when all they want is to do something right for once.

It's rediculous how relatable this movie is. And im 18 about to graduate high school. Trust me. It's relatable.

[–] Nikon11 12 years ago

The subject and theme aren't what's out-dated - it's just everything else.

I'm a fan of older movies and actors - Bogart, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, Abbott & Costello - so I wasn't gong into this expecting it to be like a modern movie. I just found this very underwhelming.

Hey, maybe it's me. I was also disappointed in Citizen Kane and Breakfast at Tiffany's. Oh, well.

[–] athomed 12 years ago

Universal themes are timeless themes. A movie from 1955 isn't going to have computers and Xbox 360's, but people are people behind them now and people were people then.

___
Think about what you learned today. One: Don't screw with me. Two: Invite me... to your crap!

[–] rikajessie 11 years ago

I think it's relevant not just for teenagers but anyone. Many people can relate to the three main characters, and especially Plato, who was so alone and shunned and just wanted someone to love him. That's something unfortunately that some people experience their whole life, even into adulthood.

[–] 11 years ago

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