Rebel Without a Cause

Not only daring for its era, but also masterly filled with subtext, REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE showed 1950s viewers that nice middle-class suburban kids could go wrong too. High schooler Jim Stark (James Dean) is perpetually moody and in trouble, despite – maybe because of – his doting but conflict-shy father (Jim Backus). Starting at a new school after unspecified problems elsewhere, Jim befriends a sensitive misfit boy (Sal Mineo) from a broken home, and he also catches the attention of popular classmate Judy (Natalie Wood) with her own baggage of family turmoil. Judy is part of a gang-like clique that bullies Jim and goads him into a dangerous nocturnal drag-race duel (in stolen cars) that has tragic repercussions..