Whew, teenage drama! Watching it today, seems like most of the adults needed some sort of therapy. Good performances from Dean, Wood and Mineo - sadly these three passed away quite young - James Dean at the age of 24, makes you wonder how his career would have developed if he had the chance to make more movies (he only made three.) I had a bit of a laugh - his father was portrayed by Mr. Howell (Gilligan's Island) and the caring cop at the beginning was portrayed by Maxwell Smart's boss! The Special Features on the DVD seemed very dated (1974) hosted by Peter Lawford interviewing Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo and Sammy Davis Jr. (he was a neighbor of James Dean!) Of course, Sammy says Dean was a cool cat - almost seems like they were going to nominate him for the Rat Pack! They talk about Dean meeting Marlon Brando, discuss whether he might have been gay, and whether he had a deathwish. All that seems a bit trivial, watch his movies instead! I have Giant coming up soon.

I recommend this DVD for adults. Rebel Without A Cause is a classical 1950's movie. The attitudes of the characters reflect the 1940-1950's society attitudes and approach to life. The 1950 movies seem to have rebellion as a theme. The story is strong. It is too violent for children to watch. It shows how insecure many people feel. They feel inferior. Some look for continuous external confirmation to being superior by being abusing others. For example, being in a gang and not speaking up as an individual. The gang mentality is harmful to many. I was appalled how people were treated. This movie has that moral lesson in the story. The actors did a great job.

One of my favorite movies. RIP James Dean!

A movie that had a huge impact in my adolescent life of the 1950s as well as on all those around me. We all, those of us who weren't on the student councils, cheerleading, or lettering in sports, wanted to be rebels, too. And I suppose we were.

Gorgeous Natalie Wood, brief James Dean and Sal Mineo provide a glimpse at teenage America when it was defining itself for most of the remainder of the 20th Century and became, itself, a part of the definition.

Haven't seen this in a while - glad I did again.

James Dean was 23 at time of movie - Natalie Wood was 18,but had been acting since about 8.

The special features on the other DVD were also quite good. Glad I took the time to watch them.

I didn't like it very much, but that could be because I had to skip half of it (the disc was scratched)

Well, folks - If you don't know this already, Rebel Without A Cause (RWAC, for short) was the very movie that (back in the mid-1950s) spoke precisely the right lingo to millions of angry, alienated and defiant teens all across this here continent. It told them exactly what they wanted to hear.

As well, RWAC catapulted its bright, new star, James Dean, right into Hollywood-idol heaven where he would instantly become the most emulated and worshipped actor (by the teens) of his day. (Within the same year of this film's release, Dean, at 24, would be dead, but not forgotten)

Casually dressed in red (jacket), white (t-shirt) & blue (jeans), Dean (like an American flag of sorts) stood tall in this film as the very essence of "cool". And, thus, in the starry eyes of the teens who adored him, he was transformed into a revered icon through their undying devotion.

As a teen flick, RWAC certainly posed many pertinent questions, but rarely did it answer any of them, satisfactorily. I mean, this film didn't help at all to resolve the growing concern of delinquency which was rearing its ugly head amongst the American youth.

But RWAC did make it clear that a problem such as hooliganism was a two-sided coin where full blame for its existence could neither be laid solely on the confused parents' indifference, nor on their bored children's defiance.

All-in-all - RWAC, with its timely message, was well-structured story-telling that literally screamed out at the top of its lungs - "Money can't buy me love!"

*Trivia note* - If James Dean were alive today he'd be 83 years old.

Sorry, James Dean! The dramatic music all the time cracked me up. My feminist eyes bugged out when he casually says henpecked Daddy just needs to knock Mummy down, then Mummy would be happier (!!!!!). The dated 50's details are so distracting to my modern eyes: smoking, guns, no parental oversight, no seatbelts, bench seats so it's normal for the passenger to exit through the drivers's door, Dad's hideous pyjamas, the black housekeeper, and the chair at the cop shop is exactly like one I have at home. The pace is weird, there's long boring dialogue scenes that you'd never find in a modern movie. Furthermore, the actors playing the "kids" look like they're 30 years old, character development is weak, and the acting is dreadful.(except little Plato, who's convincingly creepy). At the end, I felt like it was unfinished. On the plus side, the story is shocking and unforgettable (unbelieveable also, but scary in that parts of it, just little parts, we can all relate to!) so it's not a dumb bubblegum movie. James Dean was much, much better in "East of Eden".

One of those classic movies that you just have to watch. As a James Dean fan, this has to be my favourite role of his (not that he had many sadly).

I agree that this is an amazing movie just based on the performances, and the tragic fact that all three of the films stars died too soon. This movie was before my time, and for some reason I had never seen it until recently, but I recommend it highly.