Review of Rebel Without a Cause (1955) by Isaac H — 25 Apr 2013

Just an average movie. Think it is slow pace at certain point. James Dean is brought back to police station for drunk. Sal Mineo is another trouble kid who kill puppies. Natalie Wood is also in the station.

Jim Backus and Ann Doran parents of James are driving James crazy. They always move away when he gets into trouble. The kind cop Edward Platt console him. James offer his coat to Sal but he rejected it.

Next day, James wants to start clean and goes to school. He saw Natalie outside and talks to her. Her boyfriend Corey Allen is a gangster. Sal see James in school and talks to him. Later, Corey and gang is not please with James during a astronomy class and going to find trouble with him.

Corey puncture his car tyre. Using the same switchblade, he challenge James to a fight. He refuses but is angry when they call him chicken. James manage to beat away Corey blade and then he challenge him to chickie run.

Sal been a loner decide to make James his best friend. James went home with some injury and when he ask his father about man's honour and didn't get an answer, he runs off. The challenge is to drive a stolen car and race to the cliff, whoever jumps out first is the chicken.

Corey coat is tangle to the door handle and he crash. Everybody leave and James fetch Natalie home. James tells his parents and he want to tell the police which they disapprove. He goes ahead anyway but couldn't find Edward.

Some of the gang were there ans they think James is gonna tell, so they decide to beat him (Dennis Hopper been one of them) Natalie sneak out and meet James. Sal is harass by the gangfor James address.

He is angry and bring a gun along. The gang couldn't find James at his home. James and Natalie hide in the abandon house. Sal finds them there. The trio were having fun inside there. The gang find Sal and he run and hide.

Later he shot dead one of the guys. A police patrol saw James car parked outside the house and later chase after Sal. He hides in the theatre. Cops have already arrive. James and Natalie barge in and try to make Sal give up.

He ask for his gun and secretly remove the magazine. As Sal is cold, James give him his red jacket. He manage to make him go out. Sal want the spotlight to cease. James went out to tell them. The cops see Sal still holding a gun and on the spotlight again.

Sal is agitated and run out and shot dead by the cops. James feel helpless.