Review of Rebel Without a Cause (1955) by Stephanie M — 28 Aug 2009

There were a lot of movies released in the post war years about the generation that didn't really remember the Depression or War and was know living in a time of plentiful and peace their parents never knew. They could BE teenagers, they were young people who didn't have to work, HS was now open to the public and they had time on their hands and that scared the crap out of the older generation. They didn't know how to relate AT ALL to this generation and they were REALLY reactionary to it.

Than came along this little film which attempted to show just exactly the generation gap. This movie transcends "the kids aren't all right" and moves into the realm of "the parents aren't all right." Interesting enough in movies of the 50's it was parents who got the blame for the outcome of their kids- not pop culture/society.

Natalie Wood steals the show as a girl who doesn't know how to handle her burgeoning sexuality (and a parental generation that wants to keep it down) and pissed at her father about it in a really awesome it's-not-there-because-of-the-production-code-but-it's-totally-what-they're-saying way.