Just Cause

It's time for another classic. This time, it was James Dean's most famous movie, Rebel Without a Cause. I've actually never seen any of his movies before; I might as well start with the big one.

With just a few film appearances before his death, James Dean cemented an image and style that lasted generations. Many would call it "timeless." Unfortunately, the movies themselves are not.

I've written before about the trouble I often have watching movies made before a certain point in time. While there are occasional exceptions I discover -- enough to keep me checking in on classics -- I tend to find most older movies oddly paced, awkwardly acted, and stiffly written.

On most of these counts, Rebel Without a Cause fits the pattern. The script is slow to get going, doesn't really deliver tension when it's supposed to, and has a predictable conclusion. Most of the acting is over-the-top -- yes, even including James Dean himself at times. ("You're tearing me aPART!!") The middle chunk of it drags.

Put simply, it's not a movie I would ever recommend. And yet, I can see a few glimpses of what people regard so highly here. A lot of it begins and ends with James Dean. Even though a few scenes scattered throughout ring a bit false to me, he's powerfully charismatic in every moment he's on screen. You can't watch the movie and not "get" what it is that has made him an icon -- it's something more than his untimely death.

Another interesting aspect to the film is its portrayal of teenagers of the time. The dialogue may be strained, but you still have gangs, street fights, gun violence, underaged drinking, and more. Many would romanticize the 1950s as a "more innocent time," but this movie is Exhibit A in the case against that. Go watch a movie like Grease for a more romanticized look at the decade; this is not that movie.

Nevertheless, I can't really say I enjoyed Rebel Without a Cause overall. I'd give it a D+.