Rebel Without A Cause 1955

Rebel Without A Cause is such an emotional experience for me. It strikes a chord with the rebel in all of us, no matter how old or young we are.

http://twolittlebirdsboutique.blogspot.com/2010/05/style-inspiration-rebel-without-cause.html

This film stars the great James Dean in his first major role. He went on to make only two others before his death, Giant and East of Eden. Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood costar.

http://www.floatingredcouch.com/2010/04/rebel-without-cause.html

In the special features commentary, Douglas L. Rathged states that the giving and receiving of a jacket is a symbol of offering and accepting of friendship. I am so glad they point these things out, it takes me forever to pickup on symbolic gestures.

Jim Backus stars as Dean's father in the movie. Up to this point, he had been playing mostly comedic roles and would go on to play Thurston Howell III on Gilligan's Island. In an effort to break out as an actor, Backus fought hard for this role and quickly won it. He is wonderful as the clueless 1950s father.

http://espn.go.com/abcsports/mnf/s/annotatedmiller/1009.html

Natalie Wood also fought to break away from previous roles. She began acting at age four and starred in 56 roles by the time she was 25. Whew! Wood desired the role of Judy in this film so much, she began acting out publicly in order to convince director Nicholas Ray she was able to play a rebellious teen.

http://www.childstarlets.com/lobby/bios/natalie_wood.html

Ray knew Wood was as good as she said when, after being admitted to the ER due to her involvement in a car crash with Dennis Hopper, another patient called her a "goddamn juvenile delinquent". Kudos for being that ambitious! Choosing Dennis Hopper to help probably didn't hurt either!

http://www.accesshollywood.com

Ray preferred hanging out with the young stars of the film (he was 44) and he and Wood were actually having an affair during the filming of this movie. Ray was unmarried during his relationship with Wood, however his previous wife, Gloria Grahame (starred in Oklahoma and Greatest Show on Earth) would cause scandal in Hollywood by marrying her stepson (a child from Ray's first marriage) in 1960.

http://www.whosdatedwho.com/

One more thing! The mansion used as Wood, Dean and Mineo's "get away" is the same one used in Sunset Blvd. It seems all my posts lead back to it! The exterior and pool are definitely the same, when the gang pulls up in front of the house, it is the same spot Betty Schaefer pulls up to five years before in Sunset Blvd. The interior seems to be mirrored from Sunset Blvd., I believe both were sets built specifically for their respective films.

http://www.deanfan4ever.com/goodies2.htm

Ok, two more things. Nick Adams appears in this movie as a blonde gang member wearing a blue shirt. He is one of the lesser (now) known bad boys of Hollywood. He stars as the naughty frat boy in the Doris Day and Rock Hudson movie, Pillow Talk. Adams was not able to reach the same level of fame as Dean, Presley or Brando and died in 1968 at the age of 36 from a drug overdose.

On that happy note (sorry about that), go watch a movie!