Rebel Without a Cause

Rebel Without a Cause
1955 USA
Director Nicholas Ray
Cast: James Dean as Jim Stark, Natalie Wood as Judy, Sal Mineo as Plato, Jim Backus as Mr. Stark.

Notes for Rebel…
1. Why does Jim yell at his family, “You’re tearing me apart”?
2. What is wrong with Judy?
3. Why does Plato want Jim to be a father to him?
4. Why do Jim and Buzz still race even though they like each other?
5. What does Judy mean when she talks about love being so easy?
6. Why does Plato start shooting people?
7. Why doesn’t Jim like his father? What does Jim want from his father?
8. Why does the camera move (from upside down to right side up) when Jim comes home after the race? Why does the camera move when Plato is shot?
9. What does the movie say about how difficult it is to be a teenager?
10. What does the title mean? An advertisement for the film says, “And they both came from good families.” What does that mean?
--A one paragraph response to one of these questions is due one week after you see the movie.