Rebel Without a Cause Viewer's Response
1. Rebel Without a Cause is sometimes seen as the classic study of youth rebelling against conformity. Considering the pressures of family, community, and peer groups in this film, does the rebel have a cause?
2. Director Nicholas Ray is known for the deliberate imbalance of his camera work and the unusual way of cutting between shots. Select an action scene from the movie (the knife fight, the chickie run, the attack on Plato in the mansion) and analyze the film techniques that make the scene effective. Consider the elements of music and lighting as well.
3. The filming of this movie was originally conceived in black and white, but Ray turned to color soon after shooting began. Note the color of Jim’s jacket, Judy’s coat, Plato’s socks, and other items in the film. What kind of statements about character and setting are made through color?
4. Several key scenes occur at or in the Griffith Planetarium. What makes this an effective setting? How does the planetarium gain symbolic meaning as the film progresses?
5. The word “chicken” is a recurring motif in the film. Why is it such an important word for Jim? What does it represent in Jim’s perception of himself, his family, and his peers?
6. Compare Rebel Without a Cause and On the Waterfront. Consider the characters of Jim Stark and Terry Malloy – young men in trouble; Plato and Tommy– boys who look up to them as older brothers; Judy and Edie – the young women in their lives; and Ray the juvenile officer, and father Barry – the father figures.
Questions taken from Reading the Movies: Twelve Great Films on Video and How to Teach Them by William V. Costanzo