1950's Movie Essay: Rebel Without A Cause

1950s Movie Essay: Rebel Without A Cause

Introduction

Rebel Without A Cause is a very popular film from 1955. It depicts life in the 1950's from the viewpoint of three teenagers who live in Los Angeles, California. They live in a comfortable environment in middle-class America. However, they must deal with their own inabilities to "fit" into society. The teens try to fit in with their peers and find the love they so desperately need from their families and others like their peers. The biases presented in the film's are based on cultural values form the 1950s. Rebel Without A Cause also compares to some of the data presented in the text Nation of Nations. The film also compares to the general view America has of the period of the 1950s. For these reasons, Rebel Without A Cause is an essential film in understanding the 1950s.

Film's Cultural Values or Biases of the 1950's

The film tells a tale of the restless and somewhat misunderstood rebellious and defiant American youth. The film highlights the conformance of 1950s America, through the eyes of the main character, who faces a new school environment and unsporting or ‘loving' parents. Though the film could be seen as bias, by portraying all 1950s youths as rebellious and engaging in "chickie runs" and knife fights, who would rather go against the grain of society, the film instead uses this bias to portray more of the internal seeking of youthful acceptance and love that all teens of this period were seeking, through rebelliousness and acts of promiscuity.

This film has achieved cult status through the years as was the springboard for other 1950s movies trying to portray the same exploitation of teenage rebellion and delinquency. Perhaps what makes this film of ...

... middle of paper ...

...tion of the teens who were fighting so hard to buck the system and break into their own independence. By the mid-50's, teens were becoming more rebellious, listening to Elvis Presley's music, and wearing clothing that had not been previously acceptable fashion. Prior to the 1950's, children were to be seen and not heard. This movie epitomized the struggle of the younger crowd in the 1950's -- they fought to break free, stand tall, and make an impact on the world around them, regardless of how tough that would be for them. It is important for us to remember that the 1950's were above all, a time of change. Everyone adjusted to those changes differently, but the younger population faced an evolving world that was at times scary and intimidating, as well as exciting and captivating. Learning to balance the changes with the things that stayed the same was the true battle.