Has there ever been a better film about teen angst than the 1955 James Dean classic Rebel Without a Cause? Director Nicholas Ray‘s powerful character study of alienated youth stars Dean as new kid in town Jim Stark, who faces problems at school, deals with his parents’ constant arguing, participates in knife fights and chicken races, and finds friendship with fellow outcast Plato (Sal Mineo) and the beautiful Judy (Natalie Wood). The film’s superb supporting cast includes Jim Backus and Dennis Hopper, and the film continues to speak to anyone who has ever felt like an insider. (And yes, the fact that the three leads all suffered tragic ends also casts a curious, if somewhat morbid, shadow over the film). What is your favorite moment from this epic favorite?
