HRC Presents: Rebel Without A Cause

The name “James Dean” brings an image immediately to mind: the loner with perfect hair, smoking a cigarette coolly, squinting at the other young punks around him, unafraid of anything—bad to the bone. He doesn’t need much of an introduction, and neither does Rebel Without A Cause, playing at the Harry Ransom Center tonight as part of their “Rebel Classics” Film Series.

Rebel Without A Cause is the tale of Jimmy, a new kid in town who's forced to deal with less-than-welcoming, switchblade-wielding street toughs and parents who just don’t seem to “get it.” Co-starring Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo as the only kids poor Jimmy can trust in this crazy mixed-up world, this masterpiece revolutionized the movie business, appealing to the teenage masses, and offering an alternative to the happy endings, detective stories and Hepburn/Tracy rom-coms of the day. Rebel pretty much defined a new genre of film that we all take for granted these days—where would John Hughes be without the alienated teen genre?

You’ve no doubt seen this film before (or at least acted like you have among your more pretentious friends), but it’s time to refresh your memory. Thrill as young Jimmy fights for his life, participates in a harrowing “chickie race” along the cliffs, and, perhaps most difficult of all, tries to tell his parents how he really feels. One thing is for sure: you’ll feel for him.

TIP: The theater only seats 125 people, so don’t come too late. In fact, the galleries are open 'til seven, so why not come early and check out the exhibits? They’re free too, and one of them is about Jack Kerouac and the Beat Generation--that will certainly help get you in the mood.