It may seem a slightly quaint and overblown melodrama now, but at the time of its release in 1955, Rebel Without a Cause was pure dynamite, sending shockwaves throughout the sedate and safe world of middle-class America. For here was teenager Jim Stark - played magnificently by James Dean - daring to rebel against his parents and society, falling foul of authority, being violent and dicing with death by playing "chicken" on the hot-rod strip frequented by his friends and enemies.
The film's message of teen angst and Dean's brooding, powerhouse performance were an unbeatable combination. The young star's tragic death later that same year firmly cemented the film into the hearts and minds of teenagers, confirming Dean as a cultural icon and helping to jet-propel Rebel Without a Cause into a classic.
Rebel Without a Cause is a Film programme that first aired in 1955 and has been classified a PG certificate.
