HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT: Rebel Without A Cause

This week's entry is the season finale of the Hit me with your best shot series and I was introduced to yet another famous film – Rebel Without A Cause. The title couldn’t be more perfect, as the film really got me thinking about my teenage years and the silly things I did just for the sake of rebellion. Seriously, two people ended up dying because someone got called a chicken! I’m sure many of us can remember how melodramatic we were at that age, hating our parents for no reason, and feeling the weight of the world on our shoulders. Yes, the 3 main characters did have some minor problems at home, but they had food, clothes, shelter and loving parents (except for Plato maybe). But teenagers still find a reason to be angry. Like Judy’s mom says “it’s just the age when nothing fits”. The movie also shows how vulnerable we are at this age, as we are so easily influenced by our family and our peers. I was particularly intrigued by the development of the friendship between Jim (James Dean), Judy (Natalie Wood) and Plato (Sal Mineo) throughout the course of the day. Hence, my favourite shot my focuses on these characters.

Click below for my favourite shot...



The film addresses the supposed moral decay of the American youth. At the beginning of the film, I would have agreed that these were just a bunch of “juvenile delinquents”. However, as the film progresses, I began to realize that deep down they really are good kids. My shot comes from the scene where the trio is hiding out in the deserted mansion and begin to form a close friendship. They’ve found a secret haven and for a brief moment, they’ve forgotten all their troubles. As Jim says...

"I can’t even remember what happened yesterday."

It’s interesting to see the joy on their faces, considering the events leading up to this image. I like that the shot shows how Jim is the centre of attention. Jim is more than a friend to the two, as he basically becomes their surrogate father. The 2 of them are going through daddy abandonment issues (physically in Plato’s case and emotionally in Judy’s case) and become completely infatuated with Jim.