My Movie Challenge

Having trouble motivating the wife to conquer more of the movie list lately. I’m trying to sparse out the “really good” movies that I know are good so that there is always a flick on the horizon that I know will pull her back in. But I’m starting to think I need to go on a run of kick-ass classics that way she’ll perk her interest up to stick through the ones that are obviously supposed to be good (they made the top 100 after all) but that she’s not exactly preening to see.

Our recent viewing was of the surprisingly not-so-great “Rebel Without a Cause” starring James Dean. I know this movie has been used as a cliche and also as a standard-bearer for disillusioned youth (still to this day) but I just couldn’t get my head wrapped around it.

In my mind, I can’t help pointing out all the massively glaring errors in dialogue and plot structure that exist in this movie. It was released in 1955, just a month after Dean’s death, so I can see how his performance and the role became larger than life based on his looks and personality and the circumstances around his death. But there are plenty of other movies released in the 50s that weren’t littered with “what the hell?” moments.

Put simply, the plot is that Dean’s family has moved to a new city and he’s having trouble adjusting. Where it goes off the rails is that he gets involved in no fewer than three shootouts, a visit to the drunk tank, a stabbing and falling in love with a complete stranger all in the span of 24 hours. I’m not kidding. How this range of events take place without someone saying, “Hey, let’s throw in a sunset and sunrise just to give the audience a break or make sure they don’t think California is just a place governed by one long alcohol/drug bender.” Just saying.

There is also a massive plot error that takes place during the final act that I just couldn’t accept and decided “oh why not, everything else makes so little sense in this movie, way to throw magic telepathy powers into the mix as well.” Natalie Wood does her best wet blanket routine, and the other actors are serviceable but this movie was always about Dean, and he’s center frame at all times, and rightfully so. He carries what little common sense the movie has, but he does it well. I just don’t think I’m gonna queue this one up again anytime soon.