1. James Dean in the leading role.
2. The characters’ vulnerabilities have a
timeless quality that even people of our generation can relate to.
3. The chemistry between James Dean
(playing Jim Stark) and Sal Mineo (playing John ‘Plato’ Crawford) keeps you
riveted to the screen. There’s a feeling of longing bordering on obsession
every time Plato gazes at Jim that leaves you slightly uncomfortable. And the
ability to make a viewer unsettled is, in my opinion, one of the signs that the
movie you’ve watched is great. After all, isn’t art supposed to crawl under
your skin?
4. The reversal of traditional roles. I was
surprised to see this in a movie made in 1955 as my image of this era is a
husband yelling, ‘Bring me a God damn sandwich, woman.’
The reversal is particularly poignant when
we see Jim’s father Frank dressed in his wife’s apron, scooping up the food
he’d dropped on the floor when he was carrying it to his wife Carol. Frank’s
weakness and his inability to stand up to Carol is the point of frustration for
Jim who just wants his father to grow a pair.
5. The interaction between the three main
characters Jim, Plato and Judy feels natural and is entertaining to watch.
6. Vintage cars and 1950’s fashion that I
was personally very chuffed to see.
7. The ending made my heart ache. Being the
masochist that I am, I liked it.
8. Let’s not forget the most important thing…
James Dean. Yes, this point is important enough that it has to be mentioned
twice. There never was and never will be anyone like him ever again, though I
admit some come fairly close.
He doesn’t have to speak to tell you a
story. All he needs to deliver a line is his expression alone. And despite not
being six feet tall or having the body of a guy who spends hours slaving away
at a gym, he still manages to have the biggest dose of sex appeal I’ve seen on
screen.
