Which 1955 film starring James Dean and Natalie Wood is a classic about teenage rebellion?

The 1955 film starring James Dean and Natalie Wood about teenage rebellion is Rebel Without a Cause.

Directed by Nicholas Ray, the film centers on emotionally troubled suburban teenagers Jim Stark, Judy, and Plato. Their conflicts involve parental pressure, social expectations, identity, loyalty, and the dangerous need to prove themselves to their peers.

The movie was released by Warner Bros. on October 27, 1955, less than a month after James Dean died in a car crash. Dean’s performance became his most celebrated role, while Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo earned Academy Award nominations for their supporting performances.

The title was borrowed from psychiatrist Robert M. Lindner’s 1944 book, although the film does not directly adapt that book’s story. A common mix-up is East of Eden, another 1955 James Dean film, but that movie is a family drama based on John Steinbeck’s novel. Rebel Without a Cause was added to the National Film Registry in 1990.