After moving to a new town, troublemaking teen Jim Stark is supposed to have a clean slate, although being the new kid in town brings its own problems. While searching for some stability, Stark forms a bond with a disturbed classmate, Plato, and falls for local girl Judy. However, Judy is the girlfriend of neighborhood tough, Buzz. When Buzz violently confronts Jim and challenges him to a drag race, the new kid's real troubles begin.
Directed by Nicholas Ray
individual
underground world
street gang
unsociability
car race
parent child relationship
authority
rebel
coming of age
based on short story
teen rebel
griffith observatory
teenager
warnercolor
Rank
#10 in 1955·#2143 overall
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.8 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
James Dean
Jim Stark
Natalie Wood
Judy
Sal Mineo
John 'Plato' Crawford
Jim Backus
Frank Stark
Ann Doran
Carol Stark
Corey Allen
Buzz Gunderson
William Hopper
Judy's Father
Rochelle Hudson
Judy's Mother
Dennis Hopper
Goon
Edward Platt
Ray Fremick
Steffi Sidney
Mil
Marietta Canty
Crawford Maid
Crew
Nicholas Ray
Director
Stewart Stern
Screenplay
Leonard Rosenman
Original Music Composer
Ernest Haller
Director of Photography
Carey Loftin
Stunts
Bill Hickman
Stunts
Paul Baxley
Stunts
Nicholas Ray
Story
Don Alvarado
Assistant Director
Popular Reviews
1101 reviews
ronnie
7.0★ · 02/10/26
freak without a case
freak without a case
1
gubgub
10.0★ · 09/20/25
i get the same excited feeling watching jim put on that red jacket as when peter parker puts on his spidey suit for the first time. 😛
i get the same excited feeling watching jim put on that red jacket as when peter parker puts on his spidey suit for the first time. 😛
1
Niamh Carruthers PRO
9.2★ · 11/14/23
tbh i think there was a cause and it was parental issues
tbh i think there was a cause and it was parental issues
sophiaPRO
8.0★ · 05/25/26
his moo being ten times funnier than that stupid crab joke
his moo being ten times funnier than that stupid crab joke
