Rebel Without a Cause (1955) James Dean and Natalie Wood Disappointing Parents Scene Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 American drama film about emotionally confused suburban, middle-class teenagers. Filmed in the then recently introduced CinemaScope format and directed by Nicholas Ray, it offered both social commentary and an alternative to previous films depicting delinquents in urban slum environments The film stars James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo The film was a groundbreaking attempt to