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Jan. 24th, 2020 12:36 pmWhen I was in California last week, I went to one of the coolest places ever- the Griffith Observatory, which not only is an awesome planetarium/museum, but was also where the climax to one of my favorite films, Rebel Without a Cause, was shot. This connection, plus the space stuff, plus the fact that I had been feeling anxious and then drank green tea on top of that (caffeine does NOT mix well with nervousness or excitement) and we were also on top of a mountain, was so overwhelming to me that I had to lie down after like 15 minutes of walking around. It was an amazing place. The next day I went to Amoeba Music, which is probably the other coolest place in LA, and in honor of the Griffith Observatory, plus the fact that I'd wanted it for a while, I bought Rebel Without a Cause on DVD. Today I watched the DVD, and while I felt I was more looking at than watching the movie- which is to say I wasn't really in the mood to watch it and only wanted to see the scenes with the observatory, so I felt no emotional connection and spent most of the time gently making fun of it (no offense intended, I only mock the movies I truly love), I do have some thoughts on it. Quick thoughts are that the plot of the movie feels a little disjointed after repeated viewings, and I've always found James Dean's acting to be overrated (I think he's a little too affected, though I can't deny it's still a great performance), and also I wish that the relationship between Jim's mother and grandmother had been explored further. But here's a longer thought:
Supposedly, a scene was written (probably not filmed, because I feel like it would have surfaced by now if it had been filmed) where Jim and Plato shared a kiss. I read this on imdb trivia, which is not always accurate all the time, and I also don't know how much the script's draft changed, so the context in which that scene was included might be completely absent from the finished product- but I do think I know where a kiss between them could have been inserted. After the chickie run, when Plato follows Jim home and tries to get him to stay over at his house, I think they could have easily fit in a moment where Plato kisses Jim before saying goodbye to him and leaving. If that had been included, but the rest of the film had played out the exact same way, it would have deepened the story even more. Jim not rejecting him, and as Judy said, "being his friend when no one else was," would have been so important when homosexuality was widely scandalized at the time. On a meta level, it would have been a great sympathetic portrayal. In terms of story, I've always found it really noticeable when Judy tells Jim she loves him and he responds with "Well, I'm glad." He doesn't love her. What if he loves Plato instead? I just wish that this film hadn't been made in the 50's and thus the undertones in their relationship could have been made explicit- then again, I also think it's important it was made in the 50's, for the aspect of Plato confusing his feelings for Jim with longing for a father figure. I don't think that would have translated well today, especially if the movie was still set in LA.
Supposedly, a scene was written (probably not filmed, because I feel like it would have surfaced by now if it had been filmed) where Jim and Plato shared a kiss. I read this on imdb trivia, which is not always accurate all the time, and I also don't know how much the script's draft changed, so the context in which that scene was included might be completely absent from the finished product- but I do think I know where a kiss between them could have been inserted. After the chickie run, when Plato follows Jim home and tries to get him to stay over at his house, I think they could have easily fit in a moment where Plato kisses Jim before saying goodbye to him and leaving. If that had been included, but the rest of the film had played out the exact same way, it would have deepened the story even more. Jim not rejecting him, and as Judy said, "being his friend when no one else was," would have been so important when homosexuality was widely scandalized at the time. On a meta level, it would have been a great sympathetic portrayal. In terms of story, I've always found it really noticeable when Judy tells Jim she loves him and he responds with "Well, I'm glad." He doesn't love her. What if he loves Plato instead? I just wish that this film hadn't been made in the 50's and thus the undertones in their relationship could have been made explicit- then again, I also think it's important it was made in the 50's, for the aspect of Plato confusing his feelings for Jim with longing for a father figure. I don't think that would have translated well today, especially if the movie was still set in LA.
