Turner Classic Movies, Sunday, July 7, 1 p.m.
The movie that made James Dean a star is about a, yes, rebellious teenager in the 1950s whose charisma persuades a girl (Natalie Wood) and a boy (Sal Mineo) to question the stringency of post-war America. Wood and Mineo were both nominated for Oscars, while Dean became an icon. As written and directed by Nicholas Ray, the film is indelible; the storyline is relevant for every teenager born since that term was invented, and it is still romantic, thrilling and homoerotic.
