Rebel Without a Cause

Jim, the adolescent son of a weak father and domineering mother, is involved in acts of violence and gets in trouble with the police. At school he is attracted to Judy, a girl unbalanced by her father's sudden withdrawal of affection, while Plato the son of divorced parents, is drawn to him. Jim quarrels with Judy's boyfriend, Buzz and after an inconclusive knife fight, they meet in an "endurance test" in which Buzz accidentally dies. Jim's parents object to his going to the police and Buzz's gang threaten to beat him up. Jim and Judy flee to a deserted house in the hills and are joined by Plato.