The first use of red in “Rebel” is right away from the beginning. The entire credit sequence is in a bright red, practically yelling to the audience to pay attention. If there was any doubt that this film was going to be boring or not worth viewing, the feeling is immediately lost when the overpowering amount of red on the screen attacks the viewer’s visual sense. The attention the title sequence demands directly correlates to the next use of red in the film. This happens during the scene in the police station. Judy’s outfit is an entirely red outfit, and she clearly stands out in the crowd. There isn’t another person that is even wearing red, so she demands even more attention. Just like the credit sequence, Judy’s outfit practically screams at the viewer to “Look at me!” When she talks to Ray the viewer finds out that her father hasn’t been paying attention to her, and he even tries to wipe off her lipstick. The viewers feelings about why she is dressed the way she is, is justified. She didn’t even need to tell us that she is craving attention; the use of red on her outfit pounds that idea into our head. Ray even asks her if she was walking around looking for company. Judy’s cry for sexual attention is also called out at this moment. She is looking for attention from her father that she isn’t getting, so she will need to fill that need with someone else.
The next time red is used happens to be very subtle, yet at the same time used to yell. At the Observatory right after James does his loud moo, everyone looks back at him, and Buzz feeling threatened puts his arm around Judy. When he lifts his arm up to put it around her, there is a little flash of red from the inside of his jacket. Buzz feels threatened by James and that he could take Judy away from him, but at the same time he feels attracted to James, and he could be someone Buzz would want to hang out with. It works out perfectly that the inside of Buzz’s coat is red because when the red is seen, its in little flashes, like we are getting little glimpses of what Buzz is feeling on the inside. The same thing occurs outside the Observatory when Buzz goes down to put a hole in Jim’s tire. As he goes down a small glimpse of the red is shown again. He knows Jim is watching him do this, and this gets him excited. He is trying to show off and look tough. Buzz’s sexuality and need for violence are simultaneously shown in one shot. He needs to cut something because it gets him excited. He is attracted to Jim, as he states later in the film he likes Jim, and when asked why they need to do a chickie run, he says, “We gotta do something.” Buzz would like to just be friends with Jim, but he can’t just let the new guy in, they need to initiate him first. The first test comes when Jim goes down to change his tire. Buzz gives him a knife and they have a duel. They stab at each other and it very much resembles a bullfight. Throughout the fight Buzz is spinning and he coat continually flashes the red and the viewer can see how happy this is making him. He is one on one with Jim, as well as feeding his need for violence. Right at the end of the fight it couldn’t be more obvious the characters desire for each other. Jim has knocked away Buzz’s knife, and pins him against the ledge. Buzz’s coat is hanging open and the red is staying right there for the viewer to see. The position looks very sexual, and Jim even asks, “Are you satisfied or do you want some more?” In this use the color red is unifying Jim and Buzz’s relationship. They are connected by a deeper desire and similar wants.
As Jim prepares for the Chickie fight and tries to find answers from his father, he fights putting on his red coat. This red coat signifies being an adult and having responsibility. Before he puts it on he keeps pressing his dad for the answers he is looking for. He dad continually avoids answering the questions and taking responsibility, causing Jim to get more upset and to eventually put the jacket on, and take matters into his own hands. At one point he even throws the jacket down, showing how hard this is for him, and he doesn’t want to start taking responsibility, even thought he has no other choice. Throughout the film Jim is looking for a father figure to take after, and since his dad can’t be that figure, he tries to take after Ray. Ray is the only one in the film that gives Jim someone that is strong, but at the same time caring and will do the right thing. After Jim puts the jacket on, he is stronger, and tries to take charge throughout the rest of the film.
At the Chickie run, Jim is the only one wearing red, aside from Judy’s shoes, and the inside of Buzz’s coat. Once again these three characters are connected by the color red. They have a deeper connection with each other besides the one being shown on screen. Like the beginning of the film with Judy’s all red outfit, Jim’s jacket seems to be screaming, “Look at me!” When he jumps out of his car he rolls right towards the camera and for a second the screen explodes with red. Then, a few seconds later, when Buzz gets stuck in his car, it literally explodes in a fireball of red. Buzz has served his purpose in the film, now it’s all about Jim, once again shown by his bright red jacket.
The next time red shows up in the film is when Jim, Judy, and Plato are at the mansion. Jim and Judy find that Plato has one blue sock on, and one red. Throughout the film Plato hasn’t belonged, and hasn’t fit in with really anyone. He also doesn’t have his parents. He tries to make Jim and Judy fill that role for him. The one red sock is his attempt to fit in, to find a connection with Jim and Judy. Yes they accept him and try to be his friend, but I don’t think that he ever is really connected with them. Once he falls asleep at the mansion, Jim and Judy leave to be alone. They escape to be alone together. As they lay down together, all of a sudden it seems Judy’s lips get redder and redder the closer they get. As she has been looking for the entire film, she has found the attention she looking for. She has found someone she loves, a man that is, “Gentle and sweet, and won’t run away when you need them.” Jim has accepted taking responsibility for his actions, and being the man in charge, which is exactly what Judy was looking for. Their connection by the color red throughout the film has been foreshadowing their ending up together, and their deeper understanding of each other.
From this point on in the film, Jim knows how he needs to be, and what he needs to do. He no longer needs his red jacket to speak for him. As we go to the Observatory again, Plato is hiding. To get him out Jim gives him his red jacket. Jim understands what he is now, and what he needs to do. He doesn’t need the jacket anymore. Plato is the one that needs the attention and help. Once again the red jacket represents responsibility and being an adult. Jim is acting as Plato’s dad and caring for him. He is giving him what he needs to make it through his struggles. When Jim convinces Plato to come outside and end everything, we cut to an image of the police lights coming on. There is a bright red light that takes up almost half the screen. All of a sudden the sudden burst of red gives sense of danger and violence. Something big is going to happen. Plato comes out, freaks out, and ends up getting shot. As the paramedics come on to take away Plato’s body, Jim zips up the jacket, and Judy puts his shoe back on, covering up the red sock again. The red jacket now acting as a body bag for Plato, it represents uncontrollable violence, and the struggle to grow up. Plato wasn’t ready to take responsibility, and him being so uncomfortable in the red jacket gets him killed.
Perhaps the most meaningful use of the color red in the film is actually the absence of the color. The shot I am talking about is when Jim’s dad puts his jacket around Jim and Judy as they are hugging. Without the color red drawing attention to something on the screen, it really draws attention to the action of Jim’s dad. He is finally there for his son. He even states, “Let’s stand up, I’ll stand up with you.” Jim has been trying to get his dad to do this the entire film. This is how things were meant to be, with Jim’s dad being the father figure Jim has been looking for the entire time. Jim doesn’t need to wear the red jacket anymore. Jim’s search is over, as evident by the absence of red, and Plato leaving with the red jacket.
The final shot in “Rebel Without a Cause” is a slow zoom out of the doors of the Observatory. The words “The End” come on the screen in the same big, bright writing as the beginning credits. They act as bookends to a story of sex, violence, responsibility, and growing up. The color red is used throughout the film to represent all of these themes. It connects the central characters and says what they cannot. Colors in this film are just are just as important as the action because they show the deeper meaning, and show what’s really going on.
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