<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $1.5 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $4,500,000 (US rentals) </Td> </Tr> <P> Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 American drama film about emotionally confused suburban, middle - class teenagers . Filmed in the 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, Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood . </P> <P> The film was a groundbreaking attempt to portray the moral decay of American youth, critique parental style, and explore the differences and conflicts between generations . The title was adopted from psychiatrist Robert M. Lindner's 1944 book, Rebel Without a Cause: The Hypnoanalysis of a Criminal Psychopath . The film, however, does not make any references to Lindner's book in any way . Warner Bros. released the film on October 27, 1955 . </P>

When did rebel without a cause come out