Teen Rebellion and Parental Fear in 1950s Cinema

In the 1940s, the term “teenager” was coined to describe a newly distinct and heavily scrutinized segment of the American population.

By the 1950s, this demographic shift exploded onto the silver screen with films like The Blackboard Jungle , The Wild One , and High School Confidential , shocking audiences with gritty portrayals of delinquent youth.

In this course, we examine the books, headlines, and Hollywood movies that highlighted this unruly behavior, discussing how advertising, film craft, and shifting social norms capitalized on parental anxieties to propel stories of generational conflict.

Finally, we explore the transition of youth from traditional, family-centric roles into cinematic fantasies of mischief, mayhem, and sock hops, and analyze why the film Rebel Without a Cause unsettled viewers by placing rebellion squarely within white, suburban America.

This course uses the Hybrid format which allows students to participate remotely and/or in the classroom.

This course will be recorded.

Students will have access to videos for 30 days.