super enjoyed this documentary about the life of sal mineo and his relationship with james dean. i feel like i knew a BIT about their dynamic onscreen and during the shooting of the film, but i didn't know much about the rest of sal's career, or that he was in fact extraordinarily progressive in his openness about his bisexuality. a really fascinating documentary with a great blend of archive footage and audio interviews.
In October 1955, the seminal film 'Rebel Without a Cause' was released, and sixteen-year-old actor Sal Mineo found himself propelled to international fame. He played the role of Plato - a character who would later be lauded as the first gay teenager on film - and starred opposite James Dean as Jim, the iconic rebel who would influence a generation. The film captured the zeitgeist of the disenfranchised youth of America, but before it could be released, James Dean died in a car accident. His tragic death made him a mythical figure of American culture, and Sal became a star in his wake. This is the story of how Sal navigated his life, career, passions and sexuality through the highs and lows of Hollywood stardom - from starting out as a young teenager on stage, through the unprecedented success of ‘Rebel Without a Cause’, to directing the controversial play ‘Fortune in Men’s Eyes’. Though his life was tragically cut short when he was stabbed to death at the age of 37, Sal nevertheless enjoyed a twenty-year career in the business (working in movies, theatre and television), and made his mark on audiences and those who knew him.
