Sometimes the publicity for a film is hard to understand. Rather than promoting a film’s actual attributes, many ad campaigns sell themes that aren’t even in the movies. “Teenage Rebel” is an example of such misleading advertising, starting with its title. “Teenage Rebel” evokes images of reckless youth racing around on motorcycles—James Dean style. That’s far from the theme of this 1956 film.
Instead, the film tells the story of a troubled 15-year-old girl whose character and life are almost ruined by her parents’ divorce. Although the action centers on the daughter’s visit to California, the real star is Ginger Rogers, who plays her mother, Nancy Fallon. We see this story through her eyes as she struggles to regain her daughter’s love and respect.
