Popular Culture Review Vol. 14, No. 1, February 2003 | Page 17

Fifties Juvenile Delinquency Films

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problem. Rieff argues that Freud, by offering “a brilliant formula with which to
shrink the revolutionary character—as basically in revolt against his father” (267).
American society can embrace a Freud who views dissent from the norm as aber
ration.
High School Hellcats provides a neat popular Freudian resolution to the is
sues it raises. After Dolly has almost killed Joyce, a teacher at the school calls
Joyce’s parents and tells them about Mike. At the end of the film, Joyce embraces
her parents