... family helps drives each stylistic aspect of all three films. The dysfunctional family is one of a few themes present in Nicholas Ray's films. Another recurrent theme in Ray's films is the idea of troubled youth. Ray's protagonists are often juvenile delinquents. For example, in They Live by Night, the characters ... child. After a pool bar fight leads to the death of Bowie's father, his mother supposedly runs off with the man who killed his father. The theme of troubled youth also is seen in On Dangerous Ground. In the film Mary's brother Danny has committed murder, killing a local town ...

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• Grade Level: High School