Nicholas Ray (1911-1979) was an influential American film director, known for his exploration of marginalized and tormented characters. His most iconic work is *Gioventù bruciata* (Rebel Without a Cause, 1955), which solidified James Dean as a symbol of youthful rebellion and alienation.

Among his most significant films are the psychological noir *In un posto solitario* (In a Lonely Place, 1950) starring Humphrey Bogart, the atypical western *Johnny Guitar* (1954), and the drama about male crisis *Bigger Than Life* (1956). Ray was a master at creating intense melodramas, often characterized by an expressive use of color and a deep empathy for the marginalized and anti-heroes.