Splendor In The Grass
"Excellent. Still the quintessential film about young love." - Danny Peary, GUIDE FOR THE FILM FANATIC
Deanie (Natalie Wood in an Oscar-nominated performance that marked a career turning point toward complex adult roles) is a teenager eager to do what's right in her 1920s Kansas town. But the emotions she shares with boyfriend Bud (Warren Beatty's screen debut) are too strong. Soon the conflict between respectable behavior and human disire will push Bud to physical collapse. And Deanie to madness.
Director Elia Kazan encouraged Pulitzer Prize winner William Inge (Bus Stop, Picnic) to turn a true story he heard during his Midwest youth into an Academy Award-winning script. The result, Splendor In The Grass, remains as poetic, penetrating and powerful today as it was two generations ago.
Member Reviews
Beatty's film debut - filmcmnt
The first time I saw this, I thought its sexual politics were dated and the whole thing was too heavily Freudian, but I've seen it many times since and don't have that response at all to it now. The core of this is in the utter sincerity of the performances. Natalie Wood is heartbreaking here and Beatty is already working against his good looks with a performance that shows him stumbling self-effacingly around very deep emotions, as he does to such great effect in later movies like Bonnie and Clyde or Shampoo. This is Elia Kazan at the helm after all, and the technical filmmaking, from the set design and score to the cinematography, are all that you would expect of the director of Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront. It's a great movie.Tragedy of Shakepearian dimensions - Neil1
Notwithstanding all criticism --valid or no-- of details related to style and presentation, it's impossible not to share the star-cross'd lovers utter anguish in their very real predicament. The reviewer Hal Erickson's idea that Wood's character has somehow "outgrown" Beatty's by the time of their last meeting is totally off-base. It's clear rather that each is still deeply in love with the other, and therein lies the tragedy.Response to other review.. - Cine
The other reviewer says: "I just don’t get it. Natalie Wood’s character goes rangy because she just can’t go all the way with Warren Beatty’s character, the high school football star and rich kid. Why? Why does she make life so tough for herself? Really, she’s just her own worst enemy as far as I can see." I am not sure I get this comment. You don't seriously think people can't behave this way in real life.....even now. Not everyone acts according to unwritten rules of behaviour. Love and lust can make people act and think irrationally. It happens everyday and can sometimes even result in crimes of passion. I just don't see anything that unusual here. Read the paper and every week or so you may see something along these lines. I am a little surprised by your surprise. All things considered a fine film and an important vehicle for both leads. See positive reviews elsewhere on the web.
Member Reviews
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Beatty's film debut - filmcmnt
The first time I saw this, I thought its sexual politics were dated and the whole thing was too heavily Freudian, but I've seen it many times since and don't have that response at all to it now. The core of this is in the utter sincerity of the performances. ...Tragedy of Shakepearian dimensions - Neil1
Notwithstanding all criticism --valid or no-- of details related to style and presentation, it's impossible not to share the star-cross'd lovers utter anguish in their very real predicament. The reviewer Hal Erickson's idea that Wood's character has somehow ...Response to other review.. - Cine
The other reviewer says: "I just don’t get it. Natalie Wood’s character goes rangy because she just can’t go all the way with Warren Beatty’s character, the high school football star and rich kid. Why? Why does she make life so tough for herself? Really, she’s ...