Splendor in the Grass (1961)

A fragile Kansas girl's love for a handsome young man from the town's most powerful family drives her to heartbreak and madness.

Director:

Elia Kazan

Writer:

William Inge

Stars:

Natalie Wood, Warren Beatty, Pat Hingle

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Natalie Wood	...	Wilma Dean Loomis
Pat Hingle	...	Ace Stamper
Audrey Christie	...	Mrs. Loomis
Barbara Loden	...	Ginny Stamper
Zohra Lampert	...	Angelina
Warren Beatty	...	Bud Stamper
Fred Stewart	...	Del Loomis
Joanna Roos	...	Mrs. Stamper
John McGovern	...	Doc Smiley
Jan Norris	...	Juanita Howard
Martine Bartlett	...	Miss Metcalf
Gary Lockwood	...	Allen 'Toots' Tuttle
Sandy Dennis	...	Kay
Crystal Field	...	Hazel
Marla Adams	...	June

Storyline

It's 1928 in oil rich southeast Kansas. High school seniors Bud Stamper and Deanie Loomis are in love with each other. Bud, the popular football captain, and Deanie, the sensitive soul, are "good" kids who have only gone as far as kissing. Unspoken to each other, they expect to get married to each other one day. But both face pressures within the relationship, Bud who has the urges to go farther despite knowing in his heart that if they do that Deanie will end up with a reputation like his own sister, Ginny Stamper, known as the loose, immoral party girl, and Deanie who will do anything to hold onto Bud regardless of the consequences. They also face pressures from their parents who have their own expectation for their offspring. Bud's overbearing father, Ace Stamper, the local oil baron, does not believe Bud can do wrong and expects him to go to Yale after graduation, which does not fit within Bud's own expectations for himself. And the money and image conscious Mrs. Loomis just wants...

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Plot Keywords:

kansas | high school | teenager | stock market crash | 1920s | 

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Taglines:

There is a miracle in being young...and a fear.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1961 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Esplendor en la hierba

Filming Locations:

Riverdale Country School, Bronx, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Newtown Productions, NBI Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Natalie Wood's sister Lana Wood had an on-again, off-again relationship with Warren Beatty for several years after he and Natalie had broken up. In December 1981, a few days after Natalie's funeral (which Beatty did not attend) Lana met up with him to discuss a project. She recalled that "Natalie was not mentioned until I was about to leave, and then I couldn't help it. I wanted him to say something about her, to say how he would remember her." Lana asked Warren if he missed Natalie, to which he replied "No, not really. She's gone and I'm sorry, but that's it. The truth is that I talked to you and know you better." Then "he reached out and pulled me to him. Warren simply could not let the opportunity get by. This time I could, though." Angered by his lack of sensitivity, she said goodbye for the last time and ran out the door.

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Goofs

In Bud's basketball game, the free throw lane is twelve feet wide. Even at the college level this width did not appear until 1957.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Wilma Dean: Bud...
Bud: Deanie, please...
Wilma Dean: Bud, I'm afraid. Oh, Bud... don't, Bud.
Bud: Deanie...
Wilma Dean: No... we mustn't, Bud... no... no...
[he gets out of the car]
Wilma Dean: Bud, don't be mad.
Bud: I better take you home.

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Crazy Credits

and introducing Warren Beatty

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Connections

Featured in Here's Looking at You, Warner Bros. (1991)

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Soundtracks

Auld Lang Syne
(1788) (uncredited)
Traditional Scottish music
Lyrics by Robert Burns
Sung on New Year's Eve

User Reviews

Heartbreaking but incredibly good

*Splendor in the Grass*

I've sen Splendor in the Grass a few times now, and with each time my heart breaks a little more. Incredible directing, magnificent acting, and traumatizing events that will leave you breathless and maybe in tears. I don't think any movie has made me feel true pain like this one did. I don't know what it was, but it was amazing. I feel the desire Bud has and the torture Deadie is going through, and I think it's because of either the impeccable acting from the leads and supporting cast (Bud's sister was great in her role) or the flawless directing of Elia Kazan.

The opening scene begins with Bud(Beatty) and Deadie(Wood) "necking" (got to get that old-timey vibe) in Bud's car. Deadie has been told time and time again by her mother that you must never go all they way before marriage. Deadie's parents are so unaware of what teens were doing at the time. So she refuses to do it with him. This angers Bud in a way that's easy to tell, he loves her but he wants more then just that. But they're relationship is more then just sex. They really are crazy about each other. Bud's father suggests he dates "another kind of woman". And I'll leave it at that.

Natalie Wood really shows here that she can act. Not that she hadn't shown in in West Side Story and Rebel Without a Cause, but in this one she just shines. Her transformation from clean and virginal to almost insane is genius. Bravo, Natalie. Warren Beatty is pretty good, well actually he is very good, considering it was pretty much his first movie. And despite Bonnie and Clyde he really hasn't been too good in anything since. Like I said before, the rest of the cast delivers perfectly too. Elia Kazan always knows how to bring out the best in a cast. Marlon Brando gave the performance of a lifetime in On The Waterfront and Natalie Wood does the same with this.

This is a sad and heartbreaking tale that can't be missed. The end gets me every time.

*9.5/10*