Review of Splendor in the Grass (1961) by Jay N — 24 Mar 2007

:fresh: [size=3][size=2]3/4. A beautiful movie about the clash between generations, set in a period (the 1920's and early 1930's) when a woman's reputation was still a much valued thing and children still listened to their parents, as they were supposed to. And the parents in this movie, unfortunately, prove to be a big part of the problems that plague the teenage couple Deanie and Bud. Deanie is forced to remain "a good little girl" by her domineering mother, who is concerned about her daughter's honor and reputation, as much as she is unwilling to let her little girl become independent of her and move away (conversation at the end of the movie). Bud, Warren Beatty in his stunningly moving debut, can't even have a decent conversation with his father. Ace Stamper, a self made oil millionaire, is like a force of nature: everything about him is loud and overbearing, so much so, that nobody in his family - perhaps with the exception of his rebellious daughter Ginny - can get a word in.[/size][/size].

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[size=2]While their parents try to dictate the way they should behave and what their futures should be like, Bud and Deanie are overcome with teenage, hormonal lusts and desires. However, they are too brainwashed and threatened, blackmailed and coerced by mother Loomis and father Stamper, to find the courage to free themselves. Bud's sister Ginny has escaped from the claws of her father, but indeed proves a bad example for the young couple, as she hops from one disastrous, short-lived relationship to another, drinking too much and craving the attention her father solely lavishes on his beautiful son, who is his hope for the future of his oil company. Their inner torment has dire consequences for Deanie, who suffers a severe mental breakdown, and Bud, who gets physically ill (pneumonia) and results in the slow erosion of their relationship. The cast is very strong, and peculiar to say the least, most amazingly noticeable in the Stamper family. Pat Hingle, then 37(!), is incredibly convincing as the overbearing, domineering father. Joanna Roos, then 60(!), is wonderful as the timid, mousy, mother. Barbara Loden, then 29(!) is right on target as the rebellious, yet tragic, Ginny - older sister to her teenage brother Bud, an outstanding debut performance by Warren Beatty, then 24. Though Beatty and Wood were respectively 24 and 23 when the movie was made, they are convincing as the shy, confused teenagers, they'd long ceased to be in real life. Wood's small frame and youthful appearance make her believable as the longing Deanie. Beatty's performance especially is very touching and clearly inspired by the great director Elia Kazan, whom Beatty still to this day, credits for having taught him the most about the art of making movies.[/size].

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