Splendor in the Grass (1961): Good Movie but "Weak" In the Middle
I love movies. For personal reasons, I can’t get to see as many as I used to. This is the first of my “average Joe” reviews on movies where I get to play the armchair critic. I’m starting with a movie that was good but felt flawed in the middle. And that’s exactly where it lost me: right in the middle.
Splendor in the Grass – Great movie, but could have been even better
I watched this movie more than once to see if I had missed something as I really wanted to like it. Despite being directed by the great Elia Kazan, something was lacking which left me underwhelmed. Most people tend to think otherwise because it’s highly rated in the reviews I’ve seen. Don’t get me wrong, because the movie is brilliant on many levels. It’s just that somewhere, something was amiss. Maybe it’s just me; rather it is definitely just me. So, I’ll put in my two cents here.
Disclaimer: This review has spoilers. If you don’t like that, you might want to see the movie before reading this. Although I feel, since the movie is so well known and this is just a critique, the “spoilers” won’t make a difference to enjoying it.
Introduction
The movie is based on a screenplay by American novelist William Inge, who incidentally, has a cameo in it. This book may fill in the gaps I felt were missing. Apparently Elia Kazan edited out some content from the novel in the movie – which likely affected its continuity. I like the theme of the movie and feel it has been handled quite well. It has its its great moments with some portions, especially towards the end are haunting. It’s said unrequited or incomplete love stories are often the best ones. And this one’s based on a similar theme with the title itself taken from a William Wordsworth poem. Societal pressure, teen angst, and changing cultural mores all add to the mix.
Promising Beginning
Released in 1961, the movie depicts the roaring 20s when conservative culture was being challenged by a newly promiscuous one. The battleground is the conservative heartland of Kansas which further complicates things. The main protagonists are Wilma (the already established Natalie Wood) and, in Elia Kazan’s spirit, a newcomer in Warren Beatty, who plays Bud. Both do a commendable job ably supported by an impressive cast including Barbara Loden (Ginny) who stands out for her relatively brief appearance. She went on to marry Kazan until her untimely death in 1980. I was also impressed by Zohra Lampert for her brief but influential role as Angelina.
In any case, it starts off with (somewhat older looking) high school sweethearts Bud and Wilma who are unable to stay apart for any length of time. But there’s problems afoot as Bud’s wealthy parents have high expectations from their son including a life partner from a more affluent family then Wilma’s. On the other hand, Wilma’s parents are happy with the choice she’s made. I suspect because of his wealthy background. Bud has many admirer’s in school. But Wilma’s not having any of that as she’s obsessed with the relatively conservative yet somewhat philandering Bud.
The plot thickens
Things seem to go well enough, but then we are introduced to Bud’s alcoholic and uninhibited sister in Barbara Loden’s Ginny. She’s an embarrassment to the family and Bud has to help keep her “in check” so to speak. Things take a turn during what I assume is the New Year Party where Ginny seems to go berserk. She manages to get herself drunk and immediately attracts the attention of all the amorous young men. The scene where she’s busy throwing herself at all those guys as Bud tries his best to control the situation is surreal and cringe-worthy.
Difficult to Digest
It’s hard to believe the guys would “jump” on her as lasciviously as depicted. Although it’s a party, they’re young, it’s the 20s, but it’s still Kansas. It’s hard to imagine Bud having to face all of the guys alone. He’s beaten and injured in the whole mess. And his sister? She dies in a car crash without having won her father’s love as she’s an “embarrassment to the family”. This incident takes place in winter rain. Things are never the same after this incident and it feels like we enter “another dimension” as the movie goes off on a different track.
Movie enters a different dimension
Bud collapses at school and is taken seriously ill and misses much of school. He’s confused at the same time regarding his future with Wilma due to immense pressure from his dad to move on and concentrate on attending Yale after school. There’s a time when he broaches the subject to his physician who is happy to help him. But we never get to know what kind of help or advice Bud receives from the Doctor. I don’t think it was helpful as for some reason, when Bud returns to school, he veers away from Wilma. This is far too abrupt for someone who was so in love with his girlfriend. What just happened?
I’m Lost
This is where Elia Kazan lost me completely. It could have been Bud’s free-spirited nature; but wasn’t he the conservative one in this relationship? The transition of Bud dropping Wilma from his life could have been better handled and illustrated more convincingly. As it stands, I was not convinced and the movie loses me. This new version of Bud moves on to another girl. And this comes as a complete shock to Wilma. Almost as shocking as it was to me, and it pushes her to the edge (thankfully not me). She starts exhibiting signs of mental disorder, culminating in an attempted suicide. Very disturbing stuff. Due to her delirium and suicidal tendencies, her family has no choice but to commit her for psychiatric intervention.
Off the deep end
Things start moving fast at this point. Too fast for me in fact. Bud undergoes a tranformation, and decides to obey his father and moves off to Yale for further studies. While Wilma languishes at the facility – which appears quite expensive for her family background. But I’ll overlook that for the sake of the movie. Bud’s not entirely happy at Yale either as it appears he’s living someone else’s expectations and not his own. Is he thinking of Wilma? Who knows? I sincerely hope he is otherwise there’s no point to the movie any more.
So, he’s basically just whiling away his time at Yale and has a chance meeting with Angelina (Zohra Lampert) at a local pizzeria where she works. She takes some pity (interest?) in him. Meanwhile his dad finds out that Bud’s not doing well at Yale at all and simultaneously loses much of his wealth in the 1929 Stock Market crash. He visits Bud to figure out the situation. With the failure of his business and the destruction of his son’s future, he’s driven to suicide and that’s the final crash of Bud’s family.
Things coming back to focus
Things actually get interesting at this point as we get to see an apparent improvement in Wilma’s character at the facility. She’s making new friends and seems to be turning a new leaf. She’s finally released and goes home. But we are still not entirely convinced of her mental status, however it appears outwardly. Once home, her friends meet up with her. She is now engaged to be married to someone likely well off. My, my, my, how fortunes change. I liked the part of the movie with Bud at Yale, Wilma at the facility and all that follows. It seems to come together again at this point, albeit in an ironic sense which should actually endear one to this movie.
A touching reunion – the film’s “finest hour”
And now to the conclusion and probably the best part of the movie. Wilma, with a seemingly fresh outlook, pays a final visit to Bud who she’s been told is still “in town.” We see Bud toiling away in the sun on what appears to be a relatively run-down farm. As Wilma rushes up to meet him, her friends wonder if they’ve done the right thing. The reason: Bud is married to Angelina, has a child and has another “bun in the oven.” Wilma’s friends are apprehensive. Will it throw her off the deep end again, despite the impending wedding? The meeting between Wilma, Bud, and Angelina is somewhat awkward. All of them trying to put a brave front and giving it a positive spin. But we know it’s all a mess. Or at least that’s what it looked like to me.
A sad mess of what started out as a promising relationship that only had positives for it ahead but was all dashed due to lack of guidance, external interference, and pressures. At that point it all looks to be in shambles – almost as much in shambles as the farm appears to me (maybe that’s intentional). Fortunes reversed, feelings still lingering, the ghosts of a past relationship hanging heavily, and a visually uncomfortable Angelina. That’s where it all culminates. You kind of feel a strange sympathy for all of them – including the friends waiting in the car down the driveway. The last bit of conversation between the two tells it all. When Wilma asks Bud if he is happy, his answer sums it all up. What does he say? Well, you need to watch the movie to hear it.
The final poetical line from William Wordsworth beautifully sums up the movie:
“Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower, we will grieve not; rather find strength in what remains behind.”
YouTube / Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers
If only the middle was better handled
So, this could have been a wonderful movie had the middle portion where Bud suddenly, without any warning (although we could see it coming) dumps Wilma. If that had been handled better by Elia Kazan, we could have had the perfect movie – in my opinion. Maybe the novel touches on that better and, for some mysterious reason, the director left it out. Or was just edited out of the final cut. Who knows, and we may never either. This is why I loved this movie and yet was still left underwhelmed when I wanted it to succeed so badly.
Incidentally, “Splendor” was also the name of the yacht from which Natalie Wood drowned back in November, 1981.
I’ll be back with my take on another interesting movie.
