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Splendor in the Grass (1961)

My mother always used to tell me she always loved this movie growing up (she’s born in 1968) and told me I should watch it because Natalie Wood is wonderful in it, and I was always in love with West Side Story, but I never got around to it until a few years ago, on a Saturday night, when PBS showed it.

I fell in love.

It’s such a wonderful movie, and Natalie Wood is spectacular and so believable in this movie. You could feel the sexual tension between Beatty and Wood, and you could feel his sexual angst through the screen. He was horny as fuck and you could see it on his face.

I love Natalie Wood in this so much. She was so sincere and genuine.

Beatty was a sight for sore eyes in this.

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by Anonymousreply 67December 9, 2019 9:17 PM

I always felt Bud wanted to fuck his sister Ginny

by Anonymousreply 1October 13, 2019 8:14 PM

My friend's sister was in that movie. She and Warren were lovers until Natalie replaced her. My friend said Warren was a self-absorbed jerk. But then so is my friend.

by Anonymousreply 2October 13, 2019 8:15 PM

Warren was beautiful when young! Absolutely gorgeous. And sexy! Without trying.

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by Anonymousreply 3October 13, 2019 8:20 PM

His sister was a whore. She fucked every man that laid eyes on her.

by Anonymousreply 4October 13, 2019 8:21 PM

I prefer the porn version: Splendor in the Ass

by Anonymousreply 5October 13, 2019 8:40 PM

According to one of the makeup artists, the crew found Warren Beatty arrogant and didn't like him. In fact, he was given the nickname "Mental Anguish" or "M.A." for short that crew members called him behind his back.

by Anonymousreply 6October 13, 2019 8:43 PM

Natalie Wood announced her separation from then-husband Robert Wagner in June 1961. Soon after, she began publicly dating Warren Beatty, but said nothing to dispel assumptions that her marriage to Wagner had ended because she and Beatty were already having an affair beforehand. This long-held misconception was obliterated in 2001 when author and former lawyer Suzanne Finstad emphatically wrote in her bestselling biography "Natasha" that Wood left Wagner after she walked in on him in a compromising position with another MAN. Through representatives, Wagner has denied Finstad's claim. Finstad, however, stands by her account in the book and has reiterated the claim in documentary interviews. According to Finstad, Wood idly allowed gossip magazines to purport the false rumor that she'd been a cheating wife in order to help Wagner save face over his bisexuality, which certainly would've ruined his career if it became public knowledge at that time. In other words, Wood's "affair" with Beatty served as a convenient smokescreen for Wagner. In September 2018, 17 years after its original publication in Finstad's book, the allegation was again made during a two-part episode of Dr. Phil (2002) on which Natalie's sister Lana Wood appeared, Mystery at Sea: What Happened to Actress Natalie Wood? (2018)--perhaps the first time the claim has been spoken out loud on broadcast television.

by Anonymousreply 7October 13, 2019 8:47 PM

R2 that’s believable because no one liked him. Even Kazan disliked him and said he was a “snotty” person.

by Anonymousreply 8October 13, 2019 8:56 PM

This film is set in the 20s, but like many period films of the 60s, one can't get away from knowing it's a 60s film because of the styling. Doctor Zhivago is a prime example.

by Anonymousreply 9October 13, 2019 9:00 PM

I'M NOT SPOILED MAMA!!

by Anonymousreply 10October 13, 2019 9:46 PM

Oh, that movie! HYSTERIA!!!!!

Poor William Inge....

by Anonymousreply 11October 13, 2019 11:10 PM

This movie was infuriating. I kept yelling at the tv, "Oh, for goodness sakes, just fuck already!!!"

by Anonymousreply 12October 13, 2019 11:16 PM

R12 he did fuck. He fucked Juanita the school whore.

by Anonymousreply 13October 13, 2019 11:21 PM

When I saw this movie on TV as a teenager, I took it very seriously and found it heartbreaking. When I saw it again in later years, I found much of it laughably, ridiculously over the top as far as Inge's writing is concerned. So blatantly obvious, exaggerated, and on the nose. I guess there are still some good moments in it, and I agree that Wood's acting is excellent.

by Anonymousreply 14October 13, 2019 11:23 PM

Natalie Wood was heartbreaking

by Anonymousreply 15October 20, 2019 2:36 AM

I love the end and of course I love the words she speaks as she moves on. I’ve used them too at different times in my life.

by Anonymousreply 16October 20, 2019 2:41 AM

I thought Wood was good, and some scenes were very well done. Beatty was in his excruciating "watch me I'm a serious Method actor" phase and wrecks the movie for me.

by Anonymousreply 17October 20, 2019 2:53 AM

Beatty was just very easy to look at

by Anonymousreply 18October 20, 2019 2:55 AM

I prefer the porn version, “Splendor in my Ass.”

by Anonymousreply 19October 20, 2019 3:39 AM

"Beatty was a sight for sore eyes in this."

Do you know what that expression means?

by Anonymousreply 20October 20, 2019 9:17 AM

R20, "a sight for sore eyes" is a person or thing that one is extremely pleased or relieved to see. It would seem that maybe YOU don't know what it means.

by Anonymousreply 21October 20, 2019 1:38 PM

Sexual frustration has never been committed to celluloid with such vividness. They blow off some steam in the shower scene, but that just gets the viewer more frustrated.

by Anonymousreply 22October 20, 2019 1:54 PM

[Quote] Wood idly allowed gossip magazines to purport the false rumor that she'd been a cheating wife in order to help Wagner save face over his bisexuality, which certainly would've ruined his career if it became public knowledge at that time. In other words, Wood's "affair" with Beatty served as a convenient smokescreen for Wagner.

That makes little sense. If Wood walked in on Wagner, there was no need for a smokescreen. The story stayed with Wood. It's more likely that she was happy to have Wagner painted as a cuckold.

by Anonymousreply 23October 20, 2019 2:19 PM

There's pictures of Wagner posing with Kirk Douglas over the years. Is Wagner that much of shit that he'd do so if the Wood/Douglad rape story were true?

by Anonymousreply 24October 20, 2019 2:21 PM

That Finstad biography is a hell of a book.

by Anonymousreply 25October 20, 2019 2:24 PM

Is this based off a book?

by Anonymousreply 26October 26, 2019 3:58 AM

I can't bear Wood; she's as interesting as a piece of black string.

But HE is to DIE FOR!

And the vile Kazanstein knew he was to die for and he made sure the technicolor cameraman just drank up every little luscious detail of him to have us all salivating in our seats.

by Anonymousreply 27October 26, 2019 4:25 AM

I've always found Beatty resistable. Those fish lips alone...

by Anonymousreply 28October 26, 2019 4:28 AM

Character actor Pat Hingle, who had a long and varied career, played Beatty's father despite being only 13 or so years older than Beatty. Hingle, like Angela Lansbury, is one of those actors who looked prematurely old but paradoxically didn't age much over the years.

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by Anonymousreply 29October 26, 2019 4:30 AM

R28 The divine Warren (and his fish lips) remind of that porn performer known as 'Derek Atlas' (and his fish lips).

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by Anonymousreply 30October 26, 2019 4:36 AM

I used to love Derek Atlas

by Anonymousreply 31October 26, 2019 4:38 AM

R26 No, it was an original screenplay by Inge.

by Anonymousreply 32October 26, 2019 4:42 AM

Wood is a goddess and was always too good for Wagner.

by Anonymousreply 33October 26, 2019 4:51 AM

Natalie could be hit or miss as an actress but when it came to hysteria - she excelled! I love the scene when she's in the tub and her mother makes a comment about having some pride and the way she yells out "My pride! My pride!" like... what the fuck do I have to be proud about? I've nothing left. It's certainly a phrase I've used before and in the same manner I might add.

Her hysterics were also in top form in "This Property Is Condemned". She really could be great if she needed to play that.

I find the ending extremely poignant.

Beatty was a real beauty then. I'm sure he was a complete ass IRL. With his looks he could get away with it (I guess he took being hated by everyone in stride.)

by Anonymousreply 34October 26, 2019 4:58 AM

Sibyl’s mom is in it.

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by Anonymousreply 35October 26, 2019 5:09 AM

[quote]I love the scene when she's in the tub

I think the scene when she jumps out of the tub wigging out at her mother should be up there with DL's beloved Elizabeth Taylor scene, "Face it, momma, I was the slut of all time!"

by Anonymousreply 36October 26, 2019 11:52 AM

She's not good in the dressing room scene in GYPSY.

by Anonymousreply 37October 26, 2019 2:07 PM

Wood was great in this and i liked her in West Side Story, as well as Rebel

by Anonymousreply 38October 26, 2019 2:08 PM

I thought she was brave to pose for [italic]Oui[/italic] magazine in the 70s.

Few major stars were doing that - -

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by Anonymousreply 39October 26, 2019 3:47 PM

Did anyone else read Judy Blume? I was so excited upon realising 10 years after reading DEENIE that the title character was named after and inspired by Natalie Wood in Splendour In The Grass by cutting her own hair off.

by Anonymousreply 40October 26, 2019 3:59 PM

Deenie was no Harriet the Spy.

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by Anonymousreply 41October 26, 2019 4:07 PM

DEENIE had the first masturbation scene I read about. I had to look it up in the dictionary and still only had the vaguest idea of what the word meant.

by Anonymousreply 42October 26, 2019 4:09 PM

People in William Inge's life just didn't have enough sex.

by Anonymousreply 43October 26, 2019 4:12 PM

[Quote] Did anyone else read Judy Blume?

I did!

by Anonymousreply 44October 26, 2019 8:22 PM

The actress who played her mother was instructed to antagonize Natalie before the bathtub scene to get her going like that.

by Anonymousreply 45October 27, 2019 1:42 PM

Such a good movie.

by Anonymousreply 46December 1, 2019 7:15 PM

To be fair, Warren was 23 years old when this movie was made, a baby in looks and personality. William Inge was plenty hot for him.

I thought Natalie was better with Beatty than the co-star who was really in love with her, married Robert Redford. Of the two, she chose to have an affair with co-star Beatty, which I think was far better than icy Redford.

by Anonymousreply 47December 1, 2019 11:05 PM

I've never had any desire to see this film. Wood and Beatty are both lightweight actors, and the thought of seeing them in some tortured high school romance is just too too.

by Anonymousreply 48December 4, 2019 5:26 AM

I gave Bud what he needed!

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by Anonymousreply 49December 4, 2019 5:51 AM

Beatty’s ass Is incredible in this (and ROMAN SPRING OF MRS. STONE)

by Anonymousreply 50December 4, 2019 6:40 AM

Saw it in a theatre when I was a teenager (in the 80's). Still my Favourite movie. Wood is absolutely divine. I am one of the people who signed for the reopening of the case. ' though nothing can bring back the hour. .. ' Gawd. So beautiful

by Anonymousreply 51December 4, 2019 7:34 AM

I loved this movie as a teenager. Haven't watched it in years. Wonder if it'll seem ridiculous, but both Wood and Beatty were good in it.

Time for a rewatch.

by Anonymousreply 52December 4, 2019 7:50 AM

Oh no R52. I watch it regularly and each time I find a new subtle nuance in Natalie 's performance. A tiny gesture, a flick of the eyes, she really is extraordinary in this movie. Very underrated actress. And beauty. And the cinematography is gorgeous. Interestingly it's the same team (cosume/sets) that is responsable for Rosemary' s baby, which is equally stunning.

by Anonymousreply 53December 4, 2019 7:57 AM

Although the story took place in Depression Kansas, the whole movie was shot in the NY area, Natalie's house was in Staten Island, the waterfall upstate NY and the oil field was out on Long Island, studio in Harlem.

by Anonymousreply 54December 4, 2019 8:01 AM

Wood was fantastic in this, I agree. Much better than in West Side Story, where she was miscast.

by Anonymousreply 55December 4, 2019 9:27 AM

I don't think so. I think Wood makes WWS watchable , otherwise there's just the rooftop number, and a lot of syrup. Don't start me on marnie nixon's horrible singing. Wood's actual singing was good enough for the character.

by Anonymousreply 56December 4, 2019 9:31 AM

Sandy Dennis should have played the Natalie Wood role.

That would have been fire.

by Anonymousreply 57December 4, 2019 10:04 AM

And then there was the matter of that poem. They got their words' worth.

[quote]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.

by Anonymousreply 58December 4, 2019 10:23 AM

Schmaltz

by Anonymousreply 59December 4, 2019 10:33 AM

Sandy Dennis was the poor man's Mia Farrow. Mia should 've played her part in who's afraid of VW

by Anonymousreply 60December 4, 2019 10:44 AM

[quote]I loved this movie as a teenager. Haven't watched it in years. Wonder if it'll seem ridiculous, but both Wood and Beatty were good in it.

When I saw it on TV as a teenager, I thought it was powerful. When I caught some of it again years later, I found it quite ridiculous in terms of the over-the-top repression of the young people's sexuality. Not that I think that doesn't, or didn't, happen in real life, but the WAY they show it -- in terms of the adults' lines and actions -- is laughable.

[quote]Don't start me on marnie nixon's horrible singing. Wood's actual singing was good enough for the character.

Oh, really? See -- and her -- the clip below. And Marni Nixon spelled her name with initial capital letters, like everyone else, and it was Marni, not Marnie.

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by Anonymousreply 61December 4, 2019 4:21 PM

Watch Barbara Loden (Ginny) in the film she wrote, directed and starred in: "Wanda" for a good idea of what she could do.

by Anonymousreply 62December 4, 2019 4:45 PM

[quote]r56 Don't start me on marnie nixon's horrible singing. Wood's actual singing was good enough for the character.

[quote] r61 Oh, really? See -- and hear -- the clip below.

Nat's voice sucks ass.

by Anonymousreply 63December 4, 2019 11:08 PM

THE DINGHY WAS BANGING AGAINST THE BOAT !!!

by Anonymousreply 64December 5, 2019 9:55 AM

She could sing beautifully.

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by Anonymousreply 65December 9, 2019 8:39 PM

I love ' the affair' and I love that song. Thanks R65

by Anonymousreply 66December 9, 2019 8:44 PM

Wood and Beatty were gorgeous and it's worth watching just for that if nothing else.

by Anonymousreply 67December 9, 2019 9:17 PM
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