8.01.2012

Splendor in the Grass

Today's movie - Splendor in the Grass  (1961) starring Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty (imdb / netflix / wikipedia).
My brief crapily-composed summary - Natalie plays Wilma Dean "Deanie" Loomis who dates Warren Beatty's character Bud Stamper. They love each other. They want to have sex. Deanie won't, mostly because of her mother's influence (her mother implies that sex is something that women just do to please their husbands; that it isn't something a woman should enjoy). Bud's father tells Bud to use "another kind of girl" for sex, while staying with Deanie. Eventually all these conflicting emotions about sex drive Deanie mad and she's off to the institution. While she's gone Bud goes to college and marries a waitress he meets there. Bud (originally the rich one) ends up poor, while Deanie ends up engaged to a rich doctor she meets in the institution. They have one last meeting and then the movie ends.
Deanie's reaction to finding out that women aren't supposed to enjoy sex. "What?!" - her face.
Saying goodnight to her Bud-shrine.
How can you take a character named Bud seriously? I can't. Especially because whenever I hear the word "Bud" I only think of Rudy Huxtable and her friend Bud on The Cosby Show. You know what I'm talking about. The way Rudy says "Bud" = perfection.
Natalie Wood's expressions while she walks with Bud down the hallway = perfection.
Right before they hear her mother coming.
So innocent.
Bud's flapper sister (the cautionary tale of the movie - there's always a cautionary tale!).
The family Christmas card.
Bathtub gin.
Amazing.
Is it weird if I say that I'm obsessed with Natalie Wood's face? I could watch her all day. She's one of my favorite actresses because she is so INTERESTING to watch. Sometimes I can't tell if she's giving an AMAZING performance or a TERRIBLE one. Maybe both? She's so good but so particular. 

Her death is a tragedy because she's a human being who died too young, but also just because I wish she could have continued to make movies that I could then watch.
This character was a villain of sorts, but you still felt for her. Which is rare.
Where the Bud shrine used to be.
Oh how the costumes illustrate how they've changed.
Sort of a "Your girl is lovely, Hubbell" moment.
Want to look at another movie post? Go HERE! 
at 4:30 AM Labels: , ,

6 comments:

  1. SallyAugust 1, 2012 at 6:23 PM

    Oh, cautionary tales...

    Watching Barefoot in the Park right now, I think you would like! Redford is cute as always.

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    1. MalloryAugust 1, 2012 at 7:58 PM

      I just added that to my instant queue because I haven't seen it in years. I remember liking their apartment though... I think it had a big skylight? And he falls through it in the end?!? Something.

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  2. ScoutAugust 4, 2012 at 5:59 PM

    I feel like there's a theme with your movies of late...They're all about women having/wanting sex and then going crazy or dying in the end because of their evil wishes.
    Also, that Cosby scene you mentioned is my favorite Cosby moment EVER. Bud :)

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    Replies
    1. MalloryAugust 4, 2012 at 11:42 PM

      BUDDDDD!

      And I noticed the theme too. And it was totally unintentional! A Netflix-queue-coincidence.

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    2. ScoutAugust 10, 2012 at 8:48 AM

      Congrats on actually watching what's in your Netflix queue! I'm constantly adding things to mine, but I always end up watching something random. It might be time to remedy that.

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    3. MalloryAugust 10, 2012 at 1:34 PM

      It actually is QUITE an accomplishment that I've just been getting old movie after old movie - usually I just end up binge watching different tv shows. Of course, I'll go back to doing that. I'm just getting a ton of these weekly old movie posts scheduled way in advance.... and then I'll resume my normal Netflix behavior, haha.

      Delete

Thanks for your comment you wonderful person you.

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