The movie "Splendor in the Grass (1961)," is one of the best movies I have seen so far. I am a male in my early thirties and the film has touched me in such a way that I have never been touched by an old movie before. Even though I have not lived in that time era the film portrays. However, I have seen many old films that are from the "older" version, and I have yet to see a film that projects human feeling as much as this film has done it for me.
Genuine love between two youngsters who have yet to experience the world's bad side, a side that affects plenty of flowers from blossoming; went astray. Discrimination on the basis of wealth is the main cause for Deanie's bad end, which is no different than other forms of discrimination that Bud's family put on the not-so well to do young lady, Deannie. It is unfortunate that Bud ended up having a "normal" traditional life that rich and well to do young ladies longed for at the time. The character played as Deanie longed for basic love from Bud to which he was unable to deliver due to his family's constant intervention on his son's personal life; it is his father that denied him pleasure of having 'happiness' with his high school sweetheart. Happiness, which he would have preferred over controlling his family's business could bring him.
Unfortunately, not all people have the same lens of view of seeing life from different angle. In the opinion of the writer of this comment, wealth is not only gained from money, wealth is gained from all the riches of satisfying life, life that is fulfilled with little achievements. In this particular film, the young man's family translated wealth as a source of pride and happiness. Despite, in the eye of a capitalist's vision of happiness, his father did what he thought was best for his son. After all, who wouldn't wish the best for his or her child? It was also sad to see Deannies' father unable to do anything to counter the rejection of his daughter, except resent his inablity to supply his family with the riches other men do.
The writer/director played Deanie's character in a very exposed emotion laid for the audience to smash it open and be ashamed of it to its end. I was close to tears at times, especially at the end when she discovered that her Bud was married with a toddler and pregnant wife. It made his new wife cry with envy, as to who he gave up to be with her. It is visible to see from Deanie's eyes the disappointments, it just reminds me of my other favorite movie seen, "Carlito's Way," the character played by Al Pacino, when he was attempting to convince his love interest played as "Gail." In that seen, he meets her at a place of her work and very disturbed by what she does for living, strip joint dancer. He tries to hide his feeling of disappointment, but she learns his judgment when her fans came to express their joy for having to see her dance. Right at that moment, when she mentioned something he has been dodging to avoid, his eyes tell it all. In my view the seen captured is by far the best of all movies I have seen capturing the emotional disappointment visually being captured. "Splendor In The Grass," has captured that sort of emotion from a female perspective, the writer/director added dignity to the expression of disappointment. That was heartbreaking to have to witness such devastating reality Deanie has to swallow. Her eyes tell it all, as they were hungry to see her own life find that very end, an end she would have been very pleased to see.
It teaches the audience that time is a river, unlike a lake (pond) it travels, Bud did what was normal for him to do, find another girl and fall in love with. It also shows that no two loves are equal, the love Deanie and Bud had for each other was not at equilibrium. If it was, he would have married her after discovering of his father's death. At the end when she came out of her madness to remember him as he was, while he has forgotten all about her and moved on. I find the film very soothing to the soul, and took me back to reminisce my own past life.
Genuine love between two youngsters who have yet to experience the world's bad side, a side that affects plenty of flowers from blossoming; went astray. Discrimination on the basis of wealth is the main cause for Deanie's bad end, which is no different than other forms of discrimination that Bud's family put on the not-so well to do young lady, Deannie. It is unfortunate that Bud ended up having a "normal" traditional life that rich and well to do young ladies longed for at the time. The character played as Deanie longed for basic love from Bud to which he was unable to deliver due to his family's constant intervention on his son's personal life; it is his father that denied him pleasure of having 'happiness' with his high school sweetheart. Happiness, which he would have preferred over controlling his family's business could bring him.
Unfortunately, not all people have the same lens of view of seeing life from different angle. In the opinion of the writer of this comment, wealth is not only gained from money, wealth is gained from all the riches of satisfying life, life that is fulfilled with little achievements. In this particular film, the young man's family translated wealth as a source of pride and happiness. Despite, in the eye of a capitalist's vision of happiness, his father did what he thought was best for his son. After all, who wouldn't wish the best for his or her child? It was also sad to see Deannies' father unable to do anything to counter the rejection of his daughter, except resent his inablity to supply his family with the riches other men do.
The writer/director played Deanie's character in a very exposed emotion laid for the audience to smash it open and be ashamed of it to its end. I was close to tears at times, especially at the end when she discovered that her Bud was married with a toddler and pregnant wife. It made his new wife cry with envy, as to who he gave up to be with her. It is visible to see from Deanie's eyes the disappointments, it just reminds me of my other favorite movie seen, "Carlito's Way," the character played by Al Pacino, when he was attempting to convince his love interest played as "Gail." In that seen, he meets her at a place of her work and very disturbed by what she does for living, strip joint dancer. He tries to hide his feeling of disappointment, but she learns his judgment when her fans came to express their joy for having to see her dance. Right at that moment, when she mentioned something he has been dodging to avoid, his eyes tell it all. In my view the seen captured is by far the best of all movies I have seen capturing the emotional disappointment visually being captured. "Splendor In The Grass," has captured that sort of emotion from a female perspective, the writer/director added dignity to the expression of disappointment. That was heartbreaking to have to witness such devastating reality Deanie has to swallow. Her eyes tell it all, as they were hungry to see her own life find that very end, an end she would have been very pleased to see.
It teaches the audience that time is a river, unlike a lake (pond) it travels, Bud did what was normal for him to do, find another girl and fall in love with. It also shows that no two loves are equal, the love Deanie and Bud had for each other was not at equilibrium. If it was, he would have married her after discovering of his father's death. At the end when she came out of her madness to remember him as he was, while he has forgotten all about her and moved on. I find the film very soothing to the soul, and took me back to reminisce my own past life.