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Splendor in the Grass

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75% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Bud (Warren Beatty) and his high school sweetheart, Deanie (Natalie Wood), are weighed down by their parents' oppressive expectations, which threaten the future of their relationship. Deanie's mother (Audrey Christie) and Bud's father (Pat Hingle) caution their children against engaging in a sexual relationship, but for opposing reasons: Deanie's mother thinks Bud won't marry a girl with loose morals, while Bud's father is afraid of marriage and pregnancy that would ruin Bud's future at Yale.
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Splendor in the Grass

Critics Reviews

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Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly 06/28/2019
B
With his ripe lips, flirty eyes, and pre-Calvin Klein-era androgynous appeal, the 24-year-old Warren is utterly believable as a boy who drives Natalie Wood plumb insane with sexual frustration in William Inge's overheated melodrama. Go to Full Review Nell Minow Movie Mom 03/04/2019
Classic of repressed teenage sexuality. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 03/26/2009
There is something awkward about the picture's mechanical rhythm. There are missing links and blind alleys within the story. Go to Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal 08/25/2025
2/5
Surely among the most historically embarrassing winners of an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. It's not that the melodramatic horniness is corny. It's that the screenplay treats it with the cruel regard of scientific specimens rather than human beings. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 08/11/2025
3/4
The amorous feelings and carnal longings are played at such a fever pitch that many viewers will find them exaggerated while others will recognize in them their own oversized emotions. Go to Full Review Louie Robinson Jet Magazine 01/16/2024
Under the direction of famed Elia Kazan, Natalie Wood turns in a performance that will surprise many moviegoers for its excellence, and Warren Beatty makes his debut as a film actor slightly spectacular. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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2000's Barbie T @Thedoll Aug 3 Natalie Wood shines as always. She makes you feel so close and relatable to the characters she portrays on screen. Her as Deanie will always be my absolute favorite! See more Blake- N @PBSAniDom May 16 Splendor in the Grass is an emotionally powerful drama that captures love, pressure, and heartbreak with remarkable depth. Even decades later, the film still feels sincere and timeless in the way it handles its characters and themes. Natalie Wood delivers an incredible performance filled with vulnerability and intensity, while Warren Beatty brings strong chemistry and emotion to every scene they share together. Their performances are the heart of the film. The writing is thoughtful and mature, exploring emotional struggles in a way that feels honest rather than overly dramatic. Combined with beautiful cinematography and strong direction, the film creates a memorable atmosphere throughout. Overall, Splendor in the Grass is an amazing film that deserves its reputation as a classic romantic drama. I would rate it a 9/10 for its emotional storytelling, outstanding performances, and lasting impact. See more Kyle M @RT77296778 08/05/2025 A love story that depicts one-sided slipping romance and influences a new stereotype coming across as desperate lack of purpose, with both decently embodied by the two leads’ own breakthroughs, breaking apart irrationally and disengages melodramatically amid mutual reception. (B-) See more Tamara K @RT40370585 04/27/2025 The ultimate move about absolutely clueless parents. See more BJ M @HotMovieStar 07/28/2024 Great classic. Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood were wonderful. See more John G @RT30749950 03/28/2024 With a grand sweep of pre-Depression US history, it tells a moving story of love and tragedy in an age dominated by fundamentalist puritanical Christian beliefs. See more Read all reviews
Splendor in the Grass

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Cast & Crew

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Elia Kazan

Director

Natalie Wood

Wilma Dean Loomis

Warren Beatty

Bud Stamper

Pat Hingle

Ace Stamper

Audrey Christie

Mrs. Loomis

Barbara Loden

Ginny Stamper

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Splendor in the Grass

Splendor in the Grass (1961) Splendor in the Grass (1961) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Bud (Warren Beatty) and his high school sweetheart, Deanie (Natalie Wood), are weighed down by their parents' oppressive expectations, which threaten the future of their relationship. Deanie's mother (Audrey Christie) and Bud's father (Pat Hingle) caution their children against engaging in a sexual relationship, but for opposing reasons: Deanie's mother thinks Bud won't marry a girl with loose morals, while Bud's father is afraid of marriage and pregnancy that would ruin Bud's future at Yale.
Director
Elia Kazan
Producer
Elia Kazan
Screenwriter
William Inge
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
NBI Productions
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 10, 1961, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016
Runtime
2h 4m
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