Splendor In The Grass (Warren Beatty/Natalie Wood): Deanie's breakdown, Bud's heartache 1.

The great Elia Kazan directed the classic drama "Splendor In The Grass" (1961).
The story by playwright William Inge is set in the Kansas of the late 1920's, early 1930's. Rich Bud Stamper (a fantastic debut for Warren Beatty) and butcher's daughter Wilma Dean (Deanie) Loomis are the couple envied by all the students at the local high school. But both have to deal with overbearing parents: Mrs. Loomis (Audrey Christie) who wants Deanie to be a "good girl" and Ace Stamper (Pat Hingle), a self made oil millionaire, who wants his son to follow into his footsteps even if Bud really wants to become a farmer. His son is Ace's only hope, since his daughter Ginny (Barbara Loden) is a stereotypical "bad girl": a Paris Hilton of her day, a rich girl who just wants to party.
In a desperate attempt to win Bud (Warren Beatty) back, Deanie (Natalie Wood) behaves like a bad girl, not understanding that isnt what Bud wants from her. Feeling humiliated and rejected, Deanie flees in the arms of Toots (Gary Lockwood) before suffering a mental breakdown.

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[countryhoney28]

Bud is pondscum. And his so-called friends. Why do we put up with these idiots? 

[BEATTY001]

@countryhoney28

That's just silly. If anything, Bud could be seen as an abused child. The pressure his father is putting on him with all the threats and bribing, promises that never will be fulfilled ("if you do this now, I will do that for you in the future"). Bud's family is even more dysfunctional than Deanie's. His father dominates the entire family. Deanie's mom dominates the husband and daughter, but only up to a point. There are only victims in this story. continued....

[BEATTY001]

@countryhoney28

..... I'm amazed how many people judge Bud as if he was an adult, when in the story he is perhaps only 1 year older than Deanie, maybe even not that. And everybody knows that most girls mature earlier than boys, psychologically. The Deanie character is not a saint, the Bud character is not a devil. They were teens in a time when kids that age were more innocent than they are now, and more under their parents' influence. They're both victims of bad parenting.

[Italiana1962]

My fave movie of all time!

[TheHollywoodland]

natalie wood is great.

[GhostOfBugsy]

This movie was not really acting for Natalie Wood - she was a freaking whore of all whores in Hollywood. Big deal.

[Spainiswonderful]

Thank you so much BEATTY001 for these minutes of pure happiness. With your ind permission I am adding the video to my favorites.

" ...."Though nothing can bring back the hour

Of splendour in the grass,

of glory in the flower,

We will grieve not, rather find

Strength in what remains behind " ( William Wordsworth's 'Splendour in the Grass' is the poem )

[stayAU]

No she went nuts because she loved him so much and their parents didn't want them to be together. His dad didn't want him to be with her because she wasn't rich enough for him. In the end her parents had to take their stock out of the market to put her in the hospital. And Bud's dad lost everything he had when the market crashed and killed himself. So Bud ended up poor and Deanie ended up wealthy.

[DickieAnginson]

I always thought Toots was more attractive than Bud, even though Toots was sort of a heel. At least with Toots you know what you're getting and what he's after.

[ellaova]

Do you have any vids featuring the Amran score or the music credits? Im looking for a piece from one of the party scenes.

[AngeliaClaire]

so she wnt nuts cause he loved her?

[ellaova]

Where would I find that scene with Buds sister, 'nice boys only talk to me in the dark'?

[countryhoney28]

Any man or woman who tells you they love you, then pressures, but you do not give in and they seek it elsewhere is not something I would instill in my child to do or to accept in a relationship. So perhaps pondscum is too harsh- but what I do know is that I steer clear of these types of people, who profess love with words but fail when asked to show , test or prove their love. Enough said, that is just how I feel about it.