Grease

Title: Grease (1978)
Director: Randal Kleiser
Genre: Musical
Lead Actor(s): John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John
Rating: PG-13
110 minutes

There probably isn’t a musical better known than this one. For the view of you who haven’t ever heard of this musical, Goodie-Two-Shoes Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) moves to the states and remeets her summer fling, Danny (John Travolta), at her new high school. The Danny she met though was much kinder and softer than this Danny. The two try to rekindle their romance but find they both must change to get close to each other again.

Olivia Newton-John is probably my least favorite of the actors in the cast. Her purer than snow Sandy is often grating and unrelatable. I know that the celebrated “Hopelessly Devoted to You” is her big ballad, but it was always one of my least favorite songs. I just found the performance and character bland. She needs more personality and spunk. I find it hard to believe that there was a strong initial connection between the two leads.

John Travolta is much more on point as Danny Zuko. I think he understands this type of character better than Newton-John understands hers. He played a rather similar character in “Welcome Back, Kotter.” I also think he just had more fun with his character and the movie in general. Danny does have a good heart, but he also has a good reputation and sometimes one trumps the other. He is far more believable than his costar.

My favorite characters though are the supporting ones, particularly Kenickie (Jeff Conaway), Rizzo (Stockard Channing), and Marty Maraschino (Dinah Manoff). Kenickie is just a great foil for the characters around him. Whether he is interacting with Danny or Rizzo, he is always giving the support the other actor needs to perform to his best. He also is always acting even when he is in the background. Marty Maraschino is just funny. She is a not always purposeful vixen. She is at her funniest during the dance-off when flirting with the host. Rizzo is my favorite character in the movie. She is head of the Pink Ladies and a very strong character. Although far older than her teenage character, Channing is very strong in her characterization and finds humor in moments that could have been stale. I would argue she is the strongest character both in believability and personality in the movie.

Several of the songs are fun and catchy. The movie is well-directed even if I disagree with the casting of the female lead. After 30 years, the movie is just as beloved as it was then. I don’t know that it will ever fade from the pop culture’s radar. It is not my favorite musical or my favorite high school movie, but it isn’t bad.

****** 6/10