Category Archives: Audrey Christie

1956 Films, Audrey Christie, Barbara Ruick, Cameron Mitchell, Claramae Turner, Drama, Gene Lockhart, Gordon MacRae, Henry King, Musical, Musical Drama, Shirley Jones, Susan Luckey

Carousel-1956

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Carousel-1956

Director Henry King

Starring Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones

Scott’s Review #1,486

Reviewed July 27, 2025

Grade: A-

Following the success of Oklahoma! in 1955, Carousel (1956) is similarly based on the lauded Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical. It is firmly nestled among the myriad musical productions that emerged in the 1940s, 1950s, and into the 1960s in cinema.

Darker in tone, the musical drama bears a strong resemblance to Oklahoma! It swaps the Midwest United States for Northeastern Maine. Clambakes and wattery harbors lend authenticity to the film.

Easily paired with Oklahoma! as a double feature, it even features the same stars—Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, who return to star in Carousel. As an aside, the filmmakers originally cast Frank Sinatra, who dropped out, so MacRae was a second choice.

As with the original stage production, the film features some of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most famous songs, particularly ‘Carousel Waltz’ and the emotional ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.

It also features arguably the most serious storyline of all their musicals, incorporating domestic abuse into the fray.

The story follows the romance of Billy Bigelow (MacRae), a charming carousel barker, and Julie Jordan (Shirley Jones), a pretty blue-collar worker from a nearby mill in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

When the attractive young couple abruptly and reactively gets married, they also both find themselves unemployed and broke, which puts a strain on their relationship.

When Billy finds out that Julie is pregnant, he resorts to extreme measures to get money, a decision that leads to tragedy.

Cleverly, the film is non-linear, as the first scene features Billy in what appears to be Purgatory (or the back door of Heaven), where he is told that he can return to Earth for one day to make amends.

We know that Billy has died after a tragic event, but we do not know the details.

To its credit, Carousel is not a cheery, bombastic musical fraught with over-the-top phoniness or too much glee. The characters are darker, which makes it feel unique to me.

Proof of this is evident in a comparison of MacRae’s and Jones’s characters in Oklahoma! to Carousel. While Laurey (Jones) is a respectable, virginal good girl, Julie plays with fire, assuredly spending time alone with Billy after being warned of the consequences.

Curly McLain (MacRae) is a good-natured cowboy who admires the beautiful morning while riding to see his wholesome crush, Laurey, whereas Billy is a rough-talking, macho brute.

Supporting characters like Carrie (Barbara Ruick), Jigger (Cameron Mitchell), and Cousin Nettie (Claramae Turner) are fantastic additions, especially Turner, as she brings down the house with ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.

Still, I yearned for a bit more substance to their characters. What makes them tick? Are they fulfilled?

A final highlight is the amazing fantasy musical song and dance number that appears towards the finale. As Billy’s teenage daughter, Louise (Susan Luckey), dances amongst her classmates, she is mocked for her father’s reputation and shortcomings.

She writhes around them in a deliciously choreographed sequence that builds tension and kickstarts the action.

Unlike Curly, I found Billy difficult to like, though the character is softened considerably by the end of the film. He’s honestly a dick through most of the story, hitting Julie, and plotting ways to find fortune at the expense of others.

To make matters worse, he also slaps his own daughter’s hand when he comes down from Purgatory to see her. Are we expected to like him?

Despite the two aforementioned powerful musical numbers, the other songs don’t carry through as much or are nearly as memorable.

For much of the running time, until the great build with Louise’s musical number, there is a slowness to the events. Whereas Oklahoma! has it all, something is missing from Carousel, and the pacing isn’t as fine-tuned.

Nonetheless, I adore the summery New England setting with the authentic location sequences and attention to detail. The darkness and edgy religious-themed trimmings combined with two homerun hitting musical numbers are enough to make me a fan of Carousel (1956).

1961 Films, Audrey Christie, Barbara Loden, Drama, Elia Kazan, Gary Lockwood, Natalie Wood, Pat Hingle, Phyllis Diller, Sandy Dennis, Warren Beatty

Splendor in the Grass-1961

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Splendor in the Grass-1961

Director Elia Kazan

Starring Natalie Wood, Warren Beatty, Pat Hingle

Scott’s Review #1,231

Reviewed February 20, 2022

Grade: A-

Splendor in the Grass (1961) is mainly a film about teenage angst, but the angst spills over to the adults as pressures are heaved on many characters.

Fortunes are gained and lost following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, which handicapped some characters obsessed with money while the teenage characters battled emotions.

It offers poetic relics and references from English poet William Wordsworth about life and longing for love that can be thought about.

The film was written by William Inge, who also wrote 1955’s Picnic, and directed by Elia Kazan, famous for A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and On The Waterfront (1954).

Splendor in the Grass is an uneasy watch but provides slices of the brilliance of those other films. Isn’t the point of a superior movie to make us think and ponder?

At the risk of feeling a tad dated some sixty years later, how powerful a film must have been in 1961, sending inevitable shock waves to audiences expecting a more wholesome show.

It’s also legendary Hollywood actor Warren Beatty’s debut, showcasing an emotionally superb performance by Natalie Wood.

Bud Stamper (Warren Beatty) and his high school sweetheart, Deanie Loomis (Natalie Wood), have an innocently blossoming relationship if only they could be left alone.

Their parents’ mutual oppressiveness weighs it down.

Bud’s father, Ace (a terrific Pat Hingle), is hell-bent on Bud attending Yale University in the fall. He is afraid Deanie will become pregnant, ruining the bright future he expects from the affluent young man.

Deanie’s mother (Audrey Christie) cautions her daughter from engaging in sexual relations and remaining a ‘good girl’ because she is frightened of Bud not marrying a girl with questionable morals.

Both parents’ meddling causes the teens emotional pressure and threatens to ruin their relationship and, perhaps, their futures. Bud’s mother is complacent, and Deanie’s father offers proper support to his daughter.

There is a lot of story going on in Splendor in the Grass, and all of it is juicy and relevant from the perspective of whoever the viewer takes. This is part of the beauty of the film- told through the eyes of Bud and Deanie and the fragile feelings teenagers possess, their parents can be dissected as well, and want the very best for their kids.

The romance is not just about Bud and Deanie. Other players and potential love interests are introduced, and we wonder if Bud and Deanie will ride off into the sunset together.

Inge and Kazan make us pose several questions. Do people who belong together make it? Do some people settle for different lives based on sacrifice? Can heartbreak lead to madness and a different perspective for some?

The terrific screenplay written by Inge is the film’s sweet spot. It’s complex and fraught with emotion and questions. The setting of remote Kansas in the late 1920s gave me a feeling of stifling predictability and one’s life already planned for them rather than encouragement to reach for the stars.

This is dangerous territory in itself.

Bud is expected to get an education but wants to live on a simple ranch and be a family man. Deanie is trained to be sweet and kind and to resist the pleasures of the flesh like her mother did, but is that enough for her?

Kazan, a master of brutal yet realistic films, brings excellent writing to life. Based on his other films, I knew I was not in for a cheery experience but rather a harsh reality. That sits well with me, as films that make one think are celebrated.

Splendor in the Grass (1961) resembles Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and stars Wood. The film teaches me that although generations come and go, the feelings and emotions young people feel in the moments when they are young never change.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Actress-Natalie Wood, Best Original Screenplay (won)