Splendor in the Grass Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Splendor in the Grass Blu-ray Movie Review

Once upon a time in Kansas.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III July 2, 2025

Elia Kazan's bracing social drama Splendor in the Grass, one of the best films of the 1960s, has finally reached Blu-ray and probably juuust missed the cut to be one of Warner Archive's early 4K releases. Solidly acted with a career-shifting performance from Natalie Wood and terrific debut work from 24 year-old Warren Beatty, this is one of those rare "total package" films where almost everything works in tandem. You can add the boutique label's restoration prowess to that list as well, as this A/V treatment makes Splendor in the Grass shine like new... even when things get ugly.

Above: Moments before disaster.

In southeast Kansas of 1928 (speaking of "moments before disaster"), teenage lovers Wilma Dean "Deanie" Loomis (Wood) and Bud Stamper (Beatty) are raised under similar circumstances despite vastly different economic standings. Deanie lives a middle-class life with her seemingly warm but Puritanical mother Freida (Audrey Christie) constantly urging her not to "give in" to sexual impulses, while wealthy Bud is under the thumb of his father Ace (Pat Hingle), an oilman with vicarious ivy league plans for the young man. These two damaging parent-child relationships are painted with on-the-nose broad strokes in an early pair of sequences, coincidentally right after Deanie rejects Bud's advances at a local make-out spot, but they basically set the tone for the remainder of our story: these two young lovers might have a lot in common, yet their fractured pasts all but guarantee they won't live happily ever after.

Needless to say, things get a lot worse before they get better... and just for the record, Splendor in the Grass' idea of "better" isn't Deanie and Bud settling down into a nice, normal life. They're two very different people whose brief time together may be seen as perfect to family and friends, but it's evident very early on that this is only temporary. Things start going off the rails soon after a wild New Year's Eve party at Bud's house (one in which his free-spirited "flapper" sister Ginny (Barbara Loden) gets drunk and taken advantage of by a party guest); soon after that, Bud basically cuts Deannie off, full stop, which leads to her mental breakdown right in the middle of English class. Her parents seem more embarrassed than empathetic, reassuring Deannie she's "perfectly fine" even when borderline catatonic, and they soon resort to selling soon-to-be worthless oil stock to pay for her prolonged but healing stay at an asylum.

This admittedly kind of spoiler-heavy synopsis doesn't even graze the film's third act, a near-marathon of melodrama that finds Deanie and Bud farther apart them ever while certain members of both families aren't safe either. For these reasons, Splendor in the Grass is more a cautionary tale aimed at multiple generations than a straightforward tale of young love, one that shines a light on repressive child-rearing amplified by a devastating era in American history. So while it's not quite the worst date movie ever, Splendor in the Grass is nonetheless a frank and refreshing exercise in filmmaking released during a visible turning point in mainstream cinema, one that pulls away from previous decades and the sanitized way that creators were forced to dumb down content and appease watchdog groups.

Splendor in the Grass serves as the middle portion of what would eventually be known as Elia Kazan's "Americana" trilogy, which also includes 1960's Wild River and 1963's America America. Even considering its belated arrival on Blu-ray, this gem from 1961 is the best-represented of the three on home video and, after seeing how great it looks after Warner Archive's recent restoration, fans will certainly find this one to be worth the wait. It's an A/V stunner and also includes a long-form Elia Kazan documentary from 1995 that almost makes this a double-feature disc.

Splendor in the Grass Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Even without a true 4K edition (which would've been something to see), this stunning 1080p presentation of Splendor in the Grass is a five-star effort that pushes the boundaries of Blu-ray with richly appointed colors, strong fine detail, and a commitment to era-specific authenticity, thanks to Warner Archive's new 4K scan of the original camera negative and thorough but careful manual cleanup. As seen in these direct-from-disc screenshots, it's impressive work with nary a weak spot or falter during the film's deceptively fast-moving 124-minute running time. From strong and stable black levels to excellent depth, visible textures, and of course an abundance of natural film grain (which, set against the odd background texture of its opening credits, almost resembles TV static), this is a truly jaw-dropping presentation that perfectly preserves Boris Kaufman's striking cinematography. Absolutely no complaints at all here.

Splendor in the Grass Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Just as impressive is the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix, which again fully preserves the film's era-specific roots while delivering a clean and crisp presentation that features a few sonic surprises along the way. As with many of Kazan's films and other social dramas from the era (The Graduate immediately comes to find), there are several scenes where background sounds and voices are either amplified or dulled down to create a disorienting or stressful atmosphere for at least one specific character, and this effective technique works exactly as intended. Otherwise, though, it's a fairly straightforward but nonetheless satisfying presentation with well-prioritized dialogue, effects, and original music by composer David Amram -- not exactly my favorite score in film history, but certainly true to the era.

Splendor in the Grass Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with vintage poster-themed cover art and two bonus features.

• Elia Kazan: A Director's Journey (75:26) - This solid 1995 retrospective piece, written and directed by noted producer Richard Schickel, features narration by actor Eli Wallach and is primarily composed of Kazan speaking candidly about his body of work rather than the usual parade of "talking head" friends and colleagues. He's open and honest throughout, from his regular use of liberal social themes to giving credit to regular contributors such as playwright William Inge. It's a solid effort that fans will enjoy and, as usual, also serves as a pretty great entry point for newer fans that will likely make them want to seek out more films by the late director.

• Original Theatrical Trailer (3:59) - This lengthy promotional piece can also be seen here.

Splendor in the Grass Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Elia Kazan's frank, ferocious, and often brutally melodramatic Splendor in the Grass still has the power to devastate unsuspecting audiences more than six decades later, and it'll be remembered for more than just a career-altering lead performance by Natalie Wood and the on-screen debut of Warren Beatty. One of the earliest standouts from a crowded decade of increasingly social-conscious productions, it's well worth a watch assuming viewers are up to the challenge. Warner Archive's long-awaited Blu-ray features a striking new 4K-sourced restoration, terrific lossless audio, and a lengthy retrospective celebrating the work of its late, great director. Very Highly Recommended.