Facts You Didn’t Know About The Movie Grease

You may have heard of the Grease movie, a film adaptation of the 1971 musical. If you know me, then you know that I love coming of age shows and movies, and this movie fits the bill just fine. Starring John Travolta as Danny and Olivia Newton-John as Sandy, rough terrain ensues a passionate relationship during the 50s.

I had always loved watching the Grease movie as a kid as much as I do now. The plot is that fate brought two people together during a summer spent on the beach. By coincidence, they both end up in the same high school during senior year. Reputations and hurt feelings get between the two of them causing friction.

The Plot

Grease is an American classic that has captivated its fans for more than four decades. Based in the 1950s, the film centers on two high school students, Danny and Sandy, who fall for each other during the summer and have to withstand the hard times of high school dramas as well as peer pressures to remain together.

In the movie, we see Danny Zuko, who is the leader of the T-Birds gang, and Sandy Olsson as a new student from Australia sharing a summer fling at the beach. They separate by the end of summer, with Danny vowing to see Sandy in the following school term. All this excitement goes for naught when Sandy’s parents decide to remain in America, so she is forced into the same high school as Danny.

When the school is opened again and students return, Danny, who has been cool, tough, and confident among his peers, is back to being himself, while Sandy is the sweet little new girl. The two search for their identities in the high school chain of command; Danny as the ultimate T-Birds member and Sandy as the Pink Ladies associate, where all this craziness culminates in the gang’s first recognition of one another.

The movie’s main theme is the conflict between Danny and Sandy trying to hold on to each other against the pressures of their own social set. Concerned about his reputation, Danny attempts to dismiss his summer romance with Sandy by pretending not to care about her at all. Conversely, Sandy, who is deeply hurt by Danny’s actions, decides that she should change herself so she can fit in with the Pink Ladies.

The movie not only focuses on the relationship problems but also tracks the lives of their acquaintances such as Rizzo, the leader of the Pink Ladies, and Kenickie, who is Danny’s best friend. Rizzo was described as a tough girl who pretends to be strong to mask her weakness, while Kenickie had been presented as a bad boy with a secret crush on Rizzo.

Danny and Sandy’s love story has its share of ups and downs as they face a series of challenges, from the high school prom where Danny dances with another girl instead of Sandy to the car race in which he strives to show off his manliness to friends. Yet ultimately, their love triumphs, and they choose to stay with each other even if their peers disapprove.

A final scene in the movie that stands out as one of the most memorable is when Danny and Sandy make up their differences and sing the famous hit song “You’re the One That I Want” right in front of all their classmates. This scene is symbolic of their success against societal pressures and, at the same time, staying true to themselves and loving each other.

Unlike the love story between the boy Danny and the girl Sandy, Grease is a reflection of certain social norms and psychological environments of the 1950s. Its themes include teenage rebellion, peer pressure, and the pressure to fit into society’s mold. The film also demonstrates how it is vital to stay true to oneself and avoid being influenced by what others say or do.

But you know what? Nobody watches the Grease movie or musical solely for the plot. What draws you to the film is the fantastic music. Some may not be a fan of musicals, however the quirky nature suits the 50s theme well. Many of the songs are fantastic hits and are incredibly memorable. If that is not reason enough, Sandy in Grease is gorgeous. The lyrics, costumes and dresses set the mood perfectly as well.

Facts About Grease

Grease has long been considered one of the all-time greatest musicals. However, have you ever wondered about some of its untold secrets and trivia behind the scenes? This article reveals some hidden facts about the movie Grease.

• A stage musical in 1971 with the same title inspired the movie that followed the writer’s high school years in Chicago during the 1950s. There were many cuts and changes made to the songs for the movie adaptation, but in general, it was quite a bit darker and dirtier than how it appeared on screen.
• The actors who portrayed the teenage characters in Grease were far older than the ages their roles demanded, John Travolta was 23 years old, Olivia Newton-John was 28 years old, and Stockard Channing was 33 years old. The oldest actor among them in the film was Dennis Stewart, who played Leo, the head of the Scorpions – the enemy gang. He was thirty-seven.
• The movie was shot in California and not in Chicago, where the story is set. Some of the locations that were used are Venice High School, Huntington Park High School, and Leo Carrillo State Beach. The scene of the carnival at the end of the movie had been filmed at John Marshall High School located in Los Feliz.
• In the end scene, Olivia Newton-John was sewn into the black pants, as they did not fit her properly. Additionally, a corset was used to create an hourglass figure. The pair of pants had initially been bought from a second-hand store for a dollar before being eventually sold at an auction for $162,500 in 2019.
• The musical “Grease” did not initially include the song “You’re the One That I Want”; it was added later by the producer to showcase Newton-John’s pop vocals. It was composed in a rush and recorded, but still became a hit, one of the best ever for that movie. The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold over six million copies across the globe.

Take the sweet 50s theme, add some awesome music and a dash of humor and you have a solid hit on your hands. When I would watch this on VHS as a kid, it was the cropped “pan-scan” that would destroy much of the movie. Lucky for you, the movie is now available in its original widescreen format (affiliate link) which makes it worth every second of your time to watch it.