This is a rather simple film that would seem mundane today, but it is still a fascinating watch.
Bud Stamper (Warren Beatty, in his film debut) and Deanie Loomis (the always great Natalie Wood) are very much in love but given that it is 1928 Kansas, they have to control their urges, which nearly ruins both of them.
Bud's father, Ace (Pat Hingle) has sunk all his hopes and dreams into Bud who just wants to ranch and Deanie has a mental breakdown after another classmate nearly assaults her and spends two years in a mental hospital. Fortunately, both end up content, if not happy in the end, though their path to the end isn't easy.
Now, while the plot might be trite, the film remains timely, anchored by the superb performances from Wood and Beatty, she was Oscar-nominated, he was not. But the atmosphere of the film is also great and the costumers are also great. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-The conversation Deanie's mother (Audrey Christie) has with her daughter is especially sad and painful, saying that nice girls don't have sex and that the only reason she let her husband near her was to have a child.
-Another disturbing scene is when Bud pushes Deanie onto her knees and declare her love for him. He does apologize for this but it was upsetting nonetheless.
-Bud's father truly is a bully.
-When Bud finally does get married, he wears a wedding ring while his father never did.
-Bud's sister (Barbara Loden) is portrayed as a floozy but she's actually just comfortable with herself.
-Deanie's eventual fiancé, John (Charles Robinson) has a breakdown due to not being able to become a surgeon, but what I don't understand is how he ends up in Kansas when he's from Cincinnati.
-Bud didn't know what a pizza is until Angelina (Zohra Lampert) shows him, in a scene that could have been a lot more romantic.
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