The 1978 movie Grease has a classic makeover plot and fun catchy songs, some of which were new for the screen adaptation as part of several things that were changed from the original stage musical. Written by Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs, the musical saw several versions performed in Chicago, New York City, and London following its debut in 1971. However, the story of innocent girl Sandy Dombrowski (changed to Sandy Olsson for the movie) meeting bad boy Danny Zuko has endured.
While there are many Grease movie characters, the love story between Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) and Danny (John Travolta) is the most popular part of the adaptation. The 1950s fashion, nostalgic settings like the Frosty Palace diner, and optimistic music provide the backdrop for this tale of falling in love and working through questions about identity. In both versions, Sandy feels more confident and Danny learns to be softer and more compassionate. When comparing the Grease movie adaptation to the stage musical that came before it, though, some things stand out.
The Musical Has A Harsher Tone And Different Songs
One of the biggest differences between the Grease musical and the 1978 movie is their tone. The characters swear a lot in the musical, and there are many sexual references. Since the movie has a PG rating, it makes sense that the dialogue was made more family-friendly and several of the dirty jokes were toned down. Even though the movie has a bubbly, hopeful feeling, however, the spirit of the original is still intact. This is especially true when it comes to Betty Rizzo (Stockard Channing), the tough member of the Pink Ladies who doesn't like showing her feelings.
The Grease soundtrack has several popular songs like "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "You're the One That I Want" and "We Go Together" that are from the original musical. The lyrics explain what the characters are going through, from Sandy's identity crisis to Rizzo's fear of possibly being pregnant. The musical also includes several songs that aren't carried over to the movie. One stand-out is "Alma Matter," which is sung at the Rydell High reunion, a scene not in the movie. Others include "Those Magic Changes" and "Freddy, My Love." Sandy shares her heartbreak in "It's Raining on Prom Night," but the movie still gets that emotion across.
The Movie Changes The Dance Scene And Adds A Car Race
The dance is a huge plot point in the Grease movie, especially since DJ Vince Fontaine (Edd Byrnes) is hosting National Bandstand, so the country can watch this high school milestone. The musical does feature a sock hop, but Sandy stays home, emotional about her messy relationship. Sandy attends the dance in the movie, though. While Olivia Newton-John was 29 while filming Grease, she had the whimsical sweetness necessary to portray a 17-year-old excited about a school dance but nervous about her dating life. The decision to include this scene was smart. The tension heats up between Sandy and Danny when Cha-Cha DiGregorio (Annette Charles) dances with Danny.
The 1978 Grease movie also sees Danny getting into a car and racing Leo Balmudo (Dennis Cleveland Stewart) when Kenickie (Jeff Conaway) can't, and Sandy is impressed with Danny's tough attitude and wants to be more like him. The musical has Sandy wear a tough, rebellious outfit for a scene at the Burger Palace, which allows her and Danny to set aside their differences and commit to each other. After Danny sings "Greased Lightin'" earlier in Grease, the car race offers a brave, adventurous way to wrap up the story.
The Beginning And Ending Are Different
The Grease musical also begins and ends the story in different ways. In the musical, it's the reunion of the Rydell High Class of 1959, and then the story focuses on the 1958-1959 school year when Sandy, Danny, and their friends are seniors. The adaptation omits the reunion aspect entirely.
The movie's opening shares that Danny and Sandy meet cute at the beach. Later, they realize that they're both attending the same high school, which complicates matters since Danny tries too hard to be cool. It's nice actually seeing the couple have fun and develop feelings for each other, and this adds more tension to their interactions throughout the movie. The opening scene intensifies how wrong Danny is to treat Sandy this way.
The musical and movie endings are different, too. The Grease movie ending features the famous scene of Sandy wearing a black leather outfit with curly hair and red lipstick. After Danny wins the race, during the school carnival, he and Sandy share that they've missed each other. The couple gets into the Greased Lightin' car, which actually flies. It's a strange, shocking ending, although it does offer up the happy ending required of this type of story.
The end of the Grease musical isn't as quirky and out of the box. At the end of the stage version, Sandy appears at the Burger Palace in her new outfit instead of at the race at Thunder Road. Sandy and Danny sing two songs, "You're The One That I Want" and "All Choked Up." The latter, which doesn't appear in the movie, sees the couple sharing how hard their separation has been: "Oh baby, take my heart and don't complain/My poor heart just can't stand the strain." The two friend groups get together to sing "We Go Together" after going to Roger's home to watch The Mickey Mouse Club.
Rizzo, the real hero of Grease, gets a proper ending in both the movie and the stage musical, albeit with different settings. In the musical, the characters spend time at Roger's house. In the movie, they're at school for their final day of classes. Rizzo and Kenickie get back together after she shares that she isn't actually pregnant. Rizzo feels hopeful for a future with Kenickie as they're the perfect couple since their tough exteriors hide that they're much kinder than they pretend. Rizzo and Kenickie's love story may not be the focus of the Grease musical or movie, but they experience as much growth as Sandy and Danny.