Grease is based on the long running Broadway hit show. It was made into a film in 1978. Through the years there were many revivals of this Broadway show.
This movie starts out at the end of summer in the late 50's on a beach where we see two teenagers frolicking and who are in love. Sandy Olsen who is from Australia is played by Olivia Newton John, is on vacation with her parents in the States. That summer, she fell in love with Danny Zuko, played by John Travolta, a local boy. Sandy tells Danny that she is worried they may never see each other again and this could be the end of their relationship. He tells her no it is only the beginning. This is when we hear the song “Grease” play.
Next it is the first day of school at Rydell High. Sonny (Michael Tucci), Doody (Barry Pearl) and Putzie (Kelly Ward) arrive first and they run into Kenickie (Jeff Conaway) and asked where he has been all summer. He tells them, “I was working so he can buy some wheels.” They make fun of him for working. Next they see Danny talking to some girl. We see that it is the same Danny that was on the beach with Sandy only now he has his leather T-Bird Jacket on just like the other guys do. They ask Danny where he was. He tells them that he was hanging out at the beach. They asked Danny if he met anyone. He does tell them he did meet a girl but doesn't tell them many details yet.
Then we see Sandy, who family decided to stay in the US. She now lives next door to Frenchy (Didi Conn). They arrive at school. Sandy is worried that she may not fit in and is missing her school back in Australia.
The next to arrive is Rizzo (Stockard Channing) driving her pink Cadillac. In her car is also Marty (Dinah Manoff) and Jan (Jamie Donnelly) They are known as the Pink Ladies.
Meanwhile in the Principal McGee’s Office (Eve Arden) she asks her secretary Blanche (Dodi Goodman) if she knows where this years schedules are. Blanche says yes as she is licking her sticky fingers. The Principal tells her that they are from last year. There are teachers who walk in the office already complaining about the school and the kids they have in the class. Sandy walks in and the Principal asks if she needs help. She said yes it is her first day and she isn't sure she knows where to go. Principal McGee hands her some forms to fill out then leaves to stop a fight in the hall. Sandy asks Blanche for a pencil and it is sticky too.
The bell for the first class rings but The T-Birds are still in the hall. Sonny says all the teachers he has this year has already flunk him at least once. Putzi said he should be careful or he will wind up in the Principal office. Sonny says he is not scared of the Principal and will stand up to her this year. Just then they run into the Principal who asks Sonny if he should be in homeroom. He stubbles and doesn’t really say much. She threatens to punish him.
Now everyone is in class and the Principal comes over the loudspeaker playing the school song and then gives her morning announcements. As she is talking Kenickie plays a joke on Patty Simcox (Susan Buckner) and puts a frog in her purse. She finds it and screams. The Principal tells the school that the TV show National Bandstand will do a live broadcast from the school. The school cheers.
At lunch, Frenchy introduces Sandy to the rest of the Pink Ladies. As they are talking Patty Simcox comes over to say she is running for student council and hands them all cards. They each dispose of the cards in the own unique way. Then Patty notices Sandy and introduces herself telling Sandy she should try out for cheerleading so they can become life long friends. As Sandy is talking to Patty, Frenchy asks Rizzo what she thinks of Sandy and if she could be a Pink Lady. Rizzo thinks Sandy is too pure to be a Pink Lady.
The T-birds are having lunch on bleachers at the football field making fun of the athletes . They notice that Putzi is laying down looking up some girl’s skirt and call him out on it. The girl runs away. They all want to know more about the girl Danny met at the beach last summer. He begins to tell him. The Pink Ladies ask Sandy what she did in the summer. She tells them about the nice boy she met. They all sing “Summer Nights” While walking back to class Rizzo wants to know the name of this boy. Sandy tell her it is Danny Zuko and is unaware that they all know him.
Later that week, at the pep rally Sandy who is now a cheerleader is sitting and flirting with Tom (Lorenzo Lamas) while Coach Calhoun (Sid Caesar) is trying to rally the players into finally winning this season. Then we see T-Birds making fun of the cheerleaders while Kenickie drives up in the car he bought. This car is a piece of junk. He tells them they will fix it up in auto class and he can race it on Thunder Road. They spot their rivals The Scorpions drive by and wonder why. As the rally is ending the Pink Ladies catch Sandy and tell her they have a surprise for her. Rizzo in her evil ways show Sandy that the boy she met at the beach is here at the school knowing that Danny doesn't act the same way at school. While he is happy to see Sandy he knows he has to be cool in front of his friends, The T-birds leaving Sandy heartbroken and confused. She runs off and Frenchy goes after her. Frenchy invites Sandy back to her house because the Pink Ladies are having a sleepover party.
The girls get to know one another at the sleepover. They offer Sandy a cigarette at first she refuses but does try one and gets sick. Then Rizzo shows the girls the wine she has with her. They offer Sandy some but she says no. They make fun saying they don't have cooties then Sandy tries some. Frenchy offers to pierce Sandy’s ear but she says no but Frenchy does anyway. She brings Sandy into the bathroom so blood doesn't get all over the bedroom. Meanwhile Marty is showing off the present one of her many military boyfriends sent her. She also shows off the photos of all of them. Frenchy comes out of the bathroom and says Sandy is very sick and threw up. Then Rizzo starts making fun of how pure Sandy is. They sing “Look at me I am Sandra Dee” Then Sandy comes out of the bathroom and sees that they are making fun of her and is sad.
The T-Birds stop by the party. The girls hear them. Rizzo gets dressed and climbs out the window to go with T-Birds because she wants some action. Danny leaves. Kenickie offers Rizzo a ride. As they are leaving the house, Kenickie stops shorts and tells the rest of the guys to get out of the car because he wants to be alone with Rizzo.
Back at the party Marty is on the bed writing to her boyfriends. Sandy asks for some paper because she wants to write to Danny. She goes outside and sings “Hopelessly Devoted to You.”
Rizzo and Kenickie are parked where everyone parks to make out. Rizzo asks Kenickie if he has protection. He said yes and pulls out a condom from his wallet only to find out it is old and useless. It doesn't stop them. While they are in the car, Leo, (Dennis Stewart) the leader of The Scorpions and Cha Cha (Annette Charles) pull up in his car and bang into Kenickie’s car. Leo says, “This is a no parking zone.” Kenickie tells him it is all a no parking zone. Leo drives away.
The next day at school during auto shop class the boys dream of what Kenickie’s car can be. They sing “Greased Lighting” They begin to work on his car.
Danny and Kenickie go to the diner to meet up with their friends. Danny sees that Sandy is on a date with Tom. Sandy sees that Danny is jealous. She asks Tom for some money for the jukebox. She passes Danny and the other T-birds. Danny then gets up and goes the other way to the jukebox so he can talk to Sandy without anyone seeing him. He tries to apologize to her about how he behaved at the bonfire. Tells her that he has an image to uphold. She says that is what she likes about Tom that he is a simple person. He makes fun of Tom. She asks Danny if he is jealous. He says, “No he can run circles around Tom.” She says, “She will believe when she sees it.”
Danny goes to see Coach Calhoon because he wants to join a sport. The Coach tries to find Danny a sport he is good at. They decided that Track is the best because there is no contact with anyone. While Danny is running he trips over the hurdle. Sandy who was talking to Tom see Danny fall. She runs over to Danny to see if he is okay. Danny won’t talk to her. She says he should talk to her because he has treated her so badly. Danny said he has already tried to apologize to her. She laughs and say see I got you talking to me. Danny asks if Tom is taking her to the big school dance. Sandy says it depends if Danny will be taking her. He says that Tom can go stag.
Danny and Sandy go to the diner. Danny rushes Sandy in to the restaurant so that none of his friends see that he is with Sandy but they get caught anyway. One by one they all come over to the table. Rizzo is mad that she has a lot of hickeys. Kenickie says, “A hickey from Kenickie is like a Hallmark card. When you care enough to send the very best.” Then one by one everyone they leaves. Danny and Sandy leave, leaving Rizzo, Kenickie and Frenchy at the table. Rizzo and Kenickie have a argument and Rizzo throws a milkshake at him getting some on Frenchy. She apologizes to her before she storms off. Then Kenickie goes after Rizzo leaving Frenchy alone in the diner. Vi (Joan Blondell) the waitress come over to clean up the table and talks to Frenchy. Frenchy who is wearing a scarf on her head takes it off to clean it reveals she has accidentally dyed her hair bright pink. This shocks Vi. She lets Vi know she was kicked out of Beauty School. After Vi leaves with the dirty dishes Frenchy is day dreaming that Frankie Avalon is singing some advice to her with the song “Beauty School Drop Out.” Frenchy knows she can go back to regular high school.
The morning of the dance Rizzo and Marty are in the school parking lot wondering who will be their dates to the dance. Just then Leo of the Scorpions pulls up. Rizzo and Marty get in the car and drive away. Kenickie is talking with his friends and they ask who he is bringing. He said the hottest girl at the dance.
Everyone arrives at the dance. Rizzo and Marty walking in with Leo then Kenickie walks in with Cha Cha. Sandy and Danny come to the dance and Kenickie calls him over to meet his date but Danny already knows her. Sandy asks how. He says it is just a girl he knows. Marty is over by the side of the stage when she runs into the host of National Bandstand, Vince Fontaine (Edd Brynes) who starts hitting on her. Then the he is called on stage to start the show. First Principal McGee and Coach Calhoun come on stage give the rules. They say to keep the dance moves clean. When the cameras started rolling everyone gathers around. All the waitresses at the diner are watching the regular customers on the show. You will see a cameo appearance by John Travolta’s real life sister Ellen Travolta. She plays one of the waitresses at the diner.
As the dance contest starts Danny and Sandy are dancing together. Then as Kenickie and his date get kicked out of the contest this makes Cha Cha made because she wants to win. She enlist Sonny to get rid of Sandy. Then Cha Cha moves in on Danny and they win the contest. Sandy runs out of the dance crying. Sonny, Putzie and Doody make a surprise move for the cameras.
The next night they all wind up at the drive-in. Rizzo and Marty are in the bathroom and Marty ask Rizzo what is wrong with her. She tells Marty that she is pregnant but not to tell anyone. Yet on the way out of the crowded bathroom Marty tells everyone to get out of the way because there is a pregnant lady trying to walk. Rizzo is made. Then Kenicke enters the drive-in and lets the other T-Birds out of his trunk. By the time Rizzo and Marty have passed him Kenickie finds out Rizzo is pregnant with his baby because everyone is whispering about it. Rizzo tells him he doesn't have to worry about it.
Danny and Sandy are alone in his car. He is trying to take off his school ring to give it Sandy but it gets stuck so he rubs his hand in his greasy hair and pulls on the ring but hits Sandy’s boob. Then he gives the ring to Sandy who says that she now knows that he respects her. This doesn't make him happy because he thought he could go further with her. Then he tries to make a move on her but she gets mad and walks out of the car. Danny doesn’t understand her and sings “Sandy.”
At school, Kenickie’s car is fixed up to race. Rizzo is watching them from afar when Sandy approaches her. Sandy tells if there is anything Rizzo needs she will help her. Rizzo at first is snippy but then thanks Sandy and says she can handle anyone that comes along. After Sandy walks away, Rizzo sings “There are Worse Things I Could Do.”
Want to see what happens next you will have to watch the movie...
Grease Movie
If you like the music you should buy the soundtrack.
Grease Soundtrack
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