User reviews

This delightful film's script is a descendant of the sort of archly witty portrayals of British upper-class life that came from the pens of Somerset Maugham and Noel Coward (one of whose songs serves as musical lead-in, and at least one of whose tunes ["Mad About the Boy" - listen for it] serves as background music to comment on the action). The atmosphere of this sort of comedy may be a bit foreign to American tastes (the whole topic of infidelity is discussed in such a civilized and gentlemanly fashion among the parties- Stiff Upper Lip and all that - where Americans would be screaming at each other and going for weaponry) but as a devotee of British drama I enjoyed the movie hugely. It's a stellar cast - everyone shines, right down to Moray Watson in the small but delicious part of the befuddled butler Sellers. Jean Simmons is especially enjoyable in her out-of-character portrayal as the outspokenly vampish Hattie. Despite opinions below to the contrary, the incomparable Cary Grant fills the part of this down-at-the-heels English Lord like old brandy fills a crystal decanter. The sumptuous setting of the baronial manor and the high production values make the film beautiful to look at, to boot. (The fact that the unfortunate Lord is forced to open his manor to paying visitors to support his lifestyle is based on the historical truth of the confiscatory tax policies imposed on the British hereditary gentry by post-WWII Labor governments; everyone is entitled to their own opinions on these policies, but be assured the film makes no political comment).

It does stretch the imagination a tad that Victor could treat the whole issue of his wife's infidelity - going on right in front of his nose - in such a dispassionate manner, but that is a characteristic of this genre. Further, Grant manages to convince us that, beneath his outer imperturability, his wife's disloyalty has pained him deeply and he could not stand to lose her.

This is a not-well-known film, and its appeal might be a bit specialized, but I think it's a minor gem. And I could not omit mentioning the charming opening credits with their bevy of delightfully cavorting babies.

This is one of the films Stanley Donen directed during his long sojourn in England. His previous one with Cary Grant, "Indiscreet," also starred Ingrid Bergman, and the two of them repeated their impeccable chemistry from "Notorious" ten years earlier in a very romantic and yet sophisticated comedy. "The Grass Is Greener" is, if anything, more sophisticated, almost stultifyingly so. It's obviously based on a stage play, fitted out with a handful of cinematic tricks that stick out like sore thumbs.

This cast could do no wrong, as far as I'm concerned, and they just about manage to make it work. Robert Mitchum is probably miscast, but he doesn't let it show, and his scenes with Deborah Kerr (the two of them made many films together and enjoyed one another's company) work beautifully. Cary Grant is impeccable, as always, although I can't help thinking that this really is Rex Harrison territory. And Jean Simmons is delightful - she really is a fairly underrated actress. Moray Watson also shines as the butler.

One question: why didn't the doctor every show up? (You have to watch the movie to the end to find out what I mean.)

The Grass Is Greener is directed by Stanley Donen and stars Cary Grant, Robert Mitchum, Deborah Kerr & Jean Simmons. It's adapted by Hugh Williams & Margaret Vyner from the play of the same name which they had both written and found success with in London's West End. Music is by Noel Coward and Christopher Challis is the cinematographer.

Struggling financially, the Earl & Countess of Rhyall (Grant & Kerr) start giving tours around their stately mansion. Enter Charles Delacro (Mitchum) & Hattie Durant (Simmons), whose appearance at the mansion sets in motion the wheels of love, jealousy and machismo fuelled duelling.

Considered too talky on its release, The Grass Is Greener, it's fair to say, is more for those who are either into the star wattage on offer, or for those who are romantics at heart. Upon first viewing the film doesn't appear to have much in the way of comedy, in fact when Grant is either off screen or out of ear shot there's a hole as big as the implausibility factor in the plot. However, further viewings (well listenings really) reveal a sharper script than the one critics gave credit for back in the day. There's plenty of "nudge nudge" winkery going on, while the portrayals of the rich American & British characters (could they get any more polar opposite than Grant & Mitchum?) has a nice glint in the eye to them.

On the cast front, Grant is as smooth and classy as he always is, with his sometimes undervalued comedy timing here in full force. Kerr & Simmons look attractive, with the latter benefiting greatly from some outrageously punky Dior costumes. While Mitchum, tho no master of comedy, works his laconic low tone charm to great effect off of Grant's well spoken aristo verbality. However, look away from the big four heading the cast and you find much comedy value in Moray Watson as the Butler. He, along with Challis' photography inside of the house, are arguably the stars of the show. A fine film for the patient to enjoy, even if it's not the masterpiece that its cast list suggests it should be. 7/10

Most points have already been made - a sub Noel Cowardesque script but still stands up as light entertainment. (Maybe my age is showing). Supposedly set in the country but actually filmed at Osterley Park under the flight path to Heathrow airport!!! I am not sure that the outdoor shots could be filmed there today with all that noise! Anyway - it still looks good!

Google:- National Trust UK Osterley Park

I have some snaps of the livestock munching away in its the fields but I guess a herd of cattle, horses or a flock of water fowl looks much the same another somewhere else. Worth a trip if you have the time (but it sure costs a lot more than "a half-crown" nowadays!!!)

There is a glittering cast (Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum and Jean Simmons), a witty script and beautiful scenes of the English countryside in superb colour. So why is this film so flat? Whether it is a movie, a play or a novel one has to believe in the characters. Unfortunately Cary Grant is not believable as an English lord. Deborah Kerr is not believable as an unfaithful wife. Robert Mitchum is believable as an American tourist but , seemed uncomfortable in the role. When he walked into the private apartments of Lord and Lady Ryall in their Stately home he looked as if he should have been walking into a Chicago speakeasy. Only Jean Simmons seemed to fit her part. It was a funny script which was wasted. Still, anything with Cary Grant in it is worth watching. See what you think.

Drawing room comedies seem to be a thing of the past. Their demise was apparently one reason Cary Grant decided to thin down his late career: his kind of parts just weren't being written anymore.

By the time this film version of a stage hit came out in 1960, the genre had just about run its course.

How fortunate to have four full-fledged stars take on the leading roles. What is Robert Mitchum doing in an English castle, interacting with "upper class royalty"?

For one thing, he plays a Texas millionaire--an impressive entree most places. Then, the rest of the cast are all transported Brits, so long established in America as to be de facto Americans. They can still deliver their clipped English lines, thought, with great flair.

("So, now you're a millionare, and I'm growing mushrooms . . . oh well, that's the way the world wags.")

Deborah Kerr is bright and vulnerable, Jean Simmons, pert and sophisticated, Robert Mitchum, cool and crafty, and Cary Grant urbane and witty. It's fun to see this quartet trading double entendres and quaint quips.

Stanley Donnen does his best with a stagy script, relying on his experienced cast to carry off the humor and action. It succeeds nicely, and its downright fun to follow their stylish jousts.

Tea, brandy, or champagne?

This is a cracking film! A top notch script and a fantastic cast combined to create a funny, moving film that seems to have been overlooked by most. Cary Grant is always worth watching, and the entire leading cast made this an easy film to like. I didn't find this film flat at all; I found the screen sparkled with the interplay and the script. A fine film; catch it on the telly if you see it on!

Lord Cary Grant and Lady Deborah Kerr as nobility have fallen on hard times and now they show their fabulous estate off to the tourists for pin money. One of those tourists is American millionaire Robert Mitchum who thinks the best sight he's seen is Kerr. He sweeps her off her feet and her marriage is put in danger.

Cary's not going to take this lying down and Mitchum is invited to the estate for the weekend. Along for the ride is Jean Simmons, a friend of Grant's and Kerr who wouldn't mind getting Cary on the rebound. It's quite a weekend.

Cary Grant and I assume Deborah Kerr's parts according the recent biography of Robert Mitchum were originally intended for Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall. When Kendall died, Harrison dropped out. Cary Grant's part probably would have been better in Harrison's hands. But you can't say that Grant didn't learn a lesson. He was widely quoted as saying after he turned down My Fair Lady that he wouldn't even by a ticket to see the film of Harrison didn't play Henry Higgins.

Simmons does come off the best in this comedy of manners. She's full of wisecracks and is no hypocrite about her life.

You know when you think about it the same premise was used for Sleuth with much more serious overtones. It's sometimes a small margin between comedy and drama.

Not the best work that any of this talented quartet has done.

A clever sophisticated script with double meaning dialogues make this film so very enjoyable. The first 20 minutes are rather slow, but soon enough it picks up momentum Grant, Kerr and Simmons are great as expected. Mitchum is miscast.

Royal British couple down on its luck raises funds by giving tours of its castle. It's fun watching the star quartet in this light comedy, amiably directed by Donen, who was right at home in this sort of material. It features some witty dialog that the stars deliver effortlessly. What keeps it from being better is that it is a bit too talky and stagy and it takes a while to really get going. The finale featuring a duel between Grant and Mitchum over Kerr is funny. Simmons seems to be having a ball in the role of a divorced woman in heat. Also amusing is Watson as the butler. Parental Warning: The opening credits include nudity!

While some parts of this movie from 1960 will make someone in 2000 cringe, the fine job by the four stars, (and also Moray Walters as Sellers, the butler) makes this a movie worth seeing. Jean Simmons, in particular, is a joy to watch in her role as Hattie. Watch it for the cast and the fine job they do playing off each other.

I first watched TGIG about a year ago, as a Cary Grant fan and ONLY a Cary Grant fan, and I positively hated it, and when I saw it was coming up on TV again I just ignored the listing. Then, two days beforehand, I for some odd reason watched a Deborah Kerr documentary (odd as I'm not a fan of hers) and they showed two small clips from TGIG, and I straight away knew that I had to give the film a second chance!

The first 15 minutes or so started off rather slow, but once Jean Simmons graces the screen, you won't want to switch off! As a Cary Grant fan, I must nobly admit that he doesn't really do much for this film. His role, while not bad, is just a bit bland and not up to the calibre of other roles he has played. So it's a nice touch to have him there, but really it could have been any fella. The real star of the show was definitely Simmons, making Hattie by far the best character. She's sly and witty and can't help making every second comment naughty; she's oh so terribly frightfully grand dahling, very cheeky, exceedingly silly, and plays off Kerr so well with the air-kisses and light banter. The funniest scene in the film was by far the one right near the end where Kerr holds up Simmons at gun-point to get her to take the mink coat off!

Oddly though, the scene that I saw on the documentary, the split-screen phonecall, was not in the movie. The phone scene was there, they were all speaking at the same time, but it wasn't done split-screen style. A little odd!

Overall, this is a fine treat for any Jean Simmons fans. I kept thinking Ingrid Bergman might have been a better choice than Kerr, possibly following on from the lovely Indiscreet. But the guy playing Sellers the Butler - he was wonderful! And don't forget the old saying, because sometimes the Butler DID do it...

If your middle age (45-65) and reasonable educated or intelligent you will enjoy this quick witted movie The acting is great and humorous. The story is true to life for most couples at this stage in there lives & marriage (mid life crisis)

Enjoyable cast and often deliciously witty dialogue succeed enlivening this otherwise rather static comedy. It can't shake off its staginess, which results in occasional moments of slight weariness, but for the most part, "The Grass Is Greener" is classy and quite entertaining. There are some splendid scenes between the four leading actors that make you smile. Really big laughs aren't guaranteed, but the film leaves an overall good feeling.

I first saw this film at the age of 14 and although obsessed with films and film stars from an early age,I remember feeling quite cheated on leaving the cinema. Having forced myself to sit through it again some 60 years later. I can only echo all of the above negative comments and have hastily thrown my DVD copy out with the garbage.

In order to restore my admiration for all four miscast stars I will need to watch their respective favourites of mine ; Cary Grant ("Houseboat"),Deborah Kerr ("The King and I"),Robert Mitchum("River of No Return") and finally, Jean Simmons (''Until They Sail"). They must have all regretted taking part in "The Grass is Greener".

Fine, funny and recommended. It has its weak points, the storyline is the least important with these fine actors and brilliant direction. Cary Grant and Jean Simmons' first scene together is absolutely wonderful. Deborah Kerr is also good; Robert Mitchum, maybe intentionally, is a bit of an odd player here. Familiar to the Grant-Ingrid Bergman split-screen telephone scene in Donen's Indiscreet, there's an adorable scene with all four leading actors here. Very very nice.