As aristocratic a romantic comedy as it gets in which Cary Grant, raised dirt poor as Archie Leach in Bristol, England, plays Earl Victor Rhyall, a British nobleman living in a salmon pink castle with his wife Lady Hilary Rhyall (played by Deborah Kerr). The palpable Grant-Kerr chemistry that made AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER (1957) such a success is here at play too and probably the chief factor that somewhat salvages this otherwise forgettable flick. The Rhyalls are a part of the British nobility but their finances could be better. In order to make ends meet, Hilary is raising mushrooms to sell and they allow bus loads of tourists to visit their castle for a fee. The unbelievable Plot Point 1 comes early in the film when Robert Mitchum (playing the brash American oil millionaire Charles Delacro), pretending he is a tourist who lost his way around the castle, walks into the private residence of the Rhyalls to express his adoration for Hilary. And surprisingly enough, Hilary returns his advances on the spot and within fifteen minutes of their first hello they are kissing in front of the Rhyall fireplace. Seconds later Victor walks into the room, thinking Charles is a photographer sent by a magazine. But soon he is up to speed with this unwanted intrusion to their privacy. Hilary-Charles romance charges full speed ahead when Hilary travels to London on the pretense of a hairdresser appointment. That's when Victor's old flame Hattie Durant (played by Jean Simmons) steps in trying to win Victor back. The tangled up cat's cradle of commitments, lies and betrayal among the fabulous four reaches its crescendo when Victor, instead of divorcing Hilary, decides to stand by his woman and invites Charles to an old fashioned duel. Victor gets wounded in the gun duel but later on it turns out he had instructed his butler Sellers to shoot him in the arm for some dramatic effect. Yet having proved the desperate extend to which he is ready to go to defend her wife, Victory wins back Hilary's heart. A harmless little rom-com with great acting by all four prominent stars and a story line that is not easy to believe in. Like many films which were adapted straight from successful stage plays in the 40s and the 50s, THE GRASS IS GREENER is also a very busy talking heads picture. Put it on mute and you'll miss 99% of it. A 6 out of 10, and another point for the great salmon pink castle. ------------------------------------------------------ |
