The Grass is Greener (1960)

The Grass Is Greener (1960) is a genteel romantic comedy with a razor-sharp wit and a star-studded cast, wrapped in a quintessentially British setting. Directed by Stanley Donen, best known for musicals like Singin’ in the Rain and Funny Face, this film adapts a popular stage play by Hugh Williams and Margaret Vyner into a charming yet subtly subversive film that examines marriage, fidelity, and class with elegant humour.

Set in a crumbling English country estate, the film showcases an unusual romantic quadrangle among aristocrats and wealthy Americans, and it thrives on clever dialogue, refined performances, and a tone that oscillates between farce and drawing-room comedy. Though less flashy than some of Donen’s other works, The Grass Is Greener offers a mature, character-driven narrative anchored by screen legends Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, and Jean Simmons.

Plot Summary

Earl Victor Rhyall (Cary Grant) and his wife, Hilary (Deborah Kerr), live in an enormous but financially strained English manor. In order to maintain their ancestral home, the couple opens it to the public for paid tours—a symbol of the erosion of the British aristocracy's traditional power and wealth.

During one such tour, a brash and wealthy American oil tycoon named Charles Delacro (Robert Mitchum) wanders off and encounters Hilary. Their flirtation rapidly develops into an affair. Hilary is both amused and genuinely tempted by Charles’s directness, charm, and contrast to her refined, somewhat passive husband.

Upon discovering the affair, Victor, with quiet dignity, decides to fight for his wife—but in a characteristically English way. He invites Charles to stay at the estate and even allows the romantic rivalry to play out with civility, culminating in an absurdly polite but deadly serious duel.

Meanwhile, Jean Simmons steals scenes as Hattie Durant, Victor's witty and flirtatious old flame, who offers her own commentary on love, propriety, and loyalty.

Themes and Tone

At its core, The Grass Is Greener is a sophisticated meditation on love, marriage, and the unspoken tensions within long-term relationships. The film challenges the idea of marital complacency, exploring how comfort can give way to emotional stagnation—and how a sudden disruption can reignite passion or drive people apart.

Despite these serious undercurrents, the tone is largely comedic, if dry and restrained. Much of the humor derives from British understatement, the absurdity of social conventions, and the characters' refusal to openly acknowledge emotional turmoil.

There’s also a class commentary woven throughout: the noble couple must sell off their privacy to preserve their status; the American represents new money, audacity, and individualism; the British characters embody restraint, stoicism, and tradition. Yet the film doesn’t ridicule any of its players—rather, it gently satirizes everyone, showing affection even in critique.

Cast and Performances

Cary Grant as Victor Rhyall

Grant delivers one of his most understated and elegant performances as the aristocratic Earl. He eschews his usual slick charm in favor of something more subdued and melancholy. Victor is witty, self-deprecating, and heartbreakingly dignified, especially as he contemplates losing his wife. Grant’s timing is impeccable, and his ability to blend sophistication with emotional vulnerability is key to the film’s appeal.

Deborah Kerr as Hilary Rhyall

Kerr plays the conflicted countess with nuance and warmth. Her portrayal of Hilary is intelligent, sensual, and emotionally resonant. She embodies the central conflict: a woman whose love for her husband is deeply rooted but who finds herself intrigued by the spark offered by another man. Kerr brings grace and realism to what could have been a thankless role in less capable hands.

Robert Mitchum as Charles Delacro

Mitchum’s casting as the romantic American interloper might seem odd, given his background in noir and action films, but he proves surprisingly adept at romantic comedy. With laconic charm and a twinkle in his eye, Mitchum makes Charles bold but never boorish. He’s a fish out of water in the British setting, but that only enhances his disruptive appeal.

Jean Simmons as Hattie Durant

Simmons arguably steals the film. As Hattie, she glides through scenes with breezy wit, sarcastic wisdom, and impeccable comic timing. She acts as both a narrative catalyst and a Greek chorus, offering biting commentary while lightly stirring the pot. Her flirtation with Charles adds another layer to the romantic web.

Direction and Cinematography

Stanley Donen directs with a delicate, assured hand. The pacing is intentionally deliberate, echoing the measured tempo of English high society. Unlike his more exuberant musicals, The Grass Is Greener relies on verbal repartee and emotional subtlety rather than visual spectacle.

The cinematography by Christopher Challis captures the grandeur and decline of British aristocracy beautifully. The stately home is a character in itself—majestic yet fading, filled with relics of a proud past and the shadows of compromise.

Screenplay and Dialogue

Adapted by the original playwrights, the screenplay maintains the play’s theatrical roots with long, dialogue-heavy scenes and carefully structured interactions. The humor is dry, intelligent, and frequently barbed. Many of the film’s best moments come not from action, but from the characters’ ability to exchange loaded words with a smile.

Here’s a taste of the film’s tone:

Victor (to Charles): "You have the morals of a rabbit and the manners of a peasant."

Charles: "And I still beat you at billiards."

Such exchanges exemplify the film’s sharp wit, where restraint serves as a form of battle strategy, and duels of words carry as much tension as duels of pistols.

Music and Production Design

Noël Coward provides the music, which—though not particularly memorable—is suitably refined and helps reinforce the film’s elegant tone.

The production design captures the opulence of an old-world estate contrasted against its creeping decay. There's a sense of faded glory throughout, reinforcing the film's underlying theme of changing times and the fragility of tradition.

Critical and Audience Reception

Upon its release, The Grass Is Greener received a polite, if not overwhelming, reception. Critics admired its intelligence and wit, though some felt the film was too slow or stagebound. American audiences, in particular, were divided—some found the film’s understated British humor too subdued compared to Hollywood's broader comedies.

However, over time, the film has gained appreciation as a showcase for four major stars at the height of their powers and as a finely crafted drawing-room comedy. Its themes of marital ennui, temptation, and quiet redemption have aged well, offering insights still relevant in contemporary relationships.

Conclusion

The Grass Is Greener is an elegant, mature romantic comedy that combines charm, intelligence, and wistful insight into love and fidelity. Buoyed by a powerhouse cast, it is a film of manners, restraint, and simmering emotion. Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr are sublime as a couple navigating the delicate cracks in their marriage, while Robert Mitchum and Jean Simmons inject the perfect amount of disruption and mischief.

For fans of classic cinema, particularly British comedies of manners, The Grass Is Greener is a gentle treasure—less a laugh-out-loud farce than a wry, well-aged bottle of wine best appreciated for its quiet complexity and dry humor. It’s a film that suggests, with grace and wisdom, that while the grass may seem greener elsewhere, love that endures—with a little wit and forgiveness—is often the richest of all.