Il mare d'erba

Famously disowned by director Elia Kazan, "Sea of Grass" is western-drama set against the struggles between the cattleman and the farmers as the great-plains (the titular sea of grass) was opened up to homesteading. St. Louis society girl Lutie Cameron (Katherine Hepburn) leaves the city for an isolated cattle ranch run by Col. Jim Brewton (Spencer Tracy). The story, which is quite 'adult' for the time and genre, is driven by the consequences of Lutie's brief affair with local lawyer (and advocate for the sodbusters) Brice Chamberlain (Melvyn Douglas) and by the cultural upheaval caused by the fences and crops of the thousands of homesteaders flooding into what was the 'open range'. A-list twosome Tracy and Hepburn are quite good, as is the rest of the cast, especially Edgar Buchanan (familiar to boomers as "Uncle Joe" from 'Petticoat Junction' (1963)), who plays the Jeff the cook. The cinematography, such as the scenes of the vast plains of waving grass or the massive rock outcroppings (some of which was stock footage, some of which was shot for the film) are outstanding, although some of the backgrounds for studio shots are not particularly convincing (nor are the shots of a 'mounted' Tracy bobbing up and down in front of rear-projected cowboys). Neither trite nor maudlin, 'Sea of Grass' is an entertaining historical drama featuring one of Hollywood's most famous acting couples, and I'd recommend ignoring Kazan's suggestion and watch the film when you get a chance.