Randal Kleiser was recommended to direct this film by its star John Travolta, who had previously worked with him on a teleplay. Kleiser would go on to direct the classic romantic-comedy to great success at the box office, and it still exists as a classic film triumph.
Kleiser, as one can see was able to translate his skills from the small to big screen. We see this clearly in the action at the diner where Danny & Sandy are trying to hide from all their friends with a couple of menus. They obviously don't succeed and the crew begins to gather around them. Kleiser shoots this with each person around the table become the next segment of a leading line that pushes the viewer's eyes into the larger area of the dining room and with the addition of the cast filling in the open space it keeps the action tight to where the kids are. The scene is vibrant and utilizes a great deal of medium-wide framing which captures the movement of the whole place and the kids in this environment. It reveals that no one is ever alone amongst friends and the vibrance of youth as their bodies move so fluidly around one another.
The director also utilizes the fair in aiding the story ahead as Sandy & Danny sing and dance with one another through the fair grounds and rides themselves. An example is the "Danger Ahead" and "Shake Shack" signs painted on one of the rides that the couple dance their way through. It reveals the characters uniting in a new way through Sandy's transformation. These types of compositions and set design help to create the highest grossing musical film of all-time (since surpassed).
