Essay Questions

What was the purpose of casting television stars of the 1950s in some of the supporting roles in the film?

The main reason for casting stars of the 1950s, such as Sid Cesar and Eve Arden, was to remind the audience that the film is actually set in the 1950s, and casting stars that were popular then tricks the mind into associating the action on the screen with the era that the action is set in. It appears more authentic when the faces in the film are already familiar 1950s icons, beloved by a generation of the public, and still new to the younger generation watching the film.

It was also a clever casting idea in that it made the film more appealing to both a younger and older generation of filmgoers. It also created a generational component to the film in that younger viewers identified with the film's main "high school" characters, and felt their frustration with the Principal and her staff members, whereas older viewers identified with the staff members and found the antics of the "kids" frustrating and in need of curtailing.

What does the movie teach us about love?

This is, at its heart, a romantic movie. Sandy and Danny are in love with each other from the first time they meet. Unfortunately, Danny is also in love with his tough guy image, and is reluctant to show his softer side to Sandy in case it is also seen by his friends, whom, he fears, will laugh at him, and not look up to him as much as their bad boy leader anymore. Sandy, too, realizes that their images are wildly divergent. After becoming a cheerleader she begins dating a jock on the track team, a much better fit, at least from the outside.

However, both Sandy and Danny are in love with each other, and after a while, they are prepared to change themselves to fit the image of what they believe the other is looking for. The irony of this is that they both make this change, leaving them as painfully mismatched as they were before. Yet this is what makes them so perfect for each other. The film shows us that a willingness to change is important in a relationship. When two people are perfect for each other, like Sandy and Danny, there is no need to change because they are perfectly matched in their consideration of each other.