Film Snail

The Sea of Grass
The Sea of Grass

6.3

The Sea of Grass

NR·1947·123m

Summary

On America's frontier, a St. Louis woman marries a New Mexico cattleman who is seen as a tyrant by the locals.

Cast

Spencer Tracy

Spencer Tracy

Col. James B. Brewton

Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn

Lutie Cameron Brewton

Robert Walker

Robert Walker

Brock Brewton

Melvyn Douglas

Melvyn Douglas

Brice Chamberlain

Phyllis Thaxter

Phyllis Thaxter

Sara Beth Brewton

Edgar Buchanan

Edgar Buchanan

Jeff

Harry Carey

Harry Carey

Doc J. Reid

Ruth Nelson

Ruth Nelson

Selina Hall

William Phillips

William Phillips

Banty

Robert Armstrong

Robert Armstrong

Floyd McCurtin

James Bell

James Bell

Sam Hall

Robert Barrat

Robert Barrat

Judge Seth White

Charles Trowbridge

Charles Trowbridge

George Cameron

Trevor Bardette

Trevor Bardette

Andy Boggs

Morris Ankrum

Morris Ankrum

A.J. Crane

Russell Hicks

Russell Hicks

Maj. Dell Harney

Eddie Acuff

Eddie Acuff

Cattleman (uncredited)

Henry Adams

Gambler (uncredited)

Erville Alderson

Erville Alderson

First Station Agent (uncredited)

Myrtle Anderson

Townswoman (uncredited)

Stanley Andrews

Stanley Andrews

Bill the Sheriff (uncredited)

Frank Austin

Frank Austin

Second Station Agent (uncredited)

Polly Bailey

Townswoman (uncredited)

Frank Baker

Frank Baker

Juror (uncredited)

Dick Baron

Newsboy (uncredited)

Jack Baxley

Homesteader (uncredited)

Vangie Beilby

Old Townswoman (uncredited)

Joseph E. Bernard

Joseph E. Bernard

Homesteader (uncredited)

Margaret Bert

Townswoman (uncredited)

Robert Bice

Robert Bice

Brewton Ranch Hand (uncredited)

Barbara Billingsley

Barbara Billingsley

Bridesmaid (uncredited)

Whit Bissell

Whit Bissell

Ted - the Clerk (uncredited)

Chet Brandenburg

Chet Brandenburg

Townsman (uncredited)

Joe Brockman

Cattleman (uncredited)

Buck Bucko

Townsman (uncredited)

Marietta Canty

Marietta Canty

Rachael (uncredited)

Nora Cecil

Nora Cecil

Mrs. Ryan - Nurse (uncredited)

William Challee

William Challee

Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)

Wheaton Chambers

Wheaton Chambers

Dean (uncredited)

Ruth Cherrington

Ruth Cherrington

Townswoman (uncredited)

Naomi Childers

Naomi Childers

Townswoman (uncredited)

Gertrude Chorre

Brewton's Indian Nurse (uncredited)

Davison Clark

Davison Clark

Cattleman (uncredited)

Gene Coogan

Gene Coogan

Cowhand (uncredited)

Joseph Crehan

Joseph Crehan

Colorado Sen. Grew (uncredited)

Sidney D'Albrook

Sidney D'Albrook

Townsman (uncredited)

Frank Darien

Frank Darien

Minister (uncredited)

Jack Davis

Jury Foreman (uncredited)

Vernon Dent

Vernon Dent

Train Conductor (uncredited)

Helen Dickson

Piano Player Spectator (uncredited)

Mike Donovan

Nester (uncredited)

Franz Dorfler

Townsman (uncredited)

Budd Fine

Budd Fine

Brakeman (uncredited)

Douglas Fowley

Douglas Fowley

Joe Horton (uncredited)

Slim Gaut

Townsman (uncredited)

Fred Gilman

Fred Gilman

Cattleman (uncredited)

Ann Gowland

Sarah Beth - Age 2 (uncredited)

Fred Graham

Fred Graham

Poker Game Spectator (uncredited)

Jesse Graves

Jesse Graves

Luke (uncredited)

Frank Hagney

Frank Hagney

Poker Game Spectator (uncredited)

Chuck Hamilton

Townsman (uncredited)

John Hamilton

John Hamilton

Forrest Hamilton (uncredited)

Jimmy Hawkins

Jimmy Hawkins

Brock - Age 5 (uncredited)

June Hedin

Sarah Beth - Age 11 (uncredited)

Pat Henry

Brock - Age 1 (uncredited)

Earle Hodgins

Earle Hodgins

Brewton Ranch Hand (uncredited)

Stuart Holmes

Stuart Holmes

Party Guest (uncredited)

William Holmes

Gambler (uncredited)

George Huggins

Townsman (uncredited)

Bob Ingersoll

Station Loafer (uncredited)

Dick Johnstone

Dick Johnstone

Townsman (uncredited)

Jack Kenny

Jack Kenny

Townsman (uncredited)

Rose Langdon

Townswoman (uncredited)

Paul Langton

Paul Langton

Young Doctor (uncredited)

Larry Lathrop

Messenger (uncredited)

Nolan Leary

Nolan Leary

Homesteader (uncredited)

Ralph Littlefield

Homesteader (uncredited)

Leota Lorraine

Leota Lorraine

Townswoman (uncredited)

George Magrill

George Magrill

Homesteader (uncredited)

Robert Malcolm

Townsman (uncredited)

Chief Many Treaties

Indian (uncredited)

Mickey Martin

Newsboy (uncredited)

Kermit Maynard

Kermit Maynard

Station Loafer (uncredited)

Charles McAvoy

Homesteader (uncredited)

Charles Middleton

Charles Middleton

Charley - Saloon Owner (uncredited)

Robert Milasch

Robert Milasch

Townsman (uncredited)

Howard M. Mitchell

Howard M. Mitchell

Railroad Conductor (voice) (uncredited)

Skeets Noyes

Beady-Eyed Man (uncredited)

Carol Nugent

Carol Nugent

Sarah Beth - Age 7 (uncredited)

James O'Rear

James O'Rear

Piano Tuner (uncredited)

Norman Ollestad

Brock - Age 8 (uncredited)

J.L. Palmer

Townsman (uncredited)

Tex Parker

Townsman (uncredited)

Frank Pharr

Station Loafer (uncredited)

Lee Phelps

Lee Phelps

Homesteader (uncredited)

Obed 'Dad' Pickard

Townsman (uncredited)

Bernice Pilot

Maid (uncredited)

Paul Ravel

Townsman (uncredited)

George H. Reed

George H. Reed

Uncle Nat (uncredited)

John Rice

Cowboy (uncredited)

Dick Rich

Dick Rich

Loud-Mouthed Salt Fork Townsman (uncredited)

Duncan Richardson

Brock - Age 3 (uncredited)

Buddy Roosevelt

Buddy Roosevelt

Ike Randall - Brewton Ranch Hand (uncredited)

Gene Roth

Gene Roth

Homesteader (uncredited)

Dick Rush

Cattleman (uncredited)

Sam Savitsky

Townsman (uncredited)

Phil Schumacher

Townsman (uncredited)

Allen D. Sewall

Townsman (uncredited)

Irving Smith

Black Servant (uncredited)

Patty Smith

Sarah Beth - Age 4 (uncredited)

Tom Smith

Townsman (uncredited)

Ray Spiker

Ray Spiker

Townsman (uncredited)

Wyndham Standing

Wyndham Standing

Gambler (uncredited)

Jack Stoney

Jack Stoney

Poker Game Spectator (uncredited)

Glenn Strange

Glenn Strange

Bill Roach - Brewton Ranch Hand (uncredited)

Brick Sullivan

Cowhand (uncredited)

Henry Sylvester

Townsman (uncredited)

Forrest Taylor

Forrest Taylor

Homesteader (uncredited)

Ray Teal

Ray Teal

Cattleman (uncredited)

Laura Treadwell

Townswoman (uncredited)

William Van Vleck

Nester (uncredited)

Dorothy Vaughan

Dorothy Vaughan

Mrs. Hodges (uncredited)

John Vosper

John Vosper

Hotel Clerk (uncredited)

Eddy Waller

Eddy Waller

Homesteader (uncredited)

Dan White

Dan White

Wake - Brewton Ranch Hand (uncredited)

Guy Wilkerson

Guy Wilkerson

Brewton Ranch Hand (uncredited)

Chalky Williams

Townsman (uncredited)

Bill Wolfe

Homesteader (uncredited)

Rocky Woods

Cattleman (uncredited)

Hank Worden

Hank Worden

Bill - Salt Fork Townsman (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Elia Kazan

Novel

Conrad Richter

Screenplay

Marguerite Roberts

Screenplay

Vincent Lawrence

Reviews

John Chard

John Chard

June 16, 2019

5

Why do women insist on loving men for what they want them to be instead of what they are?

The Sea of Grass is directed by Elia Kazan and written by Conrad Richter, Marguerite Roberts and Vincent Lawrence. It stars Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Walker, Melvyn Douglas, Phyllis Thaxter, Edgar Buchanan and Harry Carey. Music is by Herbert Stothart and cinematography by Harry Stradling.

We are on the America's frontier and St. Louis woman Lutie Cameron (Hepburn) marries New Mexico cattleman Col. James B. 'Jim' Brewton (Tracy). Brewton is seen as a tyrant by the locals and Lutie quickly comes to realise that nothing will stop her husband from driving his plans forward.

For serious Western fans it straight off looks odd seeing the pairing of Tracy and Hepburn in this setting of farmer/rancher feuding, and the pic never quite breaks away from the initial reaction of things being off kilter. In spite of the undoubted quality of the lead actors, this just becomes a raging soap opera. It's never once convincing, the studio bound theatrics becoming an eyesore, and as the run time inexplicably crawls drearily to two hours in length, there's not even any action to perk up proceedings.

This was a rare blip in the filmic career of Kazan, who gives us all a warning when we find that he disowned the film, even saying he was ashamed of it. That's pretty damning evidence that serves notice on why this should be avoided by anyone other than Kazan, Hepburn and Tracy completists. One tends to think that the plot trajectory of Lutie embarrassed him, for without doubt it's offensive to womanhood, the finale only confirming this in a whirl of smugness not becoming the stars and director. It's a nicely enough produced production, with Stradling's smooth photography sparkling due to HD screenings via TCM, but as the script struggles to enact vibrancy, so shall you struggle to stay awake. 4/10

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$2,349,000.00

Revenue:

$4,689,000.00

Keywords

husband wife relationship
cattle ranch
environmental conservation
cattle baron
abandoned by mother
grass valley
unhappy marriage
unfaithful wife
out of wedlock child
raised like own child
father son relationship
the song of nature
settlers