The Sea of Grass (1947)

56% of users liked it
(107 ratings)

Usually associated with erudite, urbane comedies, the legendary screen team of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy goes intensely dramatic in the expensive western Sea of Grass. Tracy plays cattle baron Colonel James Brewton, who staunchly opposes opening the western frontier to homesteaders.… More Usually associated with erudite, urbane comedies, the legendary screen team of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy goes intensely dramatic in the expensive western Sea of Grass. Tracy plays cattle baron Colonel James Brewton, who staunchly opposes opening the western frontier to homesteaders. Standing steadfastly beside Brewton-at least at the beginning--is his headstrong wife Lutie (Hepburn). Eventually disillusioned by the stern implacability of her husband, Lutie leaves Brewton and goes off to Denver, where she falls in love with liberal attorney Brice Chamberlain (Melvyn Douglas), the champion of the homesteaders' cause. Upon giving birth to Chamberlain's son, Lutie confesses her indiscretion to Brewton, who takes the news with commendable restraint, even offering to accept the baby as his own. Unfortunately, the Brewtons' standing in the community is weakened by the revelation of Lutie's infidelity, causing her to leave her husband for a second time. Years later, Lutie's grown-up boy Brock (Robert Walker) drifts to the wrong side of the law, leading to his death at the hands of a posse. Though it hardly seems possible under the circumstances, Brewton and Lutie are at long last reconciled through the intervention of their daughter Sara Beth (Phyllis Thaxter). Elaborately produced in the traditional MGM manner and adroitly directed by Elia Kazan, Sea of Grass is still one of the lesser Tracy-Hepburns. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 13 min.
Directed By: Elia Kazan
Written By: Conrad Richter, Marguerite Roberts
Genres: Western, Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Apr 25, 1947 Wide
On DVD: Oct 23, 1991

Critic Reviews

Bosley Crowther, New York Times
To the credit of Elia Kazan, it must be said that his direction has pace, but the writers and others have betrayed him.
Variety Staff, Variety
Film is loaded with very superior acting and spectacular imaginative photography.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
At 131 minutes, this sprawling western was long on talk and short on action.
, Film4
Kazan had only made one previous film, and the stilted melodrama reflects the director's inexperience as he failed to get more than adequate performances from the two leads, whom he felt intimidated by.

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Minor entry in the Hepburn/Tracy canon is justifiably obscure. The script is long winded but not terribly deep. As far as the performances Spencer Tracy is right at home as the rigid man whose pride works to his detriment but Kate seems uncomfortable in her role and it doesn't… More
Minor entry in the Hepburn/Tracy canon is justifiably obscure. The script is long winded but not terribly deep. As far as the performances Spencer Tracy is right at home as the rigid man whose pride works to his detriment but Kate seems uncomfortable in her role and it doesn't really fit her, a wounded dignity is needed and her tough resilience is at odds with that, Margaret Sullavan would have been much better suited to the part. The basic structure of the film works against what was always so special about the pair and that's their interaction, for great swatches of this they are apart. Robert Walker shows up late in the proceeding and injects some much needed life in the picture but is gone too soon. One good piece of casting is Phyllis Thaxter as the pair's grown daughter, she bears a striking resemblance to both and really does seem as if she could be their child. The best performance in the whole show is turned in by the reliable Edgar Buchanan as the family standby, his involvement with the others is one of the few parts that doesn't feel artificial. The usually reliable Melvyn Douglas is defeated by a stick figure character. The pace of the film is too slow, this was an early film for Kazan and he still had some learning to do, and by the end it becomes a trial too sit though. Not awful but a miss.

Cast

            Spencer Tracy as Col. Jim Brewton

            Katharine Hepburn as Lutie Cameron

            Robert Walker as Brock Brewton

            Melvyn Douglas as Brice Chamberlain

            Phyllis Thaxter as Sara Beth Brewton

            Edgar Buchanan as Jeff

            Harry Carey as Doc Reid

            Ruth Nelson as Selena Hall

            William 'Bill' Phillips as Banty

            Robert Armstrong as Floyd McCurtin

            Charles Trowbridge as George Trowbridge

            Russell Hicks as Maj. Harney

            Trevor Bardette as Andy Boggs

            Morris Ankrum as Crane

            Eddie Acuff
            
            Erville Alderson as Station Agent

            Myrtle Anderson
            
            Stanley Andrews as Sheriff

            Frank Austin as Station Agent

            Polly Bailey
            
            Dick Baron as Newsboy

            Robert H. Barrat as Judge White

            James Bell as Sam Hall

            Joe Bernard
            
            Margaret Bert
            
            Robert Bice
            
            Marietta Canty as Rachael

            Nora Cecil as Nurse

            William Challee as Deputy Sheriff

            Wheaton Chambers as Dean

            Chief Many Treaties as Indian

            Naomi Childers
            
            Davison Clark
            
            Joseph Crehan as Sen. Graw

            Sidney D'Albrook
            
            Frank Darien as Minister

            Vernon Dent as Conductor

            Mike Pat Donovan
            
            Budd Fine as Brakeman

            Fred Graham
            
            Jesse Graves as Luke

            Frank S. Hagney as Man

            John Hamilton as Forrest Cochran

            Jim Hawkins as Brock Age 5 1/2

            Pat Henry as Brock Age 1

            Earl Hodgins
            
            Rose Langdon as Woman

            Nolan Leary
            
            Leota Lorraine as Bits

            George Magrill
            
            Robert Malcolm Young
            
            Mickey Martin as Newsboy

            Charles B. Middleton as Charley

            Howard Mitchell as Conductor

            Carol Nugent as Sarah Beth Age 7

            James O'Reare as Piano Tuner

            Bernice Pilot
            
            George H. Reed as Uncle Nat

            John Rice
            
            Duncan Richardson as Brock Age 3

            Buddy Roosevelt
            
            Gene Roth
            
            Dick Rush as Cattleman

            Wyndham Standing
            
            Glenn Strange as Bill Roach

            Henry Sylvester
            
            Forrest Taylor
            
            Ray Teal
            
            Laura Treadwell
            
            Dorothy Vaughan as Mrs. Hodges

            John Vosper as Hotel Clerk

            Eddy Waller
            
            Dan White as Ike Randall

            Guy Wilkerson as Wake

            Hank Worden as Cowhand

            Douglas Fowley as Joe Horton

            Frank Pharr
            
            Ralph Littlefield as Homesteader

            Henry Adams
            
            Vangie Beilby
            
            Ruth Cherrington
            
            Helen Dickson
            
            Charles McAvoy
            
            Jack Stoney
            
            Joe Brockman
            
            Gertrude Chorre as Indian Nurse

            Fred Gilman
            
            Lawrence Lathrop as Messenger

            Skeets Noyes as Beady-Eyed Man

            Jasper Palmer
            
            Patty Smith as Sarah Beth Age 4 1/2

            Jack Davis as Foreman

            William Holmes as Gambler

            Harry Carey Sr.
            
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