‘Grease 2′: Review and Interview with Star Michelle Pfeiffer | Cinema (USA)
USA
Cinema | September, 1982
Grease 2
Review and Interview with Star Michelle Pfeiffer
Grease is the word—again! It was a tough act to follow but Grease 2 is every bit as enjoyable as its successful predecessor with the added advantage that it’s much better made. It’s aimed at the same level and serves up the same harmless clichés but it hits the targets nevertheless and is the perfect film for those lazy, hazy, crazy summer nights.
Once again the story is wafer thin—the Shangri-las used to sing about this type of teen torment in three minutes flat—but the spirited performances and snappy musical numbers make up for that.
Sandy’s cousin from England, Michael Carrington (Maxwell Caulfield), enrols for the Class of ‘61 at the infamous Rydell High. Pretty soon though he’s hopelessly devoted to Stephanie Zinone (Michelle Pfeiffer) who’s one of the Pink Ladies and strictly off-limits to all but the ultra-cool T-Bird gang. She makes it quite clear that he’s not her idea of a dreamboat anyway as her sort of Mr Right is a shining knight ciad in black leather riding a motorcycle. So Michael decides to pull out all the stops and fit the bill. By doing other student’s homework for money, he soon has all the equipment necessary to satisfy her ideal and starts making disguised appearances at various trouble prone moments ready to sweep Stephanie off her feet. Soon she’s positive that he’s the one that she wants and the finale, alter the yearly amateur talent contest, proves once again that love is a many splendoured thing.
Caulfield is no John Travolta, the part seems written with that in mind, but he certainly looks the part of a clean-cut heart throb in the Ricky Nelson tradition. To be fair, the other contenders for the role like Andy Gibb, Shaun Cassidy and Rick Springfield, would have probably been only as adequate. Michelle Pfeiffer on the other hand shines, and does a marvellous job as the ever pouting Stephanie, well showcased by two of the best musical numbers, “Cool Rider” and “Love Will Turn Back the Hands of Time“. lnteresting to note how the leads compare in the exact opposite way to Grease. Eve Arden, Sid Caesar and Dody Goodman all reprise their roles as the slightly daffy school principals, as does Didi Conn as Frenchie the beauty school drop-out, ably supported by the inclusion, for obvious camp value, of Connie Stevens and Tab Hunter
A mention too for Judy Garland’s other daughter Lorna Luft, who plays second fiddle to Michelle Pfeiffer but succeeds in etching a character out of her few lines.
The standard of the score and musical numbers is exceptionally high and they are extremely well staged by first time director, (and choreographei of both films), Patricia Birch with an eye for the unusual setting and skilful editing to give extra added zap. As is to be expected the songs run the gamut from heartbreak ballads to lively extravaganzas set in bowling alleys and classrooms. Strangest of all is a Cold War musical salute to possible nuclear holocaust in a family fall-out shelter. Birch acquits herself admirably when you consider how miserably Nancy Walker’s Can’t Stop the Music and Gillian Armstrong’s Starstruck failed. Admittedly they were set in the present which is always a dangerous concept for a film musical. Vitality the key word to Birch’s approach an going a long way to help this is a cast obviously playing to the hilt and enjoying themselves throughout.
Allan Carr, co-producer with Robert Stigwood, is at present updating the 1960 Connie Francis‘ starrer Where the Boys Are for production later this year. He seems to have found his niche and in my estimation he has hit the teen jackpot again with Grease 2. It may lightweight, undemanding and disposable entertainment but primarily it is a well-rounded fun picture— and there never has been anything wrong with that.
Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Pfeiffer (pronounced fi-fer) is the prettiest little thing in Hollywood. At last a fresh face! In her movie debut in Grease II she will amaze and delight audiences as Stephenie Zinone—the street wise teen who falls for a mystery biker that turns out to be straightlaced Michael from school. Michael is played by Maxwell Caulfield—in real life the usband of Juliet Mills. The movie also has Lorna Luft, Sid Caeser and others you can spot for yourself from the first movie.
Stephanie is one of the three pink ladies who are “cool” and remain so by only dating T-Birds, who wear leather jackets, ride bikes and sing a lot.
Problem—Michael is not a T-Bird and can’t afford a bike. So the plot thickens. He loves Stephanie from day one but she’s waiting for a “cool rider”. Instead of just a cheap spin off, it’s a different story from Grease. The only characters that remain are Eve Arden and Didi Conn as Frenchie.
Cinema: How did you feel after the first screening of Grease II?
Michelle Pfeiffer: All I could see was everything that I’d done wrong. It was a really small screen—and not completely finished yet. The sound wasn’t right and when it was over I just cried because so much of me had gone into that and all the anticipation that I had built up was released. I saw it again on Monday—this time completely finished and was delighted with the results. I think it is basically a good movie and that’s exciting.
What were the hardest parts for you to work on in the movie?
Oh God! Well, believe it or not the songs were the easiest which surprised me. I think that’s because going in they knew what my capabilities were—that I hadn’t done it professionally before and that they would have to be patient with me. I tried very hard not to put pressure on myself—like saying, “Everyone’s got great expectations—so don’t blow it!” So because of that freedom I gave myself I had more fun with it. I did put pressure on the acting aspect of the part— because I consider that my profession.
Tell us about the audition you did for the role?
I sang a couple of Linda Ronstadt numbers. We were all in a trailer with only a curtain separating us from all the people auditioning. So I got up and sang ‘That’ll be the Day’ and let out this enormous “WEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLL . . .” and everyone jumped out of their seats! (Michelle laughs at the memory) Then I sang a ballad—a song about confusion in the age group portrayed in the movie. I think that caught their attention.
Anyway, I had the news on my honeymoon. The old Hollywood story—the agent calls the morning of the honeymoon. We were doing a play together at the time and had to be back by Friday. So on the Monday we rushed up to Santa Barbara. We stayed in a real cute little hotel.
How did you feel when you finally got the part?
Well, it had been so drawn out. I feel really ungrateful not saying that I cried with joy or something, but I just had so much to do with trying to organise my wedding, and separate it from my career and the play we were doing. Then they told me “You have it—but it’s not official yet.” That kind of thing. So I put myself on hold. When the reality of it hit me I got very scared and thought, “I really have to do this movie!”
How do you relieve the stress of the industry?
By not making it so important. There’s a great tendancy in this business to make everything personal—because you are selling yourself as a product. And that’s not like selling xerox! It’s so difficult to separate the business from the personal—but you have to here—in order to survive. It’s no good saying ‘Oh, my nose is at the wrong angle so I won’t get the part.’ I try to remain fatalistic about the whole industry and keep it in perspective.
One hears so much these days that it’s all connections—but you just auditioned out of the blue and landed the part.
Everyone is a connection. The man who took my first pictures, everyone l’ve met has helped me in some way. I’ll tell you—I’ve had friends l’ve set up with agents to try and help them—but it doesn’t always work.
I don’t know how much water that holds.
Everyone needs to do their own work. Also there’s always the other side of the coin—the person whose mother or father went into the business before them and that’s their connection—but sometimes because of that people are reluctant to hire them.
My first move was to get out the yellow pages and look up the John Robert Powers Modelling Agency in Orange County. I knew for acting I needed pictures and as a model I could get some great ones. I did do one modelling job but it was awful.
I remember sitting down and logically planning out a way to get there. Everyone has a way if they look for it. It’s all a question of attitude. l’ve never seen better talent than in my acting class. I say to myself, “Why aren’t they working?” It’s because they have this negative attitude and won’t try.
My upbringing was to be responsible and logical about everything. When I got my first series, which was only my second acting job—I didn’t realise, because of my näivety, what a great opportunity that was.
I said to my agent “I can’t accept that much money! What if the show get’s cancelled and I don’t work for a year! You’re asking me to leave my checkout job at the market, a steady job, for the unknown.” It was logical to me. And you know what—I got the money.
Did you always know that you wanted to act?
In my heart I did. I was such a dramatic child. My mother used to say “Oh, God, Michelle!” They were scared at first. But once they understood that this is what I love they were really supportive.
When I first got out of high school I was going to be a court reponer because that was very respectable and a good career for a woman. But I tried it and couldn’t stand it. Luckily they didn’t try to push it on me. Right now my father runs his own business—heating and air conditioning and my mother is president of my husband’s and my fan club.
How do you feel when you realise that you will be world famous after this summer?
Wow, I feel kind of numb right now. Although I’m feeling less and less that way. I don’t think it’s ever what you expect. You think something like this will happen and change your life. But it doesn’t. I feel the same.
That gets particularly dangerous when people think—if I’m a star or buy this or that everything will be roses and when they become famous they realise that’s not happiness. I think it comes from somewhere else.
So I try and not make it so important—it’s just my work.
You are married to an actor—how do you make that work?
A lot of communication and a lot of hard work on your ego. You have to be sensitive. It’s hard to understand this field unless you’re in it. Because my work is also my hobby. It’s a question of priorities. My marriage comes first, I think it has to. But as a person I also need a career too or I wouldn’t be happy and my marriage would be a mess. So I think they complement each other. I think respect is the most important thing in marriage. I don’t think most men respect their wives as they would a business partner. I know in my marriage I have that respect and it has to be mutual.
Do your foresee an endless number of Grease movies and would you do it?
I think that’s it for me. It’s time to go on to something new and different. I love a challenge.
Do you have any idols?
I think Katherine Hepburn is incredible. She makes me laugh. I idolise Robert Redford. He is so intelligent. People like that—Steven Spielberg—there’s so much intelligence there, in their work.
What was the most enjoyable part of making Grease II?
The singing I think. I loved being in a studio. I was like a little kid in a candy shop. It was all new to me. Luckily it was unpressured and I could have fun with it. Also I really enjoyed making the gas station scenes.
It wasn’t shot in sequence at all. The first scene was the graduation shot. It was crazy— there was no order to scenes whatsoever.
Have you ever had any extremes in your life?
For a while I went on a very strict vegetarian diet. I still don’t eat meat but that’s for moral reasons.
So how did you eat that hamburger in the cafe scene?
We cheated! We put the burger meat to face the camera—so I just ate the bun. I ate so many buns I couldn’t eat meat for two days!
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