Grease (1978)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A greaser and a straitlaced Australian girl find themselves navigating a summer romance and the complexities of high school life in the 1950s.
The story
During the summer of 1958, greaser Danny Zuko and straitlaced Australian girl Sandy Olsson fall in love at the beach. As the school year begins at Rydell High School, the two navigate their different social circles. Danny is part of the T-Birds, while Sandy joins the Pink Ladies. The story follows their evolving relationship as they deal with the pressures of their identities, the upcoming graduation, and the cultural divide between a 'greaser' lifestyle and a more traditional upbringing.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
During the summer of 1958, greaser Danny Zuko and straitlaced Australian girl Sandy Olsson fall in love at the beach. On the first day of senior year at Rydell High School, Danny reunites with the T-Birds while Sandy joins the Pink Ladies. At a pep rally, Sandy is reunited with Danny, but he acts tough to maintain his image. After a series of events, including a sleepover and a dance where Danny and a girl named Cha-Cha win a contest, the two find themselves at a drive-in movie. Following a car race where Danny wins for his team, the story culminates at a graduation carnival. Sandy decides to change her image, adopting a 'greaser' look, and the two reconcile as they prepare to move on to their next chapter together.
- First release year
- 1978
- Runtime (minutes)
- 110
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Randal Kleiser
- Writers
- Bronté Woodard · screenplay; Allan Carr · adaptation
- Cast and characters
- John Travolta · Danny Zuko; Olivia Newton-John · Sandy Olsson; Stockard Channing · Betty Rizzo; Jeff Conaway · Kenickie; Didi Conn · Frenchy; Lorenzo Lamas · Tom Chisum; Annette Charles · Cha-Cha DiGregorio; Frankie Avalon · Teen Angel
- Genres
- musical; romantic comedy; comedy
- Themes
- identity; social class; romance
- Tone and mood
- romantic; nostalgic
- Premise and plot tags
- high school; 1950s; musical
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1971 stage musical
- Content notes
- child
- Reception
- The film was successful both critically and commercially, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1978 and the highest-grossing musical film at the time. It has been noted for its '50s kitsch' and has been reassessed in recent years for its portrayal of gender roles.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 65 · scale: 100 · review count: 158
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Song · nominated; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · nominated; Golden Globe Award · Best Original Song · nominated; Golden Globe Award · Best Original Song · nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was the highest-grossing film of 1978.; The soundtrack was the second-best-selling album of 1978 in the US.; The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2020.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…