Starring John Travolta as the slick and charming Danny Zuko and the late Olivia Newton-John as the sweet and innocent Sandy Olsson, the story follows their whirlwind summer romance.
The two believe their love story is just a fleeting summer fling, only to be unexpectedly reunited as classmates at Rydell High.
The film was a massive box office success, earning an estimated $396 million worldwide against a modest $6 million budget.
Over the years, it has cemented itself as a cult classic and was even selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Social media has become a platform for audiences to share their thoughts on Grease, with many revisiting the film and pointing out elements that don’t sit well with them today.
One viewer expressed their opinion, writing: “Sorry I loved Grease when I was a kid, however, it’s just too problematic these days.”
People who are rewatching Grease today are branding the film as ‘sexist’, ‘misogynistic’ and ‘problematic’.Alamy
A third commenter focused on a particular lyric, stating: “Grease singing ‘Did she put up a fight?’ pretty much ruins the whole movie for me now aside from all the other problematic stuff,”
Someone else shared their evolving view of the film, adding: “I loved Grease as a teenager, now I see it as a pile of misogynistic c***.”
In addition to the film’s themes, some have long pointed out that many of the actors portraying teenagers were significantly older than their characters.
Olivia Newton-John was 29 when she played high school senior Sandy, while Stockard Channing, who portrayed Rizzo, was 33.
This age gap between actors and their on-screen roles has added to the discussion, with some arguing that it creates an unrealistic portrayal of teenage experiences.
People are saying that some of the characters in Grease are ‘misogynistic’.Paramount Pictures
One major point of concern is the song “Summer Nights,” particularly the lyric, “Did she put up a fight?” Some viewers argue that this line implies a troubling dynamic between Danny and Sandy.
Other criticized moments include a scene where a member of the T-Birds peers up a girl’s skirt, the drive-in sequence where Danny pressures Sandy, and the noticeable lack of racial diversity in the cast.
People are calling out ‘problematic’ scenes in Grease.Paramount Pictures
Olivia Newton-John herself addressed the backlash in a 2020 interview with The Guardian.
She responded to the controversy by saying: “It’s a movie,” and added: “It’s a story from the 50s where things were different. Everyone forgets that, in the end, he changes for her, too.”
“And he thinks if he does that, she’ll like him. I think that’s pretty real. People do that for each other. It was a fun love story.”