Never mind how Warren Beatty looks right now.
You might know him as Anette Bening’s husband or Madonna’s ex. I prefer to remember him as he was in the ’60s.
No, I wasn’t born yet. I just prefer old movies to the ones we have now.
When I was in high school I watched two of my favorite Warren Beatty movies—which I watched again recently.
In Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961), he plays a social-climbing Italian gigolo named Paolo di Leo.
Aside from being young and good-looking, his main talent seems to be hooking up with lonely old women who can support his expensive taste and lifestyle.
Through a madame pimp, he manages to get introduced to a recently widowed and retired American stage actress named Karen Stone (played by Vivien Leigh).
In the beginning, she resists becoming a sugar mommy, but ends up giving in to most of Paolo’s wants when she starts to really fall for him.
Unfortunately, Paolo can’t resist younger women closer to his age.
This causes Mrs. Stone much grief, and the end is left to the imagination of the viewer.
You don’t always end up with your first or greatest love. It may be for the best or God’s will.
Splendor in the Grass (1961) tackles the subject of a love that was lost because of youth, wrong timing and obligation to one’s parents.
Set in 1920s Kansas, Warren Beatty plays a wealthy football player jock named Bud Stamper who falls in love with a pretty middle class schoolmate, Deanie Loomis (played by Natalie Wood).
Bud is dying to have sex, but Deanie’s upbringing tells her not to.
When Bud’s slutty sister Ginny comes home from the city, everyone is scandalized by her behavior.
After seeing Ginny nearly gang-banged at a party, Bud becomes demoralized and breaks up with Deanie.
He decides to follow his father’s advice and hook up with the school slut, Juanita.
Deanie can’t deal with the breakup and becomes temporarily insane and slutty. She ends up in a mental institution where she stays for two and a half years. There she meets a troubled young doctor she gets along with, while Bud also meets an Italian waitress (Zohra Lampert) who helps him during dark times.
When Deanie gets out of the mental facility, the first thing she does is look for Bud.
Are the feelings still there? What’s it like to see your ex?
The ending will break your heart.
Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.