Plot Highlights

It's not easy to explain the peculiar mystique of Grease 2 to the uninitiated. The only way to truly understand what makes G2 worthy of the recognition it receives here is to see it for yourself. That said, for those of you who have not been fortunate enough to see the film, we offer a concise plot summary, highlighting some of our favorite moments. Enjoy!

"Back to School Again"

The opening number is notable not just for its ability to introduce all the characters in less than five minutes, but also as an example of the mass choreography favored by director Patricia Birch throughout the film. Birch, of course, designed all choreography for the original Grease and apparently saw directing her own film as another opportunity to focus on choreography.

The opening scene also marks the first moment Michelle Pfeiffer ever appeared in a starring role--as Stephanie Zinoni, leader of the Pink Ladies. Pfeiffer flips up the collar of her pink satin/leather jacket and slithers into a shoulder-shaking dance routine performed to the whine of a saxophone.

As the cast completes a frenzied bout of pony-stepping, we are introduced to the T-Birds, led by Johnny Nogerelli. Nogerelli is played to perfection by Adrian Zmed, one of the more experienced dancers and singers among the cast members (to which anyone who remembers his stint as host of Dance Fever can attest).

Frenchy (Didi Conn reprises her role in the story's lame attempt to tie G2 to the original Grease) quickly explains that the character of Michael Carrington, played by Maxwell Caulfield in a much less exciting screen entrance, is Sandy's cousin from England.

The scene ends with the Pink Ladies Pledge ("To act cool, to look cool, and to be cool, till death do us part, Think Pink!"), and some miscellaneous dance sequences featuring adults pretending to be oversexed high-school students.

Act 1

The scene that follows the big opening number fills in details of the story. Over the summer, Stephanie has matured and decided that she can no longer stand Johnny's chauvinistic ways. Meanwhile, Pink Lady Paulette Rebchuck, played by Lorna Luft with psychotic intensity, has her eye on Johnny. 

After watching the new kid, Michael, get roughed up in the hallway, Stephanie continues into class, where she whiles away the time reading Road & Track. Later during gym class, Stephanie expresses to Paulette her frustration with the male power structure of dominance and oppression:

Stephanie:	There's gotta be more to life than just makin' out.
Paulette:	You know, I haven't thought of it that way.

Michael watches Stephanie from afar and we sense his longing for her, and then his frustration when Frenchy explains the rules which govern the world of Rydell High: "Stephanie Zinoni is a Pink Lady which means if you're not a T-Bird, which you're not, you can look but don't touch."

As Michael ponders the inequities of high school life, the Scorpions appear on the football field. This gang of motorcycle degenerates, led by Balmudo (a.k.a. Ratface), lives only to torment Rydell's T-Birds. The Birds respond to this affront as best they can by slipping on leather jackets over their gym shorts and lighting up cigarettes. Although Johnny's voice cracks when threatening Balumdo with an evening of bowling ("Tonight we bowl!"), he later manages to reaffirm his manhood with Paulette: "And Paulette, I want you to look special, dig?"

Next Page: "Score Tonight"

This work licensed under a Creative Commons License.