It is one of the most problematic scenes in any movie musical. And, yet, because of the performance of its leading lady, Olivia Newton-John, it has become arguably one of the best remembered sequences in films of its era.

After remaining true to her wholesome personality for almost the entirety of the 1978 film “Grease,” Sandy Olsson (Newton-John) emerges from the dust at the Rydell High School carnival a changed woman. Gone are the pastel sweater sets and poodle skirts, replaced by a black leather jacket, spiked high heels and a pair of skintight satin pants.

With her blond hair newly teased, she lets a cigarette dangle from her fire engine-red lips, then, in a sultry voice, delivers the line that makes her bad girl transformation complete: “Tell me about it, stud.”

It was that scene that came to mind when news broke that Newton-John died at age 73 on Monday, Aug. 8, after battling breast cancer since 1992.

Even in 1978, a story arc that takes a young woman from basically self-determined and nonconformist to tarting herself up for school stud Danny Zuko (played by John Travolta) was hideously archaic. This was the decade where second-wave feminism was at its peak, and Mary Tyler Moore was throwing her hat into the air on her eponymous sitcom for single women everywhere. The retro qualities of “Grease” were not confined to its 1950s setting.

But there’s something about Newton-John’s performance that makes the whole scene — the whole movie, in fact — work.

Throughout the film, Sandy is believable both in her uncertainty as a senior transfer student in a new country (the character was made Australian, Newton-John’s nationality, for the film adaptation), a vulnerable teen trying to make friends with the popular Pink Ladies, and as a woman willing to show her anger when Danny lunges at her sexually at a drive-in movie. Even after her transformation, she still hesitates in her seduction of Danny and nervously looks for cues from the other Pink Ladies.

但最终,牛顿mak使这种极端eover feel almost empowering with the new authority she projects singing “You’re the One That I Want” with Travolta, moving like a panther in those skintight pants.

The fact that Sandy has Newton-John’s vocal star power also helped turn the film into a nostalgic favorite, one that’s even screened as a family sing-along at the Castro Theatre. In songs like “Summer Nights” and “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” she communicates all the sensitivity of the character with the added advantage of that clear, sweet voice that had already sold millions of records.

“Grease” is neither a great stage show nor a great film, but the performances by Newton-John, Travolta, Stockard Channing, Didi Conn and even battle-ax Eve Arden contributed to its longevity in pop culture.

And yet, ultimately, it’s Newton-John who gave “Grease” its heart — even with that cringe-inducing new look.

Throughout her five decades as a singer and actor, Newton-John frequently elevated material with both her talents and an essential sincerity she embodied. She did not stand apart from a character, or a song, and comment from the sidelines; there was no irony or sense that she was above the work. Instead, she easily immersed herself in a performance, bringing a soft and organic believability to her turns onscreen, in recordings and in her concerts, which brought her to the Bay Area several times.

这是真的“油脂”,也在她的其他的我们ll-known musical film, “Xanadu.” Although the roller-disco-flavored film was a notorious flop upon its release in 1980, Newton-John’s performance as a mythological muse is grounded in a way that makes you believe the reality of this fantasy film and has an effervescence that made it ripe for rediscovery as a cult favorite.

In the music video for one of her best known songs, “Physical,” Newton-John is totally committed to both the highly sexual lyrics (“There’s nothing left to talk about ‘less it’s horizontally. Let’s get physical. … Let me hear your body talk.”) and the plotline that sees her go from ogling a group of muscle men in her best spandex gear to training a group of out-of-shape guys until they become Adonises.

In Newton-John’s hands, even the desperation and schmaltz of Peter Allen’s “I Honestly Love You” was uplifted, her restrained rendition making it a hit ballad.

Newton-John was certainly more than the sum of her cumulative performances. After her diagnosis, she became a fierce advocate for cancer research and treatment, was devoted to animal rights and environmental causes, and was a well-known ally to the LGBTQ community — where she’s considered a gay icon. That same sincerity and empathy so evident in her best performances was equally on display in her advocacy.

Those are the qualities that will be remembered when we think of Olivia Newton-John, a woman whose genuineness was so radiant and relatable she could even turn one of the most questionable character journeys in musical film history into a beloved cinematic moment.

Olivia, you were always the one that we wanted.