Remembering Natalie Wood: You Don't Know What You've Got 'Till It's Gone

For no particular reason, I have been thinking of Natalie Wood a lot lately and missing her. 

She was ever present in my life as a pre-teen, teenager and beyond. There was no doubt that she was a star, but she was rarely praised for her acting. During her lifetime she was frequently disrespected by the critics, but loved by her fans. 


Natalie Wood was one of the few child stars who made the successful transition to both teen and adult star. As a child she was adorable, but knowing. She certainly seemed like the smartest person in the room. As a teenager she was a high school goddess, the one the boys all wanted and the girls  imitated. As an adult, oh my, she was perfection: sophisticated, beautiful, elegant and approachable. Proud of her Russian heritage, Natalie (born Natasha Zakharenko and always called Natasha by her friends) was the beautiful girl of slightly exotic origin (she was an ethic all-purpose and,  during her career, played an Hispanic, Native American, Italian and Jewish girl). She was with us for so long, it seemed as though she was an eternal part of the Hollywood scenery. She was always there and, no matter what new faces came and went, she was permanent. Or so we thought.


Here are some of my favorite Natalie Wood films.


Childhood

"Miracle on 34th Street" is my favorite Natalie childhood film. Aside from the fact that it is a totally magical film in all ways, Natalie's Susan is the beating heart of this great movie. She is us, doubting, but secretly wanting to believe.

I love Natalie in "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir," too. She doesn't have a whole lot to do, but it is another magical film and she is just too cute.


Teenager

Every boy fell in love with Natalie after seeing "Rebel Without a Cause." As part of the troubled-teen trio with James Dean and Sal Mineo, Natalie's Judy showcased her growing talent and beauty in a landmark film. While the film belongs to Dean, Natalie's performance gives heartfelt and moving support.

I loved Natalie's performance in "Marjorie Morningstar." First, she gets to go to camp with friend Carolyn Jones and, while at camp and beyond, gets to have a mad affair with older man Gene Kelly (yum yum). That never happened to me at camp!! Then she gets to be an actress. Maybe not a great film, but it grabbed me from the get-go and I was rooting for Marjorie Morningstar (nee: Morgenstern) all the way. She is beautiful and affecting.

Plus, she wore a back metallic weave bathing suit that was killer.


Adult

Ah, "Splendor in the Grass." Natalie's breakout performance as an adult star and one of her very best. This is a beautiful film, one that has a special place in the hearts of so many filmgoers. Her raw-nerve performance as Deanie Loomis has been described as poetry and I think that's a fair assessment. Yet another film that seems to get better with each viewing.

Bells and banjos, indeed. This is the love that Natalie Wood's Angie Rossini wants from Steve McQueen in "Love with the Proper Stranger." Both stars are romantic (in a anti-romance kind of way) and breathtakingly young and beautiful. I saw this movie recently, and, seen from the rear view mirror of life, it made my heart both break and sing.

"Inside Daisy Clover" is not a great film, but it is one of my great guilty pleasures. First of all, Natalie is aces in this film - singing, cutting her hair and getting drunk and screwed over by everyone. Next, it has some of my favorite actors in support: Christopher Plummer being totally mean and sexy, a young and delicious Robert Redford being secretly gay, and the great Ruth Gordon as Daisy's nutty mama. Add a neat song ("You're Gonna Hear From Me," by Andre and Dory Previn) and lovely Edith Head costumes and I'm in. Can't help it - I love it , and I am placing this on my list of favorite Natalies instead of "West Side Story," as I think she looks kind of uncomfortable in the role of Maria.

The Great Leslie, Professor Fate, garters, furs and pies! "The Great Race" has it all. 

Natalie, as photojournalist Maggie DuBois gets to follow and join Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in this over-the-top wonderful Blake Edwards extravaganza.

She look great in all of her wonderful costumes, including the garters, corsets, furs and pies. Silly, but another that gets better with every viewing. 


Movie Star

Most favorite is Natalie Wood as movie star. Always glamorous, she was the vision of a sixties movie star for the junior set. She graced those marvelous movie magazine covers for years. What girl didn't follow her romances, her fashions and her latest films?

And, who wasn't always rooting for her and RJ? Didn't your heart just melt when they married again?

Natalie Wood was a child of Hollywood. Her films and her performances were always professional. always made with that telltale gloss of the Hollywood product. She was dependably, reliably covered in stardust. So, take that all you nay-sayers. Natalie Wood was the real deal and her star burns ever brighter as the years go by. Miss you, beautiful girl.


EXTRA! EXTRA! Click HERE and check out these gorgeous Natalie Wood paper dolls at "Creme de la Creme."