Natalie Wood Birthday Tribute

Monday July 20th would have marked Natalie Wood's 77th birthday. In honor of that I've put together a list of my favorite Natalie films.

Tomorrow Is Forever (1946)

* Note: The clip above is not the actual trailer but a scene from the film featuring Natalie.

This was Natalie's first big screen flick. (Happyland was first but since she has a tiny, practically off camera role I'm not counting that). She's all of seven years old, playing a German orphan Orson Wells adopts. Complete with hair bleached blonde and a bit of a German accent. She steals every scene she's in which is funny since she's acting with Orson Wells and Claudette Colbert. I won't divulge in the film if you haven't seen it yet but if you're curious to see her first big movie role check this out. 

                                         

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

A completely different turn from Tomorrow is Forever, Miracle on 34th Street is a Christmas film that is lighthearted and charming. Natalie plays Susan who is taught by her mother, Doris (Maureen O'Hara) not to believe in fairy tales and make-believe including Santa Claus. However Susan begins to question her mother after meeting a man who tells her he is the real Santa (Edmund Gwenn). The whole film is about having faith (not necessary the religious kind) and things will be okay. 

                                           

Rebel Without A Cause (1955)

This was a turning point in Natalie's career. Rebel Without A Cause marks her in more adult role. She plays Judy, who wants her father to stop seeing her as a little girl. In particular the chemistry between Natalie and James Dean is great, they play off each other really well. The film is basically about teenagers who just want to be accepted and loved, as their parents or parental figures (as in Plato's case) don't always see eye to eye with their children.

                                            

Marjorie Morningstar (1958)

I'm not entirely sure why I like this movie so much, by no means is it one of her best films and Natalie herself didn't like it. Natalie plays Marjorie who wants to be a Broadway actress. After graduating high school Natalie and a friend Marsha (Carolyn Jones) become camp counselors at camp. One night while canoeing across the lake to the other camp she and Marsha go see a rehearsal of a play by Noel Airman (Gene Kelly). Later the two meet and eventually a relationship is formed. It's based on the 1955 novel of the same name by Herman Wouk. 

West Side Story (1961)

I had to include my all-time favorite musical here! West Side Story is basically Romeo and Juliet in musical form. The Jets (white gang) and The Sharks (Puerto Rican gang) are constantly at war with each other. Maria (Wood) and Tony (Richard Beymer) fall in love and want to be together even though friends and family on both sides oppose it. And sadly like Romeo and Juliet it ends in tragedy. 

Love With the Proper Stranger (1963)

This is my favorite drama role of Natalie's. The plot basically reads like this, Natalie plays Angie who finds herself pregnant with Rocky's (Steve McQueen) child after a brief affair. Angie goes to Rocky to ask for money for an abortion. I won't give away the ending but because it's the 1960s I will just say they couldn't get away with stuff they do now. 

Sex and the Single Girl (1964)

I chose this film because it's my favorite comedy Natalie made. While she was really good at comedy I wish she could have done other comedic roles as the other comedy films she made are not my favorites. Natalie plays Helen Gurley Brown who has written a book, Sex and the Single Girl, about how single women should deal with men. Bob Weston (Tony Curtis) works at STOP, a scandal magazine. He ends up writing a not so very nice piece on Helen. In short the two who can't stand each other at first end up falling in love. 

Until Next Time, 

Ashley A.