Natalie Wood: A Life

by Gavin Lambert

Book Overview

America watched Natalie Wood grow up on the silver screen. Her childhood is still there to see in Miracle on 34th Street. Her adolescence in Rebel Without a Cause. Her coming of age? Still playing in... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375410740
• ISBN13: 9780375410741
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Knopf Publishing Group
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

natalie

well i read all the natalie books that i could now i will wait for this one to come in i like natalie wood a lot she was a great actor i have most of her movies on dvd charlene

Natalie Wood: A Life

After having read all of the reviews I felt I must make my statement. Do "you" really think R.J. and his "family" would have authorized this book by Gavin Lambert if everything he wrote about had not been thoroughly checked out? Personally, I know that when Gavin interviewed me he was extremely thorough. For many many months he continued to e-mail me questions of all types. Also, during a luncheon with R.J.,Natasha, Courtney, Gavin and Mart I was able through interesting stories about the "family" to confirm many things for them. Take this as you will----- I know this is the most accurate account of Natalie's ( my half-sister) life. A fact, my Mother is Nina NOT MARIA for those who misundertood the book and relationships. How can anyone possibly believe "other" books about Natalie. Most of the stories in them are fabricated and/or biased toward her other sister.

Natalie Wood: A Life

As a fan of Natalie Wood's movies and as someone who has great respect and admiration for her as a person, I've been waiting more than half my life for Robert Wagner and his daughters to participate in a book about her or write one themselves. Sensationalism and contrived melodrama have no place in a good biography, and thankfully, you won't find them here. What this book delivers is a snapshot of the woman (flaws and all) without the exploitation of the other biographies. Natalie Wood wasn't perfect. She drank too much and took too many pills (the downfalls of countless studio greats). Mainly, though, she suffered the mental and emotional effects of a youth that made it difficult for her to define herself separate from the movie star. But those imperfections aren't all that she was. She was also a talented, charming, witty, kind, and compassionate woman who empathized with the underdog, used film to expose and confront taboos, loved her husband and daughters tremendously, and spent her short life trying to rise above the demons that haunted her. That's what makes her so interesting. And it's only the author's respect for his subject and the participation of Robert, Courtney, and Natasha Gregson Wagner that make it possible to clearly portray that classically human contradiction. No one can ever tell a complete life story, not even the person who lived it. But how can you even strive for accuracy without talking to the people who knew her best and loved and respected her most? I have only two complaints (hence the four stars and not five). Although competent and often engaging, Gavin Lambert isn't a great writer. His prose shifts tense, which is distracting, and he editorializes when he should quote the people he's describing.And yes, I also wish we could have heard more from Natalie Wood herself. Perhaps she didn't leave many interviews to choose from, but Lambert refered too much to that AFI interview without using enough of what she actually said.

Wonderful book

Unlike the people who have also reviewed this book and said it was boring, I found it interesting. Unlike Suzanne Finstad, Lambert doesn't try to exploit her. This book is a very good one and doesn't tell lies like the other one. Its very worth it. What book would you rather read? One written by someone who never knew her or someone who was friends with her for 20 years??

A definitive work

I was very excited to learn Gavin Lambert had written this book, largely because of his excellent biography of Norma Shearer that I'd read in the past year. It's obvious to any astute reader that Lambert knows Hollywood, is informed about film-making and, best of all, can write incisively and with intelligence about both. I'd read the recent "Natasha" by Suzanne Finstad, which I thought was a serviceable biography but lacked any serious critical insight into her films or her personal life. Far from portraying Natalie as a "narcissistic, suicidal sex addict" as alleged from the reviewer from New York (who one suspects should stick to People magazine), Lambert provides a sympathetic but honest look into the actress's dark side and self-destructive tendencies, as well as her dedicated professionalism as a performer, and sensitive, generous capacity for close friendships. Another reviewer mentions "numerous accuracies" - though she cites only one - namely Lambert's assessment of the movie, Marjorie Morningstar, and describing Gene Kelly's character as a WASP. While it's true Noel Airman, in Wouk's novel, is a character in conflict with his Jewish identity; in the movie - aside from the briefest of references - he is largely homogenized into a WASP characterization, as incarnated by Kelly. I believe this was Mr. Lambert's point - and yes, I think he has seen the movie. I did find the last chapter "Something Extra" - where Lambert discusses various child actors (as Ms. Wood was) and then an overview of her career and specific film performances - an unexpected and rather unusual coda, but welcome and informative nevertheless. Lastly, this author was personally acquainted with Natalie Wood, worked with her, and interviewed people who before had not spoken to biographers. I expect they did so knowing Lambert could be trusted to get it right. I think he did, and I for one am grateful for his efforts.