A beautiful collection
Warner Brothers knows how to honor their stars and capture them in an eternal digital moment. They have released (as of Feb. 3rd) the Natalie Wood Collection, which features a variety of movies from the tragic star. What makes this one of the better collections is that Warner Brothers has remastered her older films and even included films that can’t be bought individually. Even though some of the films aren’t the best in the world, they still embrace the idea that she was certainly an up and coming star at an early age (not that you didn’t get the jest of that from Miracle on 34th Street).
Here’s what you get with the collection:
Bombers B-52 – Wood plays Lois Brennan the love interest of a hotshot pilot named Jim Herlihy, who rubs Lois’ father, Chuck Brennan, the wrong way and even more so that he’s dating Brennan’s daughter. It’s a simple film about father wanting the best for his daughter, which doesn’t include Jim. Something that was cookie-cutter for the 50’s (1957 film). It’s a simple plot that has more potential for a drama than it actually delivers. Wood plays the role of Lois well and the shine of this future star burns a bit bright.
Cash McCall – Cash McCall is a rich man. He has made his money off of buying failing (ed) businesses and reselling them for profit. Generally, he gets anything he wants and leaves no want unfulfilled. All of that comes to a halt when he meets Lory Austen. A young girl who he is fascinated with, so much so that he tries to do some business with her father to get close to her. What’s amazing about her? She keeps blowing his advances off. Money can’t buy everything, right? First, I hate when films have rich (money-wise) characters named after financial terms. Who calls themselves Cash? Johnny doesn’t count (he’s damn cool). The calm, cool and collective James Garner plays Cash and Wood plays the coy Lory. It’s a cute love story, but it really is typical of that time period. What’s great about Wood is that you really start to see her talent come through her craft. Not the best movie she has made, but certainly not the worst.
Splendor in the Grass – Anytime Warren Beatty is in a film, you have to consider it to be an important or dramatic film (No, Dick Tracy doesn’t count for this declaration). Bud is an up and coming kid on his way to Yale. Deanie is the high school sweetheart of Bud. When Bud’s father forcefully encourages his son to leave Deanie and the town behind and seek his fortune elsewhere. The absence of Bud from her life sends Deanie into madness, but the younger lovers soon find a harsher lesson when the 20s get a taste of a rotten stock market that collapses what they know and love around them. First, it’s a tough story to take, as forbidden young is a great storyline that can’t produce anything but tragedy. This is where the true talent of Wood really shows up and performs. Really amazing tale for 1961 and something that deserves your attention and acclaim.
Gypsy – This is a tough movie to swallow (no pun intended) as it surrounds the life of burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee and her very life-imposing mother, Mama Rose. It was basically the first go at a movie called Mommy Dearest, but certainly at a different, less frightening level. The story is dramatic as we find Natalie Wood playing Lousie the older, less talented daughter of Mama Rose. This movie is based on the hit broadway play and is very well translated to the big screen. My second favorite in the collection.
The two other films included in the collection are Sex and the Single Girl and Inside Daisy Clover, which show a more mature view of Natalie Wood. Good films, and worthy of your attention.
Earlier in January, I had the pleasure to revisit the movie Brainstorm, which was Wood’s last film before her tragic, supicious death. She had so much potential as an actress, even during her later years. She certainly knew how to capture the hearts of the audience viewing the films and keep you there with her. She had the eyes that would melt you and the talent that would impress. This collection simply reinforces what Hollywood is desparately missing these days, someone who clearly loved what she was doing (and someone who didn’t do it for the money).
Now, the only downer to the collection is the lack of true features. You get a ton of cartoons in the collection, which is neat. On the Gypsy disc you get two additional musical numbers (which is fantastic), but other than this you just get trailers. I wish there was something more to it, but there isn’t. I would love to have seen a documentary or two, but alas they probably didn’t have much material for that type of stuff.
On the flipside to that coin, you get some beautiful video and audio on DVD. Having classic films preserved on a digital format is invaluable. Warner Brothers did a great job on this aspect.
