The star of West Side Story and Miracle on 34th Street received three Oscar nominations. She was also well known for her roles in Rebel Without a Cause, Splendor in the Grass and Love with the Proper Stranger.
On November 29, 1981, Natalie Wood drowned off the coast of California’s Catalina Island while spending Thanksgiving weekend aboard her husband Robert Wagner’s yacht. Her death has remained one of Tinseltown’s great mysteries. Keep reading the article below to learn more about Natalie Wood Death.
Natalie Wood was one of Hollywood’s most alluring stars, but her death in 1981 remains an enduring mystery. A new account of the case from the daughter of her late husband provides fresh details and fuels lingering suspicions that she was murdered.
In the film, Natasha Gregson Wagner uses archival footage, personal interviews and never-before-seen home movies to examine her mother’s public life and private persona. Wood’s movie career, from her first role as a little girl who wouldn’t believe in Santa Claus to her final turn as a swinger in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, is recounted with clips of awe-inspiring performances and revealing personal details. Her battles with the studio system and domineering stage mom are brought to light, along with her long-term commitment to psychoanalysis — a practice she insisted on for years, even stipulating in her film contracts time off to attend sessions.
It’s also revealed that shortly before her death, Wood, who had a fear of water, jumped off the back of the Splendour with Walken and Davern to go for a swim. The three men claimed Wood disappeared from the yacht and slipped into the sea, but police subsequently ruled her drowning accidental. The reopening of the investigation in 2011 found the bruises on her wrists and body, and superficial abrasions on her face, to be consistent with assault.
Natasha speculates that her mother may have slipped into the water while trying to re-moor the dinghy, and that she was sensitive to noise, so the banging of the dinghy against the boat’s side could have awakened her. She also suggests that Wagner was upset over something Wood had said and wanted to punish her.
But there’s more to the story. The documentary presents a rich and nuanced portrait of a complicated woman, who was not just a screen siren but a devoted wife and mother. It’s a film that offers no resolution to the question of foul play in Wood’s death, but leaves viewers with a deeper understanding of the complexity of her character.
Directed by Laurent Bouzereau
The tragic death of three-time Oscar nominee Natalie Wood sparked conspiracy theories and tabloid fodder that ultimately overshadowed her four decades of cinematic contributions. Director Laurent Bouzereau, a longtime behind-the-scenes DVD featurette filmmaker, has set out to reclaim the actress’s legacy in Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, an intimate portrait of the star dictated and crafted with Wood’s eldest daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner.
What Remains Behind traces the trajectory of Wood’s life with a mixture of family photos, Super 8 and 16mm home movies (many of which have never been seen), and interviews with those who knew her best. From her early days in show business, where her mother sat by idly while her daughter was raped for the sake of publicity, to her tumultuous relationships and marriages, Bouzereau covers the essentials.
While those hoping for some new revelations regarding Wood’s unsolved death will be disappointed, those who simply want to know more about the woman and her quiet magnitude will find plenty to enjoy here. What Remains Behind reveals that Wood was not only one of the most enigmatic and accomplished stars in Hollywood history, but also an intelligent and caring wife and mother.
The movie moves through Wood’s career in a non-linear fashion, starting with her beginnings as a child actress in films like Miracle on 34th Street and Driftwood; moving to her breakout role as James Dean’s co-star in Rebel Without a Cause; and then excelling under Elia Kazan’s tutelage in 1962’s West Side Story. It’s in her last film, Brainstorm, where she met her end. On November 29, 1981, she drowned off the coast of Catalina Island, California, while vacationing with her husband Robert Wagner and his co-star Christopher Walken. The boat’s captain, Dennis Davern, was also aboard.
The film does not directly address Wood’s unsolved death, but it hints at what may have happened by examining her difficult relationship with her father and her inability to form close friendships during her lifetime. It’s also worth noting that Wood was a lesbian who had a strong interest in the civil rights movement and supported a variety of feminist causes throughout her life.
Starring Natasha Richardson
Natalie Wood is one of the most beloved stars in Hollywood history. Her death in 1981 remains a mystery. The film Natalie Wood Death tries to bring some clarity to what really happened to the actress and why it was hushed up. The documentary is well cast, with Justine Waddell in the lead as Natalie Wood and Michael Weatherly and Matthew Settle as her husbands, Robert Wagner and Warren Beatty. It is Alice Krige, however, that steals the show as Wood’s domineering mother Maria Gurdin. Her performance is a tour de force and explains why she had such a difficult life.
The film does have its issues. It presents a picture of Wood that is very much through a rose-colored lens, and if you know anything about the star from either sleazy tabloids or more substantive journalism, some of the assertions made here will be upsetting. It also leaves out an arguably even more disturbing cataclysm in the actress’s early life, her rape at the hands of a director during the shooting of Rebel Without A Cause, which was completely hushed up in a very similar way to how Harvey Weinstein covered his tracks.
While the interviews with the members of Wood’s family and friends are compelling, there are some that feel staged or rehearsed. This is especially true for the interviews with Wood’s daughter Courtney Wagner and her stepchildren, as well as with former husbands Gregson Wagner (who died in 2019) and British agent and producer Richard Gregson. There is enough name dropping to satiate the most hungry of Hollywood film aficionados, and some impressive stars appear in interview clips (Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Elliott Gould), but some of these seem forced.
The only person interviewed who might have given the movie more of a punch was Dennis Davern, the Splendour skipper who told investigators that Wood fell overboard from the dinghy on which she was riding after a champagne-filled dinner at Doug’s Harbor Reef in Catalina Island with Wagner, Walken and others. While his speculation about how she got into the water is no more substantiated than anyone else’s, his comments might have prompted police to reopen their investigation and put pressure on Wagner and Walken to reveal more.
Based on a true story
Natalie Wood’s life was cut short when she drowned at age 43 on November 28, 1981. The circumstances surrounding her death have been subject to endless speculation in professional journalism and sleazy tabloids. This documentary doesn’t offer any answers, but it does give a clearer picture of the actress than has previously been available.
It’s a compelling portrait of a talented woman who was also a loving mother and wife. The film’s a little uneven and a little long, but it’s a worthwhile watch. It starts with Natalie’s childhood and her early years in the industry. It includes interviews with her children, and friends and co-stars like Robert Wagner. It’s a moving account of a talented woman and the tragedy of her death.
In addition to giving us a more complete picture of Wood, the film touches on some interesting aspects of Hollywood gossip. One such rumor is that the young Natalie was sexually assaulted by a man more than twice her age while she was working on Rebel without a Cause. This documentary doesn’t investigate the rumor, but it is interesting to note that it was hushed up in much the same way that Harvey Weinstein’s crimes were.
Another aspect of the film that’s interesting is its chronicle of Wood’s three marriages. While the film does show some of the problems that arose in her relationships with her husbands, it doesn’t go as far as some other documentaries on the subject. It does give some context to the infamous incident that led to Wood’s first divorce, which was later annulled.
The film is also worth watching for Justine Waddell’s performance as Natalie Wood. She has a great resemblance to the real thing and delivers an excellent portrayal. She holds her own against some of the more well-known actors in the film, including Robert Wagner and Christopher Walken.
The documentary also covers some of the known forensics in Wood’s death. It explains the cause of some unexplained bruising on her body, and it identifies a mark on her throat that might have been caused by a thumbnail or fingernail.
