Boxed Set Reviews: The Natalie Wood Collection

The Natalie Wood Collection is your one opportunity to own a solid piece of the ethereal star's legacy. It's a must-have for any Natalie Wood fan or anyone who collects prize box sets. The box set design is gorgeous with alternating colors of lavendar, white and purple and promotional images of Natalie Wood from Sex and the Single Girl. Each of the 6 films comes in it's own full-sized keepcase. Four of the films are new to DVD and Gypsy and Splendor in the Grass are remastered editions. You can purchase Sex and the Single Girl and Splendor in the Grass separately but all the other films are exclusive to the box set.

And now comes my confession. I am not a Natalie Wood fan. Like Frank with Doris Day, I am apathetic to Natalie Wood. I do now have a greater appreciation for The Face. I was really hoping that this box set could win me over, but in the end, I just enjoyed the movies more so than the actress.

Mini Reviews

Bomber B-52 (1957) - Karl Malden stars as airforce worker Chuck Brennan who has a gripe against Colonel Herlihy (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) and will do anything to break up Herlihy's romance with his daughter Lois (Natalie Wood), even if it means leaving the job he loves so dearly.

Thoughts - This is Karl Malden's movie and Natalie Wood just looks nice in her outfits. The flight dramas with the B-52s are excellent and suspenseful. Slow start but makes up for it quickly. My favorite film in the box set by far. The aerial cinematography is stunning.

Gypsy (1962) - Story about a stage mother whose passion for show business overshadows the needs and wants of her two daughters and her fiancee. Based on the early life of burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee.

Thoughts - Rosalind Russell carries the movie as the loony stage mom and she outshines both Karl Malden and Natalie Wood. The vaudeville and burlesque musical numbers are all top-notch. The film is beautifully remastered and the colors really pop! Visually stunning.

Cash McCall (1960) - A light-hearted corporate drama about greedy Cash McCall (James Garner) who buys companies only to dismantle them and make a profit out of the loss. He goes soft when Lory Austen (Natalie Wood) comes into his life. When the opportunity to by the Austen Plastics company arises, he jumps on the chance to win Lory back after a bad beginning to their romance.

Thoughts - I enjoyed this film. It's got a lot of flaws, especially the anti-climactic ending and Natalie Wood's matronly hair style. Yet it's stylish, light, fun and interesting. If you are a fan of Executive Suite or even Mad Men, you'll enjoy this film.

Splendor in the Grass (1961) - A coming-of-age story circa 1920s about Deanie (Natalie Wood) a young high school teen who is dating the captain of the football team and most popular boy in school Bud (Warren Beatty). They both must supress their lustful desires to align themselves with society's mores. Bud goes elsewhere to relieve himself and Deanie goes crazy.

Thoughts - This is an excellent study in gender roles and sexuality. Sexual repression and the treatment of sexual expression as viewed amongst both sexes demonstrates the unfairness of double-standards. An Elia Kazan classic! See my previous post about this film

Sex and the Single Girl (1964) - Self-help book fictionalized into a story of sex psychologist Helen Brown (Natalie Wood) who falls for tabloid reporter Bob Weston (Tony Curtis). He is planning an expose on her and to do so pretends he is his friend Frank Brodercik (Henry Fonda) who has significant marital problems with wife Sylvia (Lauren Bacall).

Thoughts - I was disappointed in the movie. It could have been a lot better. It was slow-paced, bizarre and silly to the point of confusing. Maybe this will grow on me, but for now I think Pillow Talk (1959) seems like a much better movie with a similar conceit.

Inside Daisy Clover (1965) - 15-year old Daisy Clover (Natalie Wood) is a foul-mouthed, scrappy tomboy living in poverty. Her talent for singing finds her in the seedy show business of 1935's movie industry. As she gains fame, her life falls apart. She leans on leading man Wade Lewis/Lewis Wade (Robert Redford), who is as equally as disturbed as her.

Thoughts - This film salvaged Natalie Wood for me. She does a superb job as a disturbed teenager and the melt-down scene in the studio is beautiful. This film is not nostalgic for the 1930's, rather it's a look at the movie business of the past in an avant-garde way that only a good mid-1960s film could accomplish!

Purchasing Links

(Stimulate that economy with a nice fat juicy purchase)

Barnes & Noble - Borders - TCM Store - Warner Bros. Home Video Store - Amazon

Please make sure you go to Sarah's Cinema Splendor blog. She is the ultimate Natalie Wood fan and will surely be posting a review of this box set soon. Watch that space!

Hot Toddy ~ Sterling Hayden

Name: Sterling Hayden

Stats: b. 3-26-1916 - d. 5-23-1986. 60 feature films from 1942 to 1982. Quit the movie business temporarily to sail to the South Seas with 4 of his kids. His autobiography Wanderer (1963) is still in print.

Rating based on level of excellence: 5 out of 5 Humunahs!

Hotness Factors: Rockin' physique, bad boy demeanor, beautiful blonde hair, sexy lips. Advertised back in the day as The Most Beautiful Man in Movies. He's the type of guy who may be interested but he's not about to show it, and that drives women wild!

Chicks He Digged: First he married actress Madeleine Carroll but they divorced after 4 years of marriage. Then he married Betty de Noon. They couldn't make up their minds whether to stay together or not. They married and divorced 3 times within 11 years, having 4 children along the way. Hayden finally settled down with Catherine Devine McDonnell with whom he had 2 children and they stayed married for 26 years until his death in 1986.

For Optimal Hotness Watch:

The Asphalt Jungle (1950) ~ Sterling plays Dix Handley, an ex-convict who is part of a complex heist to rob a jewelry store. He wants to start a new life and you root for him to get away with his crime. His devoted gal stands by his side.

The Killing (1956) ~ Sterling Hayden plays Johnny Clay, an ex-convict who is part of a complex heist to rob a horse racetrack. He wants to start a new life and you root for him to get away with his crime. His devoted gal stands by his side.

If Jeff Bailey from Out of the Past (1947) were on Match.com

Jeff_Bailey

Baby, I don't care.

30-year old man

Bridgeport, California

seeking women 23-25

within 100 miles of Bridgeport

Relationship: Never Married

Have Kids: None

Want Kids: Someday (3)

Body Type: Rugged

Height: 6" 1'

Smoke: Regularly

Drink: Regularly

About Me and Who I'm Looking For

I recently came out of a bad relationship with a dangerous woman. When she murdered my ex-partner and I discovered she was carrying stolen money, I knew I had to move on. I need someone who isn't like a leaf blowing from one gutter to another. And one that isn't awfully cold around the heart. She has to love fishing, be kind and want to live a quiet life in a cottage with me and our children. I deserve a break.

In My Own Words:

For Fun: Fishing on mean rivers, imbibing drinks and not paying for them and smacking seedy nightclub managers.

My Job: Pumping Gas. It's decent work.

Favorite hot spots: San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Bridgeport, Acapulco

About Me

Best Feature: Chin Dimple
Sports and exercise: Chasing people
Education: Street smart
Occupation: Gas Attendent/Other
Income: $5k per job
Turn-ons: Danger & Excitement and Calmness & Security
Turn-offs: Murder, Back-stabbing, Theft, Deceit

About My Date

Hair: Blonde, Dark blonde, Red
Eyes: Flirty ones with long eyelashes
Height: 5'0" to 5'6"
Body type: Slender
Smoke: Regularly
Drink: Social Drinker or Regularly
Have kids: None
Want kids: Someday

Pillow Talk @ the Brattle

On Wednesday, some friends and I got together to see one of my all-time favorite films Pillow Talk (1959) on the big screen. My fellow co-worker Frank, a notorious Doris Day-hater, was not invited. The idea of the get-together started as far back as March of last year. That's when I had my tricked out, movie night showcasing Pillow Talk and a couple of other '60s sex comedies (see my post about that here). A few of my friends couldn't make the movie night and I was determined that I would share this film with them if it was the last thing I did! Fast forward to February 2009 and the Brattle Theater in Harvard Square just happens to be showcasing Pillow Talk as part of their fourth annual Great Romances event. Finally! Not only could I see my darling film on the big screen, but I also got a chance to drag those slackers, err friends to see it with me.

And they all came! Gina and Lisa R. were Pillow Talk virgins and H. had seen the film before. Kevin, who had been at the original movie night, came along with his friend Lisa D. One friend, Hazie, couldn't make it (we missed her!). And of course, Frank was not invited.

Lisa R., Kevin and Gina buying tickets for the show

H., Gina, Lisa R., Kevin and Lisa D. participating in some pre-show bonding.

The audience reaction to the film was better than I expected. Pillow Talk is a funny movie with lots of sexual innuendos and silly moments that make it fun to watch. The best part was seeing how much my friends enjoyed the film. They laughed throughout the movie and I was on cloud nine!

Lisa R., Gina, H. and moi after the show

One of the great parts of watching a favorite film with friends, are those little things that a friend will notice that I hadn't until then. For example, the best joke of the film is the shot of Rock Hudson carrying wood. So sly, so underhanded, so obviously sexual, yet so subtle. I went years without noticing it until Kevin pointed it out to me. Kudos to Kevin!

And a big thank you to my friends for so graciously joining me for a night of fun that only a good '60s sex comedy can provide.

Frank wasn't invited.