After performing in, the movie flop, Fine Young Cannibals. Wood's career was saved by her wonderful performance in one of my favorite movies, Splendor in the Grass (1961)with Warren Beatty. The story is about a teen-aged girl living in a small town in Kansas in 1928, who tries follows her mother's advice of not giving into her boyfriend. Bud, follows the advice of his father, who suggests that he find another kind of girl.
Bud's parents are heartbroken, with his older sister Ginny, who is promiscuous, smokes and drinks while pressuring Bud to attend Yale University.
Bud does find a girl and when Deanie finds out, she is driven out of her mind and institutionalized. Bud's family loses its fortune in the Great Depression, which is the down fall of the family. Natalie's performance in this film earned her, Best Actress Nominations at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards.
Fun Fact:
Film debuts of Warren Beatty, Sandy Dennis, Phyllis Diller, Marla Adams and Eugene Roche.
I always loved Natalie Wood and felt that there was a real chemistry between her and Warren Beatty. Natalie Wood, gives one of her a strongest performance that tells the story of a great love of a life time.
"Splendor in the Grass" was released in Oct. 1961. Meanwhile, Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner separated in June 1961 and she began dating Warren Beatty. It seems their obvious onscreen chemistry was something more than acting. I've never really gotten Warren Beatty's appeal, but he seems to have been one of Hollywood's all-time great lady-killers.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the fun fact. I had forgotten that Natalie Wood had dated Warren Beatty. I can see how Warren Beatty, could sweep someone of their feet. ((sigh))
ReplyDeleteI agree on the chemistry. It's been maybe 10-15 years since I saw this, so I don't remember as much, but I do remember liking how the story flipped the two young lovers' situations.
ReplyDeleteChip Lary, I really wanted them to find each other again and get married.. but, not all movies can end with the warm fuzzies, or it would get a little boring..
ReplyDelete