The Mystery of Natalie Wood (2004) (TV)

Director:

Peter Bogdanovich

Writers (WGA):

Suzanne Finstad (book)
Warren G. Harris (book)

Release Date:

1 March 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

From child star to Hollywood legend.

Plot:

This TV special, co-produced by her younger sister Lana Wood, as well as accounts from family, friends...

Plot Keywords:

Actress | Marriage | Hollywood | Childhood | Flashback Sequence

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Justine Waddell	...	Natalie Wood
Michael Weatherly	...	Robert Wagner
Matthew Settle	...	Warren Beatty
Colin Friels	...	Nick Gurdin
Elizabeth Rice	...	Teenage Natalie Wood
Grace Fulton	...	Young natalie wood
Robert Taylor	...	Nicholas Ray
Alice Krige	...	Maria Gurdin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephen Anderton	...	Dennis Davern
Peter Astridge	...	Assistant Director
Michael Atherton	...	Guitar Player
David Baldwin	...	William Goetz
Alexandra Bard	...	Elizabeth
Peter Barron	...	Party Guest
Natalie Bassingthwaighte	...	Marion Marshall
Johann Benét	...	Tony Jorge
Anthony Benson	...	Eddie Canaveri
Lamberto Bianchi	...	Italian Maitre'd
Dion Bilios	...	Anthony Sakal
Colin Borgonon	...	Butler
Shelbie Bruce	...	Natasha age 11 (voice)
Brenton Caine	...	Jimmy's Father
Nick Carpenter	...	James Dean
Emily Cascarino	...	Lana 13-15
George Chakiris	...	Himself
Louise Crawford	...	Waitress
Amanda Crompton	...	Marilyn Wayne
Jeremy Cumpston	...	John Payne
Rebecca Davis	...	Maya Plasetskaya
Jarrod Dean	...	Dennis Hopper
Tiara Dobbs	...	Courtney (8)
Lewis Fitz-Gerald	...	Dr. Thayer
Jane Flanders	...	Warner's Secretary
Sandy Gardiner	...	Party Girl
Jonathan Gavin	...	Reporter
Brittany Green	...	Little Girl (9)
Victoria Harwood	...	Hairdresser
Darren K. Hawkins	...	Assistant Director 1940
Robert Hyatt	...	Himself (as Bobby Hyatt)
Henry Jaglom	...	Himself
Dee Jenner	...	Katherine (17)
Malcolm Kennard	...	Christopher Walken
Michael Kluger	...	Accordion Player
Peter Knowles	...	ER Doctor
Barry Langrishe	...	Jack Warner
Mark Lee	...	William Russel
Mark Lee	...	William Russell
Allan Lim	...	Detective at Beach
Phillip Lye	...	Joseph Mankiewicz
Leanne Mauro	...	Olga (as Leanne Simcic)
Peter McAllum	...	Harbormaster (as Peter McCallum)
Christine McClure	...	Audrey Christie
Patrick McGrath	...	Edmund Gwenn
Glad McInerney	...	Jimmy's Mother
Madison McKoy	...	Interviewer
Sophie Mentis	...	Margaret O'Brien
Sophie Monk	...	Marilyn Monroe
Candice Moore	...	Natasha (11)
John Noble	...	Irving Pichel, Director
Margaret O'Brien	...	Herself
Helen O'Connor	...	On-set Teacher
Tiffany O'Connor	...	School Girl
Slava Orel	...	Priest
Nikki Osborne	...	Jackie Estes
Paul Pantano	...	Sal Mineo
Sun Park	...	Nurse
Christopher Pate	...	Elia Kazan
Matthew Patterson	...	Crew Member #2
Rupert Reid	...	Henry Jaglom
Andy Rodoreda	...	Roy Tremaine
Inga Romansova	...	Gypsy Woman
Nathalie Roy	...	Lana Wood
Nadia Scappa	...	Natasha (5)
Rachel Scobie	...	Joan Collins
Pamela Shaw	...	Announcer
Brett Sheerin	...	Charlie
Stephen Simpson	...	Drunk Man
Igor Smiljevic	...	Party Guest
Chelsea Smith	...	Young Natalie Wood (voice)
Jason Smith	...	Jimmy Williams
Cameron Stewart	...	Manager
Rachael Taylor	...	Maryann Marinkovich
Ellen Tilden	...	Courtney (3)
May Turner	...	Mrs. Mac
Michael Tyack	...	Piano Player ("West Side Story")
Narelle Valentine	...	Party Hostess
Robert Vaughn	...	Himself
Steven Vidler	...	Richard Gregson
Keira Wingate	...	Lana 7-12
Lana Wood	...	Herself
Alan Zitner	...	Harry, SFX Man

Also Known As:

Looking for Natalie Wood (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

USA:180 min (including commercials) | Brazil:172 min | Canada:172 min

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Fox Studios, Moore Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Cypress Point Productions

Goofs:

Anachronisms: "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard can be heard playing at Natalie's 15th birthday party. However, this is set in 1953 and the song did not come out until 1956, three years later.

Soundtrack:

Let Me Entertain You

Good Movie. But what was the mystery?

The actress who played Natalie Wood is a twin. There were parts in the movie where I wasn't sure if they were using footage of the real Natalie Wood. Case in point when she was playing Maria in West Side Story. The camera was showing her singing and I thought it was really Natalie Wood. Not only does she was very good in the part. Many a time they find a actor who looks like the person they are portraying but they can't act. This actress even had her walk down pat. I liked the movie it was no worse then some biops. Her mother was a nutcase. I would of liked to see more of her older sister Olga who I hear is still alive and who she was very close to. The actor who played Warren Beatty was very good, BUT I was not crazy about Michael Weatherly's portrayal of Wagner. I remember Wagner being very cute, thin and boyish even when he was in his 30's. Weatherly looked more like someone from Baywatch. I like Weatherly I watched him since he was on Loving. But not in this role. Also I would love to see what RJ has to say about this movie because he was not seen in a good light IMHO. God I remember when she died. I have been a fan of hers since I saw her in Miracle or 34th St. I felt on screen she really was able to transpire herself from a child actor to a adult very smoothly, like Elizabeth Taylor. Splendor in the Grass and WSS are my two of my favorite movies. I like the way the movie didn't try to smooth out the details of what might of happened the night she died. Try and clean it up. Natalie Wood was a drinker and RJ was a jerk who anyone probably would of tried to get away from. I myself of would of swam to shore in a hale storm to get away for RJ if he truly acted the way the movie showed. I remember hearing about her having a affair with Walken. But why would Walken go on a boating trip with them if it was true and knowing how much a jerk RJ was. And why would RJ have him on his boat. I always thought that was strange, the movie really didn't clear that up. But over all I like the reality footage mixed up with the movie footage. I enjoyed it enough to keep me watching for 3 hours.