The tragic life of Hollywood diva Natalie Wood

 Natalie Wood is an unheard name to Indian movie audience. She was a Hollywood legend who rose to success by working as a child star to her ascent as a highly in demand star of 1950’s. Today Bollywood’s young actresses throw so many tantrums after one hit movie. They presume themselves to be Goddess of cinema. On contrary, Hollywood artists are humble, hard-working and dedicated and Natalie Wood belonged to that league. 

I stumbled upon Natalie Wood’s life, career and her untimely death while researching on an article related to Marilyn Monroe, the timeless diva of Hollywood. After publishing my story on Monroe, I learnt a lot about Natalie Wood’s difficult childhood, her heartbreaking relationship, her disturbed marital life and the stardom that tormented her. A gypsy woman had once predicted that Natalie would be successful movie star, but may lose her life due to drowning.

After learning about the prediction, Natalie’s mother became too much over-protective and controlled her life. It is been said it was her mother who pushed little Natalie into movie business. She was never allowed to play with other kids like a normal child. Since Natalie’s father made a meager earning, little Natalie was the bread earner of the family. Natalie Wood was not her actual name. Her actual name was Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko. Fondly called as Natasha, Natalia went on to become a child star in classics like ‘Miracle on 34^th Street’, ‘Tomorrow is forever’ and several other movies.   

Natalie’s mother was so obsessed with movie career of her daughter that she never allowed her daughter to mingle with male friends. According to sources, Natalie was forced to have a break up with a boy named Jimmy with whom she vowed to marry during her teen days. Her first crush, the boy Jimmy committed suicide by shooting herself. Jimmy’s death shook Natalie to such an extent that she shut herself in her room for a week. In later days, Natalie focused on her movie career to work as a full-fledged actress. Her breakthrough role earned her both fame and recognition in movie – Rebel Without a cause opposite the 50’s heartthrob James Dean. She became a close friend of James Dean during the filming of movie. Sadly, James Dean didn’t live to see the movie. His untimely death in car crash was a big blow to Hollywood. Natalie not only lost a great co-star, but also a great friend and confidante in James Dean.

Natalie’s name was linked to many Hollywood biggies including Elvis Priesley. Her personal life was equally stormy as her screen life. During her struggling days in Hollywood, Natalie is been said to be raped by a big Hollywood actor in a hotel. That incident was one of the tragic episodes in life of Natalie. She never revealed the name of the molester in public as she was too feared to mess with a Hollywood top notch actor. In Feb 2020, it was been disclosed that it was actor Kirk Douglas (father of actor Michael Douglas) who had molested Natalie. On death of Kirk Douglas in Feb 2020, it was been trending on a social networking site that it was Kirk who was the molester.

Though Hollywood gave her fame, success, money, it couldn’t give back her childhood innocence. Natalie won Oscar nomination thrice for her notable performances.

Mysterious death on November 29, 1981: Her fear for water remained a phobia and a nightmare throughout her life. The prophecy came true when Natalie drowned during a boat trip on a personal yacht. How did she drown? Did anyone pushed her in water? Why did Natalie get into water? Was Natalie murdered? Prior to drowning, Natalie had a big quarrel with her husband Robert Wagner. How could Natalie die when there were so many people on boat? Didn’t anyone hear her scream? Her body was discovered one day later. There are many speculations that it was her husband Robert who had drowned Natalie. The case of Natalie’s death was reopened in 2012, but nothing concrete conclusion came out of it. Like Marilyn Monroe’s mysterious death due to sleeping pills, Natalie too died a mysterious death due to drowning. Natalie’s life would have been a happy one had she not been a star. As predicted, she made a big fortune as actor, but lost the best years of childhood.

The inspiration to write this biography blog post came to me while I was penning a memoir on the Hollywood actor James Dean. This memoir on Natalie Wood is a sequel or follow-up story connected to 50’s Hollywood legends like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean.

To know more about Natalie Wood, I would highly recommend watching the biopic: The mystery of Natalie Wood and the documentary – What remains behind.

Visiting cinema halls – The best days of my life

‘The past is always with us, for it feeds the present’ – Ruskin Bond

For me, exiting from the cinema hall is the most emotional moment of my life. As the end credits roll, movie audiences are back to their life’s troubles. In his memoir ‘A town called Dehra’ Ruskin Bond had expressed his love for cinemas in his hometown Dehra. His visits to the yester year cinema hall – Odeon in Dehra were the best times of his youthful days. By coincidence, there was also a talkies called Odeon in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. My childhood was blessed with watching some memorable movies in movie theatres. Mard, Mr.India, Dance Dance, Andha Kanoon were some of the blockbusters I enjoyed with my family. School boys used to bunk their classes to watch the 90’s blockbusters like Baazigar, Darr, Raju Ban Gaya gentleman etc. Since I had a video player, I relished on movies from the comforts of my home. Like my classmates, I couldn’t never muster up the courage to bunk the classes and watch movies. In later years, I did catch up on some blockbusters at Malhar Cinema in Thane. I recollect watching Salman’s movie – Biwi No 1 at Malhar by purchasing tickets in black for 100 bucks. Such was my madness for movies. Though I stopped visiting Malhar cinema, I did enjoy some of the best and worst movies. Anand Cinema in Thane East is one destination which has a nostalgic feel to it. The Kopri area in Thane East is a sleepy town which is blessed with only one single screen theatre – Anand cinema. I enjoyed a forgettable romantic flick – Sirf Tum and Salman’s comedy movie – God Tussi great ho at Anand. Cinema halls have that ambience to make you fall in love with movies. Satellite channels and Movie apps can never give you the enjoyment that you relish in movie theatres.

Due to arrival of Multiplexes, several single cinema halls faced loss in their businesses and got closed down. I watched only one movie – The legend of Bhagat Singh in Aradhna cinema hall, Thane. Sadly, the cinema hall had to shut down in 2002. Among all the multiplexes, PVR cinemas are my favorite destination to catch up on movies. I remember watching ‘Jaane tu ya Jaane na’ for the first time at PVR cinemas, Mulund. I had specially taken a leave from office to watch this youthful flick. The big, wide screen, recliner seats, exclusive trailers make PVR cinemas a desirable destination. I lost the count of movies I enjoyed at PVR. Big Cinemas is one more favorite theatre which I occasionally visit. Bachna Ae Haseeno was one movie I immensely enjoyed at Big Cinemas. It had the typical Yashraj stuff – Foreign locations, romantic tracks, foot tapping music and beautiful chicks. I fell head over heels in love with Minissha lamba, one of the lead actresses in the movie. She played a typical Punbabi girl next door whom Ranbir Kapoor woos and dumps her. I still regret missing Rab Ne Bana di Jodi at cinema halls. I fell in love with Anushka Sharma in Rab Ne Bana di Jodi. Wish I could become like Raj and woo her. The movies are larger than life as their characters.

Off lately, I watched Anushka Sharma’s movie – Phillauri at PVR cinemas. Every movie brings lots of memories with it. Whether it is watching Dostana at Malhar cinemas or Quantum of Solace at PVR, each movie is stuffed with timeless entertainment. If you watch a good movie, watch it only at a cinema hall. Nothing beats the excitement of a silver screen better than a movie theatre. I consider that days of watching movies at cinema halls as the best days of my life.

Let me know about your favorite cinema hall and the movies you enjoyed in a single screen or multiplex theatre.