Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood

While I admit the book was difficult to put down, there were a few complaints. First I believe the term alter-ego was ridiculously overused. Also, a little girl and her mother did not create "Natalie Wood" that identification was invented by a Hollywood studio.This was a very common practice of the studios to provide a new name for actors and actresses.On page 3, Natasha was identified as a pet name not her Christian name. The child at birth was given the name Natalia. That is very close to Natalie, so close in fact that it is more in line with her given name than the Natasha indentity movie star Natalie Wood was supposed to have lost.Although this is no fault of the author, I am appalled at the sloppy investigation conducted following Natalie's drowning. The police investigation stunk. However, I thought the author did a good job of exposing Robert Wagner's repeated contradictions on his versions of what happened that night. The fact the coroner lost his job when he tried to probe deeper indicated powerful people did not want the truth revealed. Overall, the motive seems to be designed to protect RJ. There were enough witnesses to events that night for the police to put together a profile of a possible coverup if they had tried: The woman screaming for help; a male voice jeering at the woman; the time frame; and RJ's contradictions should have been red flags. Personally, I think the police were afraid of Robert Wagner and decided to play it safe. Lastly, I thought the book ended too abruptly while discussing Davern and Rulli on Geraldo Riveria's special. Mostly, I found the book to be very revealing and enjoyable but I am appalled that Natalie's death did not receive the investigation it deserved.

Having heard so much about this book, and having seen the ABC TV movie, "The Mystery Of Natalie Wood" (which was based on this biography), I couldn't refrain from getting a copy and seeing for myself - I have been a fan of Natalie Wood since I was a teenager. Suzanne Finstad did a commendable job, beginning from Wood's ancestral lineage (or as best could be told, since Maria Gurdin was known for misconstruing the facts and fantasizing an aristocratic or gypsy past). The Romanovs and gypsy superstitions reigned in the lives of the Gurdins, which "Mud" inflicted on her appealing second daughter, Natasha. This "Mommie Dearest" lived through this vulnerable child, all the while ignoring her other two girls, Olga and Lana, and relegating her husband Nicholai into the background. This made for tension and domestic violence within the home as little Natasha morphed into "Natalie Wood" a child actress who was her family's breadwinner. All the pressures and phobias took its toll on a frail psyche, with a stage mother from Hell always lurking in the shadows, whispering warnings of dark water, sex, and kidnapping, and never allowing her to be a child, or have playmates her own age. Although she warned Natalie about intimate involvements with unknowns or males of her own age, Mud seems to have had no problem pushing the girl towards powerful Tinsletown personalities to further her career. Even as an adolescent Natalie rebelled, the fears instilled in her scarred her for life, and played a part in many of her relationships, as well as her career. A brutal rape at the hands of a famous actor (who is not named, although it's not too hard to guess his identity, as his family is still very active in the film industry, hint, hint), left her all the more traumatized, and unable to report the crime due to the studio system. Her life had many twists and turns, such as an intense friendship with the ill-fated James Dean, an affair with a middle-aged director, and her marriages to Robert Wagner, which seemed to have much more drama than has ever been publicly acknowledged, and her long-awaited motherhood, only to have her life snuffed out by the element she feared beyond any other - water.Some of her films are discussed in depth, as well as recalls by friends, coworkers, and her sisters. Robert Wagner refused to meet with Finstad, insisting that a more accurate account of Wood's life was upcoming - the result was "Natalie Wood: A Life" by Gavin Lambert (which, I think, was written as a rebuttal), and I couldn't help but notice that there are less favorable reviews for that biography.There will probably always be a debate about Natalie's tragic death; there are so many unanswered questions, and until certain parties decide to talk (if ever), the truth may just be carried away with the tide.Fly free, Natasha.

Don't get me wrong, the story told by the author is an interesting one so it is worth reading it anyway if you are a fan of Natalie Wood. Still, I can't help but being bothered by some problems the reader encounters reading this book.The author starts this biography by talking mostly of Maria Gurdin, Natalie's mother. It is insightful only to understand the point the author wants to make which is : Natalie Wood, the moviestar, was a creation of her mother even before Natalie's conception. Which is, in my opinion, an idea imposed by the author all through the book. (!)By the end of the book I was persuaded I knew more of Maria Gurdin than of Natalie Wood, because we end up wandering about who she really was. Finstad makes her look as very vulnerable at times, than pretty annoying in others, than very strong and ambitious, etc...The essence of Natalie is not really there. I, personnally felt as if she were much more inaccessible than in her movies. I wanted to read on to see if the truth was somewhere to be seen and concluded that the author treated her subject as a distant idol.The repetition was extremelly (extremelly!) annoying. She recalled facts over and over all through the book as if we couldn't follow the story.But the worst above all was the spoilers given all through the book. That really bugged me. She started talking about her death from her childhood years, same happened with her marriage to Robert Wagner...So sad to know the end of the movie before it even started! I felt the author assumed we knew all about Natalie Wood before we read the book.The good news about this book, and this is why I gave it its three stars, is that even if the writing is flawed, we can feel the passion the writer feels for the lady. We can feel that Mrs Finstad did her homework and interviewed lots of people, read lots on Natalie and viewed the movies before writing her story. I respect immensily somebody who wants to make a good job.I can only blame the editors who didn't edit the flaws as they should or who didn't guide the author through the writing.

This was an excellent read - could not put it down! The author has done a wonderful job in capturing the essence of Natalie Wood. The attention to detail is wonderful- the reader really feels like they are there in the telling. A beautiful little girl who was pushed by the quintessential "Stage Mother" to fulfill the mother's dreams. But all this little girl wanted was a regular home and family - her joy at the birth of her two children is so touching.Besides her beauty, Natalie a Wood was blessed with exceptional talent. A sad story , with a terrible ending, but well told by the author

I wanted to like this book because Wood is an actor that doesn't seem to rate any biographies.While the book itself is nicely researched and the people that were interviewed seemed to know her well I was bothered throughout by a single unfortunate obstacle.Her drowning and her fear of water is brought up on what seems like every second page. Just as I was getting into the story again and again the spectre of the watery grave broke the stream of narrative. I can expect one or two and maybe even three references but every 2nd or 3rd page is a bit excessive.Without the padding this book might clock in at 250 or 275 pages and nothing would be lost. She was an interesting woman, actor, and led a fascinating life. Why not leave it at that and save the reader all the ridiculous superstitious "it was in the stars" nonsense. Ms. Wood deserves better.I wish I had counted up the number of times her drowning and fear of water was mentioned. As it is I could never reread it because it would take time from my life I could never get back.Points for good research. No points for more padding than a comfy sofa.

I do like my autobiographies on celebrities and well know people and this one certainly didn't let me down, I was always fascinated with Natalie & her sad demise and learnt quite a few things about her tragic family and her sad growing uo and was quite surprised at the reason her first marriage to Robert Wagner dissolved. Loved it and would reccommend this as I believe the author got her research by the few legit people there are in hollywood

Rebel without a cause, Splendor in the grass, West side story, This Property is condemned, Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice figurent dans sa filmographie ; pourtant aujourd'hui le nom de Nathalie Wood est essentiellement lié à sa mystérieuse noyade en 1981. Dans sa biographie de plus de 400 pages, Suzanne Finstad revient avec sensibilité sur le parcours de cette enfant actrice qui, téléguidée par une mère ambitieuse et sans scrupule, parvint à franchir le cap difficile de la puberté pour s'épanouir à l'écran dans des rôles d'adultes exigeants et variés. Nourrie d'entretiens avec les sœurs de Natasha Gurdin (son véritable nom), cette biographie livre des révélations incroyables (notamment sur son mariage avec RJ Wagner) - révélations qu'il convient de prendre avec des pincettes, Lana sœur cadette de Nathalie étant depuis la mort de celle-ci en guerre avec Wagner et sa nouvelle épouse. L'auteure donne par ailleurs plusieurs scénarios très plausibles quant à la noyade de Nathalie qui, depuis sa plus tendre enfance, était terrifiée par les eux sombres et profondes. Ecrit dans un anglais accessible et alerte, le texte est accompagné de deux livrets de photos noir et blanc.

Heartbreaking biography. Very well researched. At the end I cried. So touching, emotional. So sad that she isn't with us nowadays..this biography reaveals so much you'd never thought about before, gives a deep insight of the whole Hollywood "thing" and who Natalie was or who she tried to be.