Natalie Wood

December 8, 2003
Unlike the sexually explicit Natasha
, by Suzanne Finstad, or Lana Wood's Natalie: A Memoir by Her Sister
, Lambert's take on the luminous star of Gypsy
and West Side Story
is a relatively discreet, affectionate examination of Wood's short, turbulent life. Groomed by a fanatically controlling stage mother, Wood (1938–1981) enchanted audiences in 1946's Tomorrow Is Forever
and prompted Louella Parsons to proclaim, "Natalie Wood eats your heart out." Lambert follows her from such childhood triumphs as Miracle on 34th Street
to her breakthrough adult part opposite James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause
. Wood's overlapping affairs with Rebel
director Nicholas Ray and cast member Dennis Hopper, and brief romance with Elvis Presley, will be familiar material to aficionados. But Lambert reveals deep sensitivity and understanding of her development as an actress, and he's one of the few authors to capture the depth and beauty of her relationship with Robert Wagner. Lambert also effectively highlights Wood's shrewd professional moves, including her pretense to boss Jack Warner that she didn't want to star in Splendor in the Grass
, because she knew he would refuse to let her appear in it if she displayed enthusiasm. The shooting of Wood's film with Robert Redford, Inside Daisy Clover
, has special authenticity, since Lambert wrote the screenplay and witnessed her frustrations after several crucial voice-overs were cut from the final print. Details regarding Wood's tragic drowning are inevitably speculative and vital questions remain unanswered. But Lambert eloquently clarifies the self-destructive reasons behind Wood's addictions and insecurities, and in the end, readers will feel they truly know the subject more than they do in most biographies. 65 photos.

August 1, 2003
Biographer, screenwriter, and a friend of Wood, Lambert is primed to tell the actress's story.

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2003
Although Lambert came to know Natalie Wood (1938-81) well after she starred in the 1965 film of his novel " Inside Daisy Clover," he wasn't among her closest friends. He was close enough, however, to characterize her family members, husband, and closer associates convincingly, and to prevail upon them to reveal more than they might have to a biographer-stranger. The story he obtained-- that of the only child movie star, except Elizabeth Taylor, who became an adult star in leading roles--includes most of the bad elements of growing up in Hollywood but also real acting talent, a personality that made her fast friends, and eventually the capacity to manage many who had managed her. Still, she was prone to depression and to overuse of painkillers and alcohol--all possible factors in her drowning death. Clotted with famous names and astute about the worth of each of Wood's performances (while eliding the fact that she never appeared in a bona fide great film), this is a very good Hollywood bio.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)