Ever since the untimely death of the much beloved Hollywood actress, Natalie Wood, on November 29th, 1981, at the mere age of 43, her legacy has transitioned into a form of mythology. The kind of mythology shared by the likes of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Sharon Tate, among several others. Now it seems like whenever Natalie Wood is brought up, it is likely something related to her death. Maybe some new information is made available, someone might be releasing their version of the events leading up to her death, or it becomes the subject of some podcast that covers the many conspiracy theories that are thrown around.
However, that isn’t really the main subject of interest in the new documentary that was acquired by HBO, Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, in which filmmaker Laurent Bouzereau and Natalie Wood’s daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner explores and celebrates the life and career of the iconic star, utilizing interviews with friends, family, and co-workers, as well as home videos, archival footage, and unseen letters that Wood has written to paint a portrait of her that is probably closer to how she would like to be remembered.
There isn’t much to the doc in terms of big reveals, horrifying truths, or twists. It’s a very respectable retrospective that is all about humanizing the woman behind all the fame, glitz, and glamour that has been very much defined by the weird circumstances surrounding her unfortunate passing. On that level, it’s really solid work. It’s hard not to be affected by the words spoken by these people, most of whom were very close to her, as they lovingly reflect on Wood and the work she has done throughout her career, and how she fought tooth and nail to push for equal treatment with her male co-stars. There’s plenty of wonderful anecdotes that are easy to get sucked into, and it all serves to show a side of her that we never really got to see.
Formally speaking, the documentary doesn’t do much to break the mold that you see in most talking head docs. The setups are fairly standard, going from one interview to grainy home footage to movie clip, over and over. It gets the job done, even if it isn’t creatively interesting. The moments where it really worked are whenever Natasha Gregson Wagner is actively conversing, interacting, and engaging with the interviewee, be it her stepfather Robert Wagner, her father Richard Gregson, or family friend and playwright Mart Crowley. Seeing her on screen talking to these people, and getting her reaction to their words generally felt more impactful that any of the comments made by the folks who are simply talking just-off camera. It helps build a connection that adds to the intimate nature of the project.
If you go into Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind hoping to get some scoop on her death that hasn’t already been talked about, this is not the documentary for you. While the subject is brought up, the film firmly takes a stance on the official explanation that she simply had an accident and drowned, dismissing any notions of conspiracies, especially ones that imply Robert Wagner’s involvement. It’s not a surprise given how involved Natasha is, she’s also a producer on the film, so it being fairly one-sided on the issue isn’t something I can really hold against it. It just is what it is.
It is hardly the most comprehensive piece on Natalie Wood you could make. For anyone who is already familiar with her life and work, there isn’t much new to this. However, it does provide some interesting perspective, given you’re hearing directly from the people who have known her the closest. If you are someone who is only vaguely familiar with Wood, and maybe only know her because of the conspiracy theories, the doc definitely makes the case that she shouldn’t be defined by that alone, that she leaves a strong body of work behind that will stand the test of time. There’s plenty of clips here from her work that by the time it’s over, there are numerous recommendations already in place for you to explore. As someone who was always very fond of Natalie Wood, I wasn’t all that educated, but I still found it to be a moving tribute that is worth your time.
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind will air on HBO on May 5th 9 PM EST.