7 Early Natalie Wood Movies That Are Worth Rewatching
More than four decades after her death at 43, the passing of actress Natalie Wood continues to be the subject of documentaries and endless theories. Originally ruled an accidental drowning, her official cause of death was later changed to “drowning and other undetermined factors.” As a result, the circumstances surrounding her death have remained a frequent topic of discussion, often sharing the spotlight with the career that made her one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars.
Of course, most fans know Wood as Judy opposite James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause, as Maria in West Side Story, and as Deanie in Splendor in the Grass. By the time Rebel Without a Cause arrived in theaters, Wood had already been acting for more than a decade. TCM is putting several of those early performances back in the spotlight during its Summer Under the Stars programming in August. Her performance as Susan Walker in Miracle on 34th Street remains one of the most famous child roles in movie history. Still, she gave many other powerful performances as a young actor that viewers may not remember as well.
Here are seven roles that show just how much work Wood had already done before becoming one of the defining young stars of the 1950s.
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
Eight-year-old Wood played Anna Muir, the young daughter of widow Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney), in this romantic ghost story directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Lucy moves with Anna and their housekeeper, Martha Huggins (Edna Best), into a seaside cottage haunted by its former owner, Captain Daniel Gregg (Rex Harrison). Wood only plays Anna as a child, with Vanessa Brown taking over the role when the story jumps forward in time.
Driftwood (1947)
Everett Collection
Released the same year as Miracle on 34th Street, Driftwood gave Wood a much larger role as Jenny Hollingsworth, an orphan who loses her grandfather and befriends a collie after a plane crash. A doctor, played by Dean Jagger, takes Jenny in and eventually becomes involved in his efforts to stop an outbreak of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The little-seen film was restored and included in Martin Scorsese‘s Republic Rediscovered series at the Museum of Modern Art in 2018.
The Green Promise (1949)
Everett Collection
Wood played Susan Matthews, the youngest child of a stubborn widowed farmer portrayed by Walter Brennan. Susan wants to join the local 4-H club and raise two lambs, but her father refuses to support her. The family drama gave Wood several emotional scenes and a frightening experience behind the camera. According to TCM, Wood was thrown into the water too soon during a collapsing-bridge sequence. She broke her wrist and nearly drowned, and footage of her real terror remained in the finished movie.
The Jackpot (1950)
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
In The Jackpot, Wood played Phyllis Lawrence, the daughter of James Stewart and Barbara Hale. Stewart’s character wins $24,000 worth of merchandise through a radio quiz show, only to discover that his prizes come with taxes and unexpected bad attention. The comedy was inspired by the real experience of a Rhode Island man and a 1949 article published in The New Yorker.
The Star (1952)
Everett Collection
Fourteen-year-old Wood played Gretchen, the devoted daughter of a fading movie actress named Margaret Elliott portrayed by Bette Davis. As Margaret struggles to accept that her Hollywood career may be over, Gretchen is one of the few people who remains firmly on her side. Davis reportedly defended Wood behind the scenes when the frightened young actress was expected to jump from a boat into the ocean. Davis refused to let the scene continue, with a stunt double stepping in, and the two actresses developed a lasting friendship. Davis received an Academy Award nomination for her performance.
The Pride of the Family (1953-54)
Everett Collection
Wood also spent a season as a television sitcom daughter. She played 15-year-old Ann Morrison in the ABC comedy The Pride of the Family, alongside Paul Hartman as her father, Albie, Fay Wray as her mother, Catherine, and Robert Hyatt as her younger brother, Junior. Albie worked in newspaper advertising and regularly came home with ideas that did not work out quite as planned. The short-lived series gave Wood a regular television role just before her career shifted toward more mature parts.
The Searchers (1956)
Everett Collection
The Searchers was released after Rebel Without a Cause, but Wood filmed her part during the summer of 1955, before audiences had seen her breakthrough performance as Judy. In John Ford‘s Western, John Wayne plays Ethan Edwards, who spends years searching for his niece Debbie after she is abducted during a raid. Wood plays Debbie as a teenager, while her real-life younger sister, Lana Wood, appears as the younger Debbie. Although Natalie’s screen time is limited, the entire story revolves around finding her character.
What is your favorite Natalie Wood film or television show? Let us know in the comments!
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