Natalie Wood Mystery Resurfaces

Sudden celeb deaths are always a point of fascination. But once the police (and the media) decide case closed, it’s on to the next scandal. Case in point: Heath Ledger. We never did find out the exact Mary-Kate Olsen connection. Will we ever? And Brittany Murphy. The coroner ruled there were no illegal drugs in her system. But was there more to the story? What’s with that shady husband? Questions, questions. Maybe years down the line someone will decide to re-open the cases.

Which brings me to this latest bit of news.

Friends and family of Natalie Wood (A Rebel Without a Cause, Splendor in the Grass) have asked the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office to re-open the case surrounding her mysterious death, CNN reported yesterday. Wood died tragically at the age of 43 after falling off a yacht and drowning in November 1981, following an argument with her husband Robert Wagner. Wood's sister, Lana Wood, and Dennis Davern, former captain of the yacht called The Splendour, are now hoping police will investigate and find out the truth – and to be honest, we’re pretty curious ourselves.

According to Wagner’s autobiography, he admits he got into a fight with Christopher Walken, who was also aboard the boat and may have had a less-than-appropriate relationship with Wood. He said during the fight Wood went back to her room and that was the last he saw of her. But the captain says he heard Wood and Wagner fighting inside their stateroom, then arguing on the boat's deck. He thinks her death was a direct result of their fighting. Cue the conspiracy theorists.

This is one case that begs to be revisited. Circumstances are just too strange – and ironic – considering Wood’s biggest fear was dark water. Maybe now we’ll get some answers. Or maybe, like most things in Hollywood, the truth will remain just below the surface.

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A Good Old Fashioned Gag Reel!

This absolutely made my morning.

Humphrey Bogart flubbing his lines?! Edward G. Robinson unable to work his prop gun?! It's a 1930's blooper reel and it'll blow your mind. (At around the 6:45 mark, check out the guy in the Lady GaGa headdress. Amazing.)




Want more? I know I do! Click here for the complete series of Warner Bros. bloopers. Oh man, you'll be glad you did.

San Francisco Treats!

I visited San Francisco last weekend and here’s what I discovered: there are a lot of steep hills to be climbed, good food to be eaten, amazing shopping to be done, and many Full House references to be made. But even more than that - because I always have movies on the brain, even on vacation - I noticed evidence of Alfred Hitchcock’s influence on the town. I spotted old movie posters tacked up in the Castro and an entire book dedicated to Hitchcock’s San Fran films in the Ferry Market. It all got me thinking about my favorite old flicks set in the colorful California city. Here are a few that came to mind:

Dark Passage (1947)

This movie is all kinds of ridiculous, and it completely sucked me in one night on TCM. Humphrey Bogart plays an escaped wrongly accused convict, and nearly the entire first half of the movie is filmed as if you’re seeing through Bogart’s eyes. Then, he gets plastic surgery to disguise his looks, so there’s a good chunk of the movie where he’s all wrapped in bandages. You may not be able to see his face through most of the movie, but you do catch glimpses of some San Fran scenery. Lauren Bacall’s apartment building can be found on Telegraph Hill.

Vertigo (1959)

With all those steep San Francisco hills, it’s no wonder James Stewart’s character had vertigo! This Hitchcock classic, also starring Kim Novak, includes some iconic shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, Mission Dolores and Nob Hill. Granted, it’s not my favorite Hitchcock film (not even close), but as for movies set in San Fran, it's one to see.

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

A substitute English teacher at my high school made my class read Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon just for the hell of it. (Seriously, when we asked him why he picked that book for us to read, he shrugged and said he thought it might be fun.) Then, he showed us the movie. In this real Venetian-blinds film noir, Humphrey Bogart stars as a P.I. for a San Francisco detective agency investigating some mysterious murders that all revolve around one gold-encrusted statue of a bird.

The Birds (1963)

It’s a silly premise, but it’s also kind of a creepy one. Birds inexplicably begin attacking people in a small town in the San Francisco Bay Area. The film opens with a shot of a San Francisco cable car crossing in front of Union Square, as Tippi Hedren makes her entrance. Word is, Hitchcock wanted to end the movie with a shot of birds swarming the Golden Gate Bridge, but it proved too expensive.

Beatty Beds 12,000?!

Take that Tiger Woods! While the world is still reeling from news of the golf legend’s escapades with 10 + mistresses, a new biography was released that alleges Warren Beatty bedded over 12,000 women! Kinda makes Woods’ indiscretions seem like nothin’, eh?

Granted, we always knew of Beatty’s womanizing reputation – and how Annette Bening finally tamed the beast in 1992 – but over 12,000?! That’s the population of a small town! Warren Beatty had sex with an entire town of women! Peter Biskind, author of Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America, calculates that Beatty slept with "12,775 women, give or take, a figure that does not include daytime quickies, drive-bys, casual gropings, stolen kisses and so on." His conquests allegedly included Jane Fonda, Joan Collins, Leslie Caron, Isabelle Adjani, Julie Christie, Diane Keaton and Madonna (who hasn’t?).

We’re surprised the 72-year-old is still standing! And as far as we know, he’s never pulled a Duchovny. Beatty has already issued a statement through his attorney denying the claims, and to be fair, that number does seem a little unlikely. Still, it doesn’t keep us from wondering. If Woods taught us anything, it’s that nothing stays secret forever.

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"I Don't Want Realism, I Want Magic!" (And I got both with Streetcar)

While most people might mull and ponder the question “What’s your favorite movie of all time?” I barely hesitate before replying, A Streetcar Named Desire. Sometimes that response is met with “That’s awesome” and others time it’s met with a “Really?” Yes, really. It was the film that sparked my interest in the classics. Up until that point, I didn’t know people acted like that in old movies. I always say, if I had wanted to be an actress, Streetcar’s the film that would’ve inspired me to do it. I can almost picture myself thanking Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh in my Oscar acceptance speech (“Thank you, Academy. I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers…”).

But the only way I ever sat down to watch that life-changer of a movie was because I had just read – and subsequently was entranced by - the play. I had to see Tennessee Williams’ electrically-charged words in action.

So imagine my sheer and utter excitement when I found out that it was possible to see those words in live action. Cate “Can Do No Wrong” Blanchett was playing Blanche Dubois on a stage in Brooklyn. I think even my computer was amazed at how fast I clicked “purchase tickets.” (Bonus: a few months later a certain sweetheart got me another set of tickets – with better seats! So what if the surprise kind of got ruined. Two times the Streetcar goodness? Best. Christmas present. Ever.)

So December 19th – and 20th – I made my way to the BAM Harvey Theater to see Cate and Co. (aka the Sydney Theater Company) take on Tennessee. Blanchett was a marvel. Her Blanche was intensely on edge, yet she also managed to nail the character’s nervous humor. Plain and simple Blanchett’s my Queen (or as my slightly-blasphemous sister said, “No, she’s my god.”).

Actor Joel Edgerton made a commanding Stanley. He had the look. (Unlike that Broadway revival a few years ago that cast John C. Reilly as Stanley for some godforsaken reason. Don’t you think he’d make a better Mitch?) Edgerton was able to put his own fresh spin on the character that I could enjoy as a separate entity from Brando’s performance – which nothing can hold a candle to, in my opinion. Robin McLeavy perfected Stella’s teenage-girl-like infatuation with her husband, and she and Blanchett were able to bring out the strains in their sisterly relationship even more so than in the film.

If this new stage revival proved anything, it’s that this is still a play (and film) that will spark conversation, debate and an impassioned response. So before you question my choice for favorite movie of all time, maybe you need to watch Stanley howl “STELLAAA!” one more time.

Quick Quips for December 8th

"The real violence in Hollywood isn't what's on the screen. It's what you have to do to raise the money."

- David Mamet

Michelle Mulls Marilyn!

Marilyn Monroe has been the source of much imitation in Hollywood today – as we here at On the Marquee know all too well. Stars recreate her famous photos, her famous looks, even her famous scandals. Now, actress Michelle Williams has reportedly been asked to play Monroe in the upcoming film, My Week With Marilyn. The film, to be directed by Simon Curtis, will document Monroe's time filming the 1957 movie The Prince and The Showgirl. It’s based on a diary kept by the film's assistant director Colin Clarke. (FYI: Marilyn’s difficult behavior on set reportedly drove director Laurence Olivier so crazy that he basically abandoned directing altogether after that!)

All we can say is, thank God they’re not offering the part to Scarlett Johansson. While Johansson seems to be the obvious choice (she’s got the hair, the curves and that whole sexpot thing going), we’re glad the filmmakers have a more substantial actress in mind (and before you make any Dawson’s Creek jokes, remember: Williams proved her acting chops with her Oscar-nominated portrayal of a rejected wife in Brokeback Mountain). And come on, don't you think ScarJo tries a little too hard sometimes? Granted, Williams has yet to accept the offer – but we sincerely hope she does. The movie’s due to start filming in June. Mull it over Michelle, we’ve got your back.

Think Michelle Williams is up for the task? Who else could play Marilyn? Word is, Amy Adams and Kate Hudson were also in the running - but we just can't picture it.

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