Natalie Wood was only 9 years old when she starred in her fifth movie, MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947), as a little girl who didn't believe in Santa Claus. In retrospect, it was an ironic role for the actress, as many of her later films (REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR, LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER, GYSPY) featured her as a young girl struggling to become a woman. In MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, she played a world-wise, sophisticated little girl learning, from Santa Claus himself, what it meant to be a child. The film's success depended on casting just the right child in the part. Too cute or too stiff, and the movie would have failed. Thankfully, Natalie Wood was just the right actress, and MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET became one of the most enjoyably uplifting Christmas films of all time.
Unlike many other child stars, Natalie Wood's transition from child star to adult star was smooth, though she had her share of films best forgotten. As she grew, she became an icon of troubled youths everywhere, co-starring with James Dean in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955) and Warren Beatty in SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS (1961), two excellent films about the emotional gap between parents and children. In 1961 she starred in what would be her greatest movie, WEST SIDE STORY, the film adaptation of the Broadway musical hit. Some critics over the years have been unimpressed by her and Richard Beymer as the star-crossed lovers, but as Maria, Wood displayed her characteristic beauty and charm, and captured the sweet innocence of the character flawlessly. Still, despite Wood's name at the top of the bill, the film belonged to Russ Tamblin, George Chakiris and Rita Moreno.
Wood would never again star in anything as magnificent as WEST SIDE STORY, though GYPSY (1962) was another excellent musical. In GYPSY, she plays Louise, the marginally talented daughter of Mama Rose, a driven show-biz mother determined to turn her other daughter, Baby June, into a Broadway star. Again, Wood captures the sadness and purity of a girl who would later become the most famous stripper in the world, Gypsy Rose Lee. It was one of her finest and subtlest performances, a perfect counterpoint to Rosiland Russell's loud and blustery Mama Rose.
