Inside Daisy Clover

Production: Park Place/Warner. Director Robert Mulligan; Producer Alan J. Pakula; Screenplay Gavin Lambert; Camera Charles Lang; Editor Aaron Stell; Music Andre Previn; Art Director Robert Clatworthy
Crew: (Color) Widescreen. Available on VHS, DVD. Extract of a review from 1965. Running time: 128 MIN.
With: Natalie Wood Christopher Plummer Robert Redford Roddy McDowall Ruth Gordon Katharine Bard

There will be those who may claim Inside Daisy Clover is based upon the true-life story of an actress who rose to shining blonde stardom. Alan J. Pakula and Robert Mulligan focus their sights upon a teenage beach gamin who becomes a Hollywood star of the 1930s. Covering a two-year period, the outcome is at times disjointed and episodic as the title character played by Natalie Wood emerges more nebulous than definitive.

Femme star seems to be eternally searching for the meaning of her role; she is almost inarticulate for long intervals and whoever is in a scene with her generally engages in a monolog since there is seldom dialog between them. The Gavin Lambert screenplay, based on his own novel, hop-skips through a brief romance with a screen idol, her one-day marriage, desertion and divorce; a nervous breakdown after the death of her mother.

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Probably the outstanding parts of pic are two novel musical numbers [staged by Herbert Ross], one in which the studio boss introduces his new star in a specially-made film shown at a party and second featuring her after she’s reached stardom.

Wood is better than her part. Her co-star is Christopher Plummer, who gives polish and some stiffness to the sadistic studio head bound to build himself a star.

1965: Nominations: Best Supp. Actress (Ruth Gordon), Color Costume Design, Color Art Direction