Customer Reviews

Inside Daisy Clover [VHS]

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Despite being uneven and overdramatic in some spots, this movie is absolutely intriguing. The first fifteen minutes are basically pointless, but the rest is fabulous. The characters are so complex that at the end you're still wondering who was the bad guy and who was the good guy. Natalie Wood as Daisy Clover managaes to look beautiful even though she looks like a frumpy teenager. Roddy McDowall is the producer's snippy assistant. Katherine Bard plays Mrs. Swan, who tells Daisy "your husband never could resist a charming boy." Robert Redford looks extremely handsome as bisexual actor Wade Lewis (my favorite scene is when he talks to Daisy in the beautiful white bedroom). But the piece de resistance is Christopher Plummer as the ambiguous studio producer Raymond Swan. That guy is truly an amazing actor. The scenes he has with Daisy are my favorite (the swimming pool and beach house). The memorable script, the main actors, and the gorgeous, glamorous 1930s Hollywood setting make this movie worth seeing.

Those expecting a light musical concerning glamourous Hollywood beware: hiding behind it's glossy surface, Inside Daisy Clover is an icy-cold depiction of life inside the dream factory. Cast largely against type, the film stars Natalie Wood and Robert Redford (both surprisingly effective in emotionally complex roles) and features sharp performances by Estelle Parsons, Christopher Plummer, Roddy McDowell, and Ruth Gordon. The detached tone of the film will not be to every one's taste, but the film is a must for those who enjoy sophistocated drama. Based on the acidly funny and darker-still novel by Gavin Lambert.

1965's INSIDE DAISY CLOVER was a story that Natalie Wood felt a great need and personal responsibility to tell. Starting out as a child star herself in the 1940s, she knew the pitfalls and tricks of Hollywood's dream machine all too well. A gritty backstage melodrama, INSIDE DAISY CLOVER is, in my opinion, one of Wood's most underrated movies.

Fifteen year old Daisy Clover (Natalie Wood) lives in a caravan on Angel Beach with her eccentric, card-reading mother (Ruth Gordon). A tomboy with a grimy sweatshirt and tossled mop of ashe blonde hair, Daisy spends her days operating a booth where people can buy "personally autographed" pictures of the stars; and singing into a 'record your voice' novelty machine. All that changes when Daisy enters a talent competition at Swan Studios. Film producer Raymond Swan (Christopher Plummer) recognises an elusive talent in young Daisy and begins to groom her for stardom.... Robert Redford co-stars as Wade Lewis, a dashing matinee idol who hides his bisexuality long enough to marry and dump Daisy after the wedding night. This was his first big Hollywood role, after being personally recommended for the movie by Ms Wood.

Natalie Wood was quoted as saying at the time: "'I have only had this kind of reaction on one other thing really, and that was "Rebel Without a Cause". Where I instantly realized that no matter what, I have to play this part".

Echoes of Judy Garland can be found in the character of Daisy Clover; and Wood does a credible job of acting as a brash young singing star. I also think that Wood used the role to try and exorcise some of the emotional scars she still carried from her own years as a child star. Unfortunately her performance was largely panned and came during a point when Wood's incredible acting talents (in films like "Splendor in the Grass") had been dimmed by time and memory. It would take "This Property is Condemned", released the following year and again co-starring Robert Redford, to remind people of how good Wood could be when she had first-rate material to work with.

Christopher Plummer turns in a chilling and controlled performance as Swan, the movie impresario who drags Daisy up from unknown to megastar. It's a similar performance to Anton Walbrook's in "The Red Shoes". He's especially frightening in his last scene with Natalie.

André and Dory Previn provided two great showbiz tunes for Daisy to sing ("You're Gonna Hear from Me" and "The Circus is a Wacky World"). Sadly, despite her protests and hard work to provide the singing herself, Wood's voice was dubbed by Jackie Ward. The grand Hollywood B&W production number version of "You're Gonna Hear from Me" is a composite of both Natalie and Jackie's vocals, blended seamlessly. Ward also dubbed Natalie's singing in "The Great Race".

INSIDE DAISY CLOVER is a moving and memorable backstage fable, and a must for anyone who loves Natalie Wood. It's currently only available as part of Warner's boffo Natalie Wood Collection DVD boxset, a purchase I'd highly recommend which also boasts the new-to-DVD "Bombers B-52", "Cash McCall" and "Sex and the Single Girl" in addition to new remasters of "Splendor in the Grass" and "Gypsy".

Ever heard the expression, "Every thief wants to get caught"? Well, seems like every set designer/costumer wants to let us know what time it REALLY is. While this rags-to-riches story is set in Depression-era hollywood, its visual aesthetic lives in the future. Imagine Shirley Temple in go-go boots, mod nickers, and a leather Oliver Twist cap, and you've got a good idea of what to expect. Bouncing off the lip-glossed-over plot are startling performances by Robert Redford (for once he's a bad boy) and Ruth Gordon (she's not so cuddly here, either). A mature Natalie Wood not only goes from rags to riches, she goes from pre-teenhood to washed-up adulthood in one frenetic, teary-eyed swoop. Particularly striking is this dark musical's number, "The Circus is a Wacky World." Clowns and nickers galore!

One of Natalie Wood's best performances in the role of Daisy Clover, a young woman who discovers that fame and fortune in Hollywood doesn't come without a price. Superb supporting performances by Ruth Gordon as Daisy's hapless mother, Robert Redford as her movie star boyfriend whose true lifestyle is in the closet, Christopher Plummer as the CEO of the movie studio; Katherine Bard as his frustrated, lonely wife, and Roddy McDowall as a studio Executive Assistant. For the film buff, some excellent shots around the backlots and stages of Warner Bros. Pictures, doubling for the story's "Swan Studios."

In this highly-underated look at the so called "dark" side of Hollywood, Natalie Wood portrays Daisy Clover, a young girl growing up in the 1930's who declares to her mom, "I can SING! I open up my mouth and a song comes out!"And so, she records a song in a do-it-yourself Recording Booth and sends it to Swan Studios, which is run by Mr. Swan portrayed by Christopher Plummer. Natalie does some of her own singing in this film. That is her own voice singing the opening introduction notes to "You're Gonna Hear From Me" in the screen test scene. Then, the singing is taken over by studio vocalist Jackie Ward. Her other musical number in this film is the popular Dory Previn tune, "The Circus is A Wacky World".Natalie does a great job in this picture. True, the film itself is a little uneven in spots, but it all somehow comes together. Rounding out the cast are Rob Redford as the Gay Husband, Roddy MacDowell as the Gay snippy Assistant, and Ruth Gordon as the crazy mother sent to a Sanitarium (All these dark side of Hollywood Movies HAVE to have a Sanitarium in them, or haven't you noticed). This film is another "must have" for Natalie Wood fans.

From her opening scenes as the mumbleing, cigarette puffing urchin with a chip on her shoulder to her last Natalie Wood does it again! This woman was truly one of the greats! She blew me away in this one. Especially her shattering scene in the sound booth!...and again, not even an Oscar nomination! If you like films about Hollywood and movie making you can't miss this one!

IT'S that delightful closing scene - 'the EXPLODING house' scene, [and possibly one of the funniest attempted suicide scenes on celluloid, but that's beside the point].

NATALIE WOOD is excellent as the young tyke absorbed by the 'Engulf and Devour' system still so popular in Tinseltown. She's bumped, bruised, abused and somewwhat shattered along the way - only to survive - HER way! She's funny, moving, canny and overall quite, quite memorable in this role. [Wonderful - obligatory - breakdown scene in the sound booth]. Yes, she sings in this one.

I believe that this was Mr. Plummer's second foray into celluloid [prior being "The Sound of Music"] and he is deliciously chilling as SWAN, the Studio Head - NOT forgetting Katharine Bard's cameo as Mrs. Swan [great scene with Miss Wood, the party scene with Natalie in the Choir Boy's outfit .... bordering slightly on kink ..... ]

RUTH GORDON? Excellent as the slowly fading Mama.

With Robert Redford [one of his first big breaks - thanks to Natalie], not forgetting Roddy McDowall as Swan's 'long suffering' secretary. Yes, it's all here, a great compansion piece to Blake Edward's 'S.O.B.' - even "Day of the Locust".

This lost "Robert Mulligan" well deserves to be restored to full DVD glory.

It's one of NATALIE WOOD's best!

[It also says quite a lot about 'damage control' in Hollywood].

The star system of the 30's on trial. See a close paralell of Natalie Wood's rise to stardom in Hollywood, get a fascinating look at how deal's are really made, and answer the magic question of whether you can really fit a producer's heart into a thimble. This is a bittersweet tale, and the moral of the story is if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. A fascinating watch.

This film has some of the look and feel of others of the day- "Mad, Mad World", and "The Great Race." But while the colors are bright the message is about the way the Hollywood studio system can chew young stars right up. All the characters are conflicted. It's "Suddely Last Summer" meets "The Sound of Music." And Plummer is especially hateful. Ever wonder why Redford's character is so cruel to Daisy in this one?