In 1965, Natalie Wood was arguably the biggest star in the world. She’d already been nominated for three Oscars, survived the transition from child star to adult siren, and was basically the face of the studio system's final golden breath. Then she made Inside Daisy Clover.
It was supposed to be her masterpiece. Instead, it was a mess.
People at the time didn’t know what to make of it. The critics were brutal, the box office was a ghost town, and the studio was terrified of the script's darker corners. But honestly, if you watch it today, it feels like one of the most honest things she ever did. It’s a movie about the Hollywood meat grinder, starring a woman who had been inside that grinder since she was four years old.
The Brutal Reality of Inside Daisy Clover
The plot is kinda wild for a 60s flick. Natalie Wood plays Daisy, a 15-year-old tomboy living in a shack in Santa Monica with her eccentric mother, played by the legendary Ruth Gordon. Daisy records a song in a carnival booth, sends it to a big-shot producer, and suddenly she’s the "The Sensational Singing Orphan."
Everything about her life is fake from that moment on.
Her mother is whisked away to a mental institution because a "star" can’t have a crazy relative. Her age is lied about. Her "spontaneous" moments are choreographed. If this sounds familiar, it’s because it’s basically the blueprint for every "child star gone wrong" story we see on TMZ today.
Why the Movie Failed (And Why it Worked)
When it came out, the film was a total bomb. Part of the problem was the tone—it’s cynical, jagged, and uncomfortable. Audiences wanted the glamorous Natalie Wood of West Side Story, not a sweaty, nervous teenager having a breakdown in a recording booth.
The casting was also... interesting. Natalie was 26 or 27 playing a 15-year-old. You’ve gotta suspend some disbelief there. Even with the heavy lighting and the short haircuts, she looks like a woman, not a kid. But strangely, that adds to the movie's creepiness. It highlights how the industry forces kids to grow up too fast.
The Robert Redford Factor
This was the movie that launched Robert Redford. Seriously.
🔗 Read more: The Sailor Moon Live Show Reality: What Fans Usually Miss About These Performances
Natalie Wood actually hand-picked him for the role of Wade Lewis, a vain, closeted movie star who marries Daisy only to ditch her on their honeymoon. Before this, Redford was mostly a theater guy. Natalie saw him on Broadway in Sunday in New York and fought the studio to get him cast. She basically gave him his career.
They remained tight for the rest of her life. In fact, if you watch the 2020 documentary Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, Redford talks about her with so much genuine affection it’ll make you misty. They had this unspoken bond.
"I certainly owe the beginning of my career in film to her," Redford said years later.
There was a catch, though. In Gavin Lambert’s original novel, Redford’s character is gay. In 1965, Warner Bros. wasn't having it. They watered it down to "vague bisexuality," which honestly makes his motivations in the movie a bit confusing. You’re left wondering why this guy is so cold, and the movie is too scared to just tell you the truth.
That Recording Booth Scene
If there’s one reason to watch Inside Daisy Clover, it’s the breakdown in the sound booth.
Daisy has to dub a song for a movie she’s already finished. She’s exhausted. Her mother just died. She’s trapped in a tiny glass box with a pair of headphones, and the producer (Christopher Plummer, being deliciously evil) is barking orders at her through the glass.
She starts to laugh. Then she starts to scream.
It is one of the most visceral, terrifying depictions of a mental collapse ever filmed. It wasn’t just acting for Natalie; she’d spent her whole life in rooms like that. She knew what it felt like to be a "product."
The Famous Dubbing Controversy
Here’s a fun fact: Natalie Wood didn't actually sing most of the songs.
Even though she spent weeks practicing and recorded full versions of the tracks, the studio dubbed her with session singer Jackie Ward. If you look for the Film Score Monthly CD from 2009, you can actually hear Natalie's original vocals.
🔗 Read more: Julianne Hough on Burlesque: What Most People Get Wrong About Her Movie Debut
She wasn't bad! She had a sweet, thin voice that suited a 15-year-old character. But the studio wanted a "big" sound—something like Judy Garland. By taking her voice away, they ironically did to Natalie exactly what the movie was criticizing: they replaced her soul with a polished, commercial version.
How to Appreciate the Film Today
If you’re going to dive into this movie, don’t expect a standard rags-to-riches story. It’s more of a horror movie about fame.
What to look for:
- Ruth Gordon’s Performance: She won a Golden Globe and got an Oscar nod for a reason. She’s heartbreaking as "The Dealer."
- The Cinematography: Charles Lang used these wide, lonely shots of the beach that make Daisy look tiny and vulnerable.
- The Ending: No spoilers, but it’s one of the most defiant "screw you" endings in cinema history. It’s incredibly satisfying.
Actionable Next Steps for Film Fans
If this peaked your interest in Natalie Wood or the "Old Hollywood" critique genre, here’s what you should do:
- Watch the movie on TCM or rent it. Don't expect Singin' in the Rain. Expect something much darker.
- Read Gavin Lambert’s biography of Natalie Wood. He wrote the screenplay and was one of her closest friends. It’s the most accurate account of her life you’ll find.
- Compare it to "The Day of the Locust." If you like movies that tear the mask off Hollywood, that’s the next logical step.
- Listen to the original vocals. Search for "Natalie Wood Inside Daisy Clover original recordings" on YouTube to hear what she actually sounded like before the studio dubbed her.
Inside Daisy Clover isn't a perfect film, but it's a brave one. It shows a side of Natalie Wood that the public rarely got to see: the girl who was tired of being a star.