Verdammte süße Welt

It's always amazed me that this movie doesn't get more respect--sure it's campy, but the performances are fantastic: Christopher Plummer's speech to Daisy by the pool after she's been abandoned by her new husband (a super young Robert Redford playing a gorgeous pansexual for God's sake--what more could a person ask?) is stunning and Natalie Wood's "The Circus is a wacky world"-induced breakdown in the sound booth is brilliant and scary. Roddy McDowell's killing smile as he says "Good night, Miss Clover." Redford getting away with lines like "Good night, sweet, sad, lonely lady" and a drunken Malora (great name) screaming at Daisy "They say I've got a headache, BUT I'VE GOT A HEARTACHE!!!" The gorgeous black and white promotional video of Daisy singing and bouncing her way through the cardboard galaxies. All incredible stuff--why isn't this on DVD yet? Wake up, Hollywood, and give us this treasure on DVD!

A rather strange film upon revisit. For those who have loved Aldrich's LEGEND OF LYLAH CLARE and BAREFOOT CONTESSA--This one is for you. Granted Natalie Wood is playing young when the actress was in her late 20's--but her legend is alive and well in this film. Plummer is amazing, as is the actress who plays his manic depressive wife. The film is beautifully shot in and around LA, and the Kurt Weill'ish musical score by Previn is superb. A decidedly campy look inside the film studios of the Forties, but intriguing, interestingly acted, superbly scored, photographed, and one of those strange films in which the leading lady who died tragically offers many amazing moments to remember. The film was horribly reviewed when it was first released--but time and the personal stories, both successful and tragic, of many of its actors, give the film a certain fascination in 2002. Unfortunately it has not yet been released on DVD--but it must be seen in wide screen and not in the pan and scan version available on VHS. Gavin Lambert did the screenplay based on his own novel. . .and it works.

Brassy, singing tomboy near Hollywood in the 1930s gets a screen test and is soon thrust into the crazy spotlight of Tinsel Town. Ham-handed soaper intends to paint show business as cool, decadent and uncaring, but director Robert Mulligan is unable to set an appropriate tone, and his bad guys are enigmatic shadies who conspire in whispers. This combined with Natalie Wood's raucous rendering of a 15-year-old results in some problems. Still, the look and atmosphere of the film are really extraordinary, and Christopher Plummer gives off sparks of neurotic heat as the head of the movie studio. Robert Redford is a good screen match for Natalie, although his love-interest role is steeped in the hypothetical; Wood herself runs hot and cold, though she has some very strong early moments. The pacing might've stood some picking up, and the movie is much too long, but it looks stylish and has a lot of talent behind it. **1/2 from ****

This film seems way ahead of it's time, made in 1965 it's one of the first to show a darker side of Tinsel Town. Natalie Wood plays a tomboy who's plucked from obscurity and becomes a teen singing star. Her character is almost immediately jaded by the experience, manipulated by a studio head and a dubious male heartthrob, played by a stunning looking Robert Redford. Ruth Gordon once again stands out as the teen stars' mother. Christopher Plummer is excellent as the smooth studio head with Roddy McDowall as his cold assistant. Katharine Bard plays Plummers' wife, and her character is fascinating. She seems to float and flow when she moves and her character sums up the film's overall feel. Distant, detached and alien yet seething with anger and disappointment.

The problem with the film is that it's very dark in tone. That is to say the slick big budget production is overshadowed by a strange menace, highlighting the fact that the studio system was basically a people factory, uncaring and cannibalistic. Audiences at the time must have been very confused, expecting a light, breezy musical. Instead it's a realistic yet stylized downer, reminiscent of Valley of the Dolls, which was yet to come. There's very little genuine romance, sentiment or humor, just a steady flow of odd scenes.

This is one of those movies that many have never heard of, it remains obscure despite it's almost epic appeal. It's certainly worth a look, but just try to nail it down to any specific category.

A decidedly odd film that is wonderfully script and filmed, with lovely performances from Natalie Wood, Robert Redford and Christopher Plummer (of course). Upon first viewing this film I thought it to be rather strange because it is very unlike most movies I have seen. It tells the story of the tomboyish Daisy Clover in such a truthful and sometimes upsetting manner that you have to adjust to it. It is also very unsettling and rather thrilling to see Christopher Plummer as a sort of villain or The Prince of Darkness as Robert Redford's character calls him. His manic wife is also brilliant, especially in the scene where she gives her drunken confession to Daisy about her affair with Robert Redford. But of course this film would not be half of what it is without the great and adventurous acting skills of Natalie Wood, who was able to be a convincing fifteen year old when she was in her late twenties. The end of the film is perfect, and shows that Daisy Clover is truly a free spirit. I highly recommend this film to all of those who loved Natalie Wood and such films as Bare Foot Contessa.