A writer friend of mine described it best – an infomercial. It felt like the family’s attempt to close the matter once and for all. Besides that, it was slow, offered nothing remotely new about Natalie Wood or her life, and I didn’t believe their spin for a second. Apparently, I'm not alone. I just read a New Yorker Magazine review that called it a "P.R. job."
I refuse to believe there wasn’t some cover-up. No, I don’t think Robert Wagner pushed her into the water. But I do believe the many accounts of other boats farther away claiming they heard cries for help. RJ didn’t hear them? Let’s just say he made no immediate attempt to rescue her.
Some reports claim other boats heard a fight between Natalie and RJ and guest, Christopher Walken. It was acknowledged even in the documentary that she had a real temper and could go batshit. Did they try to calm her down? Did she slip and fall into the drink? The point is it’s unlikely she was off the boat for any length of time before RJ realized she was missing. And his calls to the shore patrol and coast guard were way too little too late.
When the LAPD announced they are re-opening the case based on new evidence, that would suggest to me there’s way more to the tale than teary-eyed Robert Wagner shared on this informercial. In the documentary they mention that, but discredit it quickly. They discredit Lana Wood quickly. They point out all the sleaze tabloids exploiting the story in such a light as to make them seem ridiculous and salacious (although some clearly were – I’m surprised one didn’t accuse space aliens of killing her).
Did Natalie learn something RJ was afraid she was going to tell the world? Was he concerned that she could be a loose cannon when she felt horribly wronged? In his drunken/high state, could he not have been thinking clearly? Could he have heard her cries for help and thought, “All these problems could just go away if I just turned a deaf ear?”
Natalie’s daughters seem to believe him. I’m sure that’s preferable to thinking their father (or step father) is a monster. I guarantee you, therapy has been administered.
And maybe they’re absolutely right. Maybe Robert Wagner did have nothing to do with it. But his testimony and this three-hour sell job didn’t convince me.
The title should have been: NATALIE WOOD – LEAVE US ALONE ALREADY
from By Ken Levine
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