Natalie Wood, who would later go on to her greatest hit, "West Side Story", had until "Marjorie Morningstar" played mostly childish roles, including that of Judy in "Rebel Without a Cause". A "NY Times" reviewer wrote of her performance, "Natalie Wood, who only yesterday was playing with dolls in films, has blossomed into a vivacious pretty brunette who very likely is as close to a personification of Marjorie as one could wish. But the character is hardly complex, and while Miss Wood is competent in the role, it is rarely a glowing performance."