Yes, I care. I remember vividly hearing of her death and being shocked by it. I was about 15 at the time and West Side Story (note the spelling, Ralph) was my favorite musical. Regardless of her lack of singing, she was wonderful as Maria–her performance was graceful, passionate, and heartfelt. Also I’ve watched Miracle on 34th Street every year since I was practically a mere zygote, and she was just so charming and funny as the cynical little kid who’s gradually won over by Edmund Gwenn’s adorable Kris Kringle.
I’d also seen her in Gypsy, and while I’m not as big a fan of that musical as many others are, I was again moved by her performance as Mama Rose’s less-talented daughter who’s been treated as second-best for so long she’s shocked to find out she’s a pretty girl. Then there was Splendor in the Grass, a movie I don’t like at all, but as usual she gave a knockout performance.
Her death bothered me, not just because just about any death bothers me, but because she seemed perpetually young and vital in those films, so losing her so early was a shock. (Of course, even if she hadn’t seemed that way, she actually was too damn young to die.)
Finally there was the whole creepy factor of someone who’d been terrified of water for much of her life ending up drowning, a fact that was made a huge deal over in news reports/biographical pieces at the time. (I admit there’s a personal connection with drowning deaths as well, since my brother died that way.)
So yeah. I’d like to know the truth, whatever it was. I doubt the captain’s suddenly refreshed memory after all these years, coincidentally timed with his book. But I am curious. If that makes me a shallow star-fucker, so be it.