Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

[Crimson]

She was always totally dependent on men like Rhett, but as long as she was unconscionable about it and refused to genuinely care about them in return, she remains "strong and independent." Scarlett was a narcissist, probably with sociopathic tendencies, but that seems like "strength, defiance and control" to some.

All true, although contextually a woman in the 1860s would have had few paths to success other than strategic marriage and fewer paths to independence other than widowhood. Scarlett played the hand she was dealt; she played it well and dispassionately. Unlike classic screen vamps or femes fatale, there was no malice in Scarlett's actions. She did what was necessary to survive and thrive, she just indifferent to the impact on others. If I thought GWTW and the similarly themed FOREVER AMBER were more than slick potboilers, I'd say there's some social commentary in there; presumably that was a big factor on why the stories resonated with women in the '30s and '40s.

And all the reason why I maintain Leigh was the best and only option. Except for Davis, who might have leaned too far in the other direction, I think any of the other actresses would have made Scarlett more likeable. Goddard was an immensely appealing actress. Scarlett being so unlikable, while not help but admiring her determination, is what makes her such a unique character.

 

[Crimson]

I’ve always thought there was a little bit of that ‘I want what I can’t have’ in Rhett too.

There's an interpretation that Scarlett represents the South wavering between the fraudulent glory of its past (Ashley) and the cynicism of modernity (Rhett). I don't dislike it, but I doubt either Mitchell or Selznick had that in mind.

 

[Scorpienne]

All true, although contextually a woman in the 1860s would have had few paths to success other than strategic marriage and fewer paths to independence other than widowhood. Scarlett played the hand she was dealt; she played it well and dispassionately. Unlike classic screen vamps or femes fatale, there was no malice in Scarlett's actions. She did what was necessary to survive and thrive, she just indifferent to the impact on others. If I thought GWTW and the similarly themed FOREVER AMBER were more than slick potboilers, I'd say there's some social commentary in there; presumably that was a big factor on why the stories resonated with women in the '30s and '40s.

And all the reason why I maintain Leigh was the best and only option. Except for Davis, who might have leaned too far in the other direction, I think any of the other actresses would have made Scarlett more likeable. Goddard was an immensely appealing actress. Scarlett being so unlikable, while not help but admiring her determination, is what makes her such a unique character.

I think Leigh’s passion for the book made her excellent for the part. I’ve watched some of the other auditions and none of them had that magnetism Leigh had. She absolutely loved that book, too much according to Victor Fleming.

Bette is one of my all-time favorite actresses but I think Jezebel was a better vehicle for her - and I don’t believe GWTW would have performed as well at the box office with her in the lead role.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

All true, although contextually a woman in the 1860s would have had few paths to success other than strategic marriage and fewer paths to independence other than widowhood. Scarlett played the hand she was dealt; she played it well and dispassionately. Unlike classic screen vamps or femes fatale, there was no malice in Scarlett's actions. She did what was necessary to survive and thrive, she just indifferent to the impact on others. If I thought GWTW and the similarly themed FOREVER AMBER were more than slick potboilers, I'd say there's some social commentary in there; presumably that was a big factor on why the stories resonated with women in the '30s and '40s.

And all the reason why I maintain Leigh was the best and only option. Except for Davis, who might have leaned too far in the other direction, I think any of the other actresses would have made Scarlett more likeable. Goddard was an immensely appealing actress. Scarlett being so unlikable, while not help but admiring her determination, is what makes her such a unique character.

I think Leigh’s passion for the book made her excellent for the part. I’ve watched some of the other auditions and none of them had that magnetism Leigh had. She absolutely loved that book, too much according to Victor Fleming.

Bette is one of my all-time favorite actresses but I think Jezebel was a better vehicle for her - and I don’t believe GWTW would have performed as well at the box office with her in the lead role.

George Cukor, the original director (and continued to work with the actresses after his being fired) stately bluntly years later that GWTW would never have become the all-time classic that it did had any other actress been cast other than Vivien Leigh.

Which was true. She really was born to play Scarlett. And it's hard to say precisely why, but Leigh always reminds me off a "popular girl" you knew in highschool who people didn't actually like all that much but was prominent in some way.

In earlier eras, women mostly achieved status through men (some might say that hasn't changed as much as it appears) but subsequent generations of girls still took to Scarlett as a kind of "princess" role model. Although today, the movie's just too old for some younger people to be all that much aware of, and current woke-ist zeitgeisty disapproval over the minimizing of the film's racial issues probably squelch its influence today.

Are "the kids" even aware of GWTW?

 

[Scorpienne]

She really was. Losing out on Catherine in Wuthering Heights was one of the best things that ever happened for her - and for us too.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

She really was. Losing out on Catherine in Wuthering Heights was one of the best things that ever happened for her - and for us too.

And Margaret Mitchell's take on WUTHERING HEIGHTS was totally correct: the music was too loud and you can't hear the dialogue.

Today, they do that on purpose.

 

[Scorpienne]

I did not know that and never thought of it before! Next time I watch, I’ll pay closer attention.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

@Crimson makes a good point that Scarlett was totally self-serving but didn't demonstrate any particular malice. That may be why generations of young girls aspired to Scarlett's princess archetype but never seemed to embrace cinema's dragon bitch-monsters other than to be entertained by them.