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In 1939, “Gone with the Wind” swept the Oscars. The year of its release, it saw unprecedented success. Most people believed that the film would fail. It had too many things going against it. Vivien Leigh was almost completely unknown and she was playing the role of Scarlett with a major star like Clark Gable. Many doubted whether she could hold up her side of the narrative. Also, the cost of production on the film seemed like more than could ever be made back in the box office.
This description from the 1939 Oscars gives a portrayal of the success of “Gone with the Wind.” The film was nominated for ten Academy awards, more than any movie before it. It ended up winning eight of those ten. One of the Oscars given out that night was Best Supporting Actress, given to Hattie McDaniel for her portrayal of Mammy. It was the first Oscar ever given to a Black woman.
“Gone with the Wind” had record setting success. This chapter in the book demonstrates that success. It lists the various award nominations as well as the winner. It also gives some details about that year and the events surrounding it. This information leads to an understanding of the impact of the film.
tagged Blacks_in_film Film Gone_with_the_Wind Hattie_McDaniel Oscars Vivien_Leigh by ajlyons ...on 07-APR-06
The chapter in this book on “Gone with the Wind” explains the problems with the casting of the movie. It took a great deal of effort to find the right actors for the different roles within this film. The way that the casting started made the film see doomed from the beginning. David O. Selznick, the producer, had a great deal of trouble finding the right Scarlett and was turned down by many different actresses. The filming actually started without Scarlett being cast because the role was so difficult to fill.
There was also some difficulty in getting Clark Gable to play Rhett Butler. He was the most popular suggestion for the part and most of America called for him to play it. However, he refused at the start and it took a great deal of convincing to get him to agree to the film.
The casting of this film did a lot to further its success. This shows that that was not always how it seemed. The show appeared to be a disaster before it even hit the theaters or even began shooting. This book gives all the background information on who was considered and for what reasons. It gives information on Selznick’s reasoning behind his choice of Vivien Leigh for the part of Scarlett O’hara. It also gives some background on the actresses and actors involved in the production. The film was dependent on a few actors and actresses.
tagged Clark_Gable Davie_O_Selznick Film Gone_with_the_Wind Vivien_Leigh by ajlyons ...on 06-APR-06