85 Years Ago, On the Set of Gone with the Wind…

85 years ago today, the newspapers were reporting what was going on on the the set of the hotly-anticipated Civil War drama.

Gone with the Wind Cast Loses Self-Consciousness

by Harrison Carroll

Hollywood, April 29–Some of the self-consciousness has worn off the “Gone with the Wind: company and they are now having fun just as if they were making an ordinary picture instead of an American classic.

This week, they are shooting the scene in the library of the Wilkes plantation, Twelve Oaks, where Scarlett discovers that Rhett Butler had overheard her confession of love to Ashley.

In sudden anger, Vivien Leigh tosses a vase at Clark Gable, who is on a couch at the other end of the room. Then he gets up and walks toward her, talking as he comes.

“Sir!” she exclaims, “you should have revealed your presence. You are no gentleman!”

“And you, miss,” he answers, “are no lady!”

After they rehearse it, Director Victor Fleming says to Gable, “I don’t think you are doing so good with it. You don’t time your lines right as you are walking to her.”

Gable laughs good naturedly.

“Well, what do you expect?” he asks. “It’s a sleeper jump over there.”

They try it again and, this time, Vivien’s throw is weak. The vase hits the sofa instead of clearing it and Gable is showered with pieces.

As a property man gets another of the 13 vases that have been provided. Fleming turns to Vivien Leigh. “There’s one thing certain, my dear,” he says, “you’re no baseball player.”

Before they try the scene again, the color cameraman asks for the stand-ins to substitute for a minute while he makes a change in lighting.

“And don’t forget to look like Gable,” Fleming warns Clark’s stand-in, Lou Smith, who doesn’t look a bit like the star.

“What’s the matter with my stand-in?” demands Clark. “The only trouble is his ears are too small.”