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Gone with the Wednesday: 1938’s Casting Roundabout
1938– a year full of suspense and speculation in regards to Gone with the Wind. Who would be Rhett? Who would be Melanie? Who would be Ashley? And especially…who will play Scarlett? To call the book a sensation would be an understatement. In three separate celebrity interviews from that year, magazines stated that young Judy Garland “spent last Christmas reading Gone with the Wind,” Deanna Durbin “has read Gone with the Wind twice!” and–the horror–“Nelson Eddy admits he has not yet read Gone with the Wind!” There was a lot at stake for this cast… In February, Photoplay magazine reported: Our monthly “Gone with the Wind” Department…whispers now have it…
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Gone with the Wednesday: Repost–Spotlight on: Vivien Leigh
This week, here is a spotlight I did in 2011 on Vivien Leigh. Read what Clark really thought of Vivien and how Vivien felt about winning the most coveted role of the century. http://dearmrgable.com/?p=1783
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Gone with the Wednesday: Frankly My Dear, I Think I’ll Have a Drink
The Atlanta Convention and Vistors Bureau, to help celebrate the 75th anniversary of the film, is promoting a contest among local restaurants to see who has the best Gone with the Wind-themed cocktail! Even if you don’t live in Atlanta and can’t make it out these fine restaurants to try the concoctions, you can make your own at home, per the recipes below. I’m not much of a drinker, but I’m enjoying the names–“Selfish and Shewd,” “A Bid for Scarlett,” “Courage or Reputation,” “Tara Tea,” “Don’t Call Me Sugar, “Sweet Melanie,” and “Don’t Drink Alone.” You can vote for your favorite here. Entries: ___ Aja Take Her to Bed After a long…
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Gone with the Wednesday: Honor Page
Screenplay Magazine Honor Page, from December 1939: “Gone with the Wind” is the great picture of its time, as “Birth of a Nation” was great in its day. It runs for 3 hours and 45 minutes, It has an all-star cast and thousands of extras. It is all in brilliant Technicolor, with some scenes of breathtaking beauty, It’s always stirring and often thrilling. But you can’t describe this Selznick epic. You must see it in order to believe it. Three-star pictures are rare. In “Gone with the Wind” three performances are such absolute perfection in portrayal that all three must be given our award. Vivien Leigh reincarnates Margaret Mitchell’s headstrong…
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Gone with the Wednesday: Snag Yourself a Scarlett Sweater
Gone with the Wind did not suffer from lack of marketing. Products sporting the film’s name were pushed upon the public long before the film was released; everything from clothing to perfume to candies to jewelry. In 1938, even before the film was cast, you could buy yourself a “Scarlett O’Hara sweater” that is “inspired” by the film: Or you could “Play the lead in Gone with the Wind” in this dress: As the film was in production and released, the marketing hit a fever pitch and you could get your hands on Gone with the Wind jewelry: Or you could win it in a magazine contest! In case you’re…
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Gone with the Wednesday: Facts for Your Own Gone with the Wind Trivia Game
In 1940, Photoplay magazine supplied its readers with facts on Gone with the Wind so that they could play their own GWTW trivia game… Hollywood can talk of nothing these days but Gone with the Wind. It’s crept into every luncheon and dinner party until hostesses, in despair, have invented a Gone with the Wind game. Pencils and papers with questions to be answered concerning the mighty epic are passed around at every gathering. The one winning the highest score gets the prize. Why not try it at your parties, too? With [us] supplying all the answers to facts and figures, you can make up your own questions. Here goes:…
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Gone with the Wednesday: “Gone with the Wind Indeed!”
This week, featured is another article from the archive, Gone with the Wind Indeed!, Photoplay magazine, March 1937. This article is all about the pressing issue of casting the great civil war epic: Time was when you could call a man a rat in Hollywood and get yourself a stiff poke in the nose. But now what you get is–”Rhett? Rhett Butler? Well–I don’t know about that ‘profile like an old coin’ stuff, but I’ve been told I am rather masterful and–” Yes and there was a day when you could call a woman scarlet in this town and find yourself looking into the business end of a male relative’s…
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Gone with the Wednesday: The Wind is Here Again!
Magazine ad for the re-release of Gone with the Wind in 1941. This was met with great fanfare, as there were many people who didn’t get to see it the first time around due to high ticket prices and long lines.
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Gone with the Wednesday: Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Gone with the Wind in Georgia!
Gone with the Wind hasn’t been getting much [good] press for its 75th anniversary this year, but here’s one way to celebrate the occasion: The Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum is holding a three day celebration in Georgia, June 6-8! Yours truly will be there, with bells on! Here’s the itinerary: FRIDAY, JUNE 6: 11:00-1:30 p.m. $25 (with weekend ticket) $35 (single ticket) The Wind Has Left – Christie Lynn Theatre/Murray Arts Center Live, on stage! Director Connie Sutherland and Producer Chris Sullivan present their version of Gone With the Wind starring Morgan Brittany, Greg Giese, Mickey Kuhn, Patrick Curtis and a host of non-actors (they’re mostly…
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Gone with the Wednesday: Clark Gable and the Dreaded Technicolor Tests
Clark Gable hated anything that he felt was frivoulous about film making. He wanted to just show up, read his lines and go home. He didn’t like taking promotional stills or messing with endless wardrobe fittings. It was part of the job, but he didn’t have to like it. The costumes in Gone with the Wind were a sore spot with Clark. When he first showed up to film, despite endless fittings, his costumes didn’t fit right. He already disliked wearing period garb and his long hair was annoying to him as well. I think you can tell from these stills taken from wardrobe and Technicolor tests for that he…