Vivien Leigh’s American agent, Myron Selznick, brother of David, introduced Leigh to the producer with, “Hey genius, meet your Scarlett O’Hara.”
Why, how unchivalrous of you. Why, think, Ashley, think – if it hadn’t been for Scarlett, I’d have died in Atlanta, and maybe we wouldn’t have had little Beau, and … and when I think of her picking cotton and plowing just to keep food in our mouths, I could just – oh, my darling!
Anonymous asked fuckyeahgwtw:What are your favorite uses of cinematic devices GWTW uses?
I haven’t watched the entire film in a few months so I am probably forgetting more subtle things that I like, but immediately I have to say the silhouettes in front of Tara. Maybe people find that kind of thing cheesy nowadays (a la War Horse), but I don’t, and I love it. Also, the matte painting shots - it’s really difficult to see the distinction, if you can see it at all. Not a ton of films back then made the effort to include such sweeping, panoramic or scenic shots (but it’s pretty common nowadays), and they are so important to the setting of GWTW, I think. And of course, the burning of Atlanta, in terms of the scale of the real sets burning and the seamless incorporation of model train cars burning.
The whole movie, in my opinion, has always had its own feel that stands outside its time of creation. It’s not exactly like our modern films, of course, but it uses its own style to tell the story and I think that has contributed to its longevity in terms of adoring fans =)
[Quick note to all: I am finished with school for the semester and will begin making gifs and things for the queue directly!]
~ lordgrantham
“We had been waiting for over an hour on Vivien Leigh (there was some miscommunication about the time of the shoot).. the shots were in costume. Clark was pacing back and forth. “I couldn’t make love to that dame if she were the most beautiful woman in the world!” And then, a rustle of silk, the sweet smell of lilacs, and there was the most beautiful woman in the world, standing behind him, touching his shoulder, whispering like a summer breeze.. “I quite agree, Mr. Gable. If I were a man, I’d tell that Vivien Leigh to go right back to merry old England and fuck herself.” Gable turned and looked. Leigh looked right back. The look in their eyes had flashbulbs in it. Slowly, Rhett Butler took Scarlett O’hara by the arm and walked onto the Southern staircase, talking and smiling as though they’d known each other all their lives.”
