13 Things You Might Not Know About ‘Gone With the Wind’
13 Things You Might Not Know About ‘Gone With the Wind’
1. It was boredom that caused 25-year-old Margaret Mitchell to write 63 of the most beloved chapters in literary history. Mitchell was a journalist for the Atlanta Journal Sunday Magazine when she took a leave to recover from “a series of injuries,” according to the Margaret Mitchell House, including a recurring ankle injury. When the ankle proved slow to heal this time, she decided to occupy herself by writing.
2. Though Mitchell spent the next decade working on characters and plot development, almost no one knew she was writing a book. She went to extreme lengths to hide her work from friends and family, including hurriedly throwing a rug over pages scattered on her living room floor once when company showed up unexpectedly.
3. Despite spending 10 years of her life working on the tome, Mitchell didn’t really have much intention of publishing it. When a “friend” heard that she was considering writing a book (though in fact, it had been written), she said something to the effect of, “Imagine, you writing a book!” Annoyed, Mitchell took her massive manuscript to a Macmillan editor the next day. She later regretted the act and sent the editor a telegram saying, “Have changed my mind. Send manuscript back.”
4. You know her as Scarlett now, but for years, the heroine of Gone with the Wind was called Pansy. It probably would have stayed that way had the publisher not requested a name change. “We could call her ‘Garbage O’Hara’ for all I care,” Mitchell wrote to her friend and the book’s associate editor, “I just want to finish this damn thing.”5. Speaking of name changes, early drafts of GWTW referred to Tara as “Fountenoy Hall.”
6.There was another Southern legend in Margaret Mitchell’s family: Old West gunslinger (and dentist) Doc Holliday, her cousin by marriage. Many people believe that Mitchell used her famous kin as the inspiration for Ashley Wilkes.
7. Add Margaret Mitchell to everyone else who doesn’t know what ultimately happened with Scarlett and Rhett. She left the ending ambiguous with no “real” ending even in her own head. “For all I know, Rhett may have found someone else who was less difficult,” she told Yank magazine in 1945.
8. Even if you haven’t read the book, you might have heard the last line: “Tomorrow is another day.” That was also the tentative title. Mitchell also considered calling it Bugles Sang True or Not in Our Stars. The title she finally decided upon comes from a poem called Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae sub Regno Cynarae by Ernest Dowson: “I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind,
Flung roses, roses riotously with the throng,
Dancing, to put thy pale, lost lilies out of mind”
9. Though Gone with the Wind is a classic now, not everyone was a fan of the epic novel when it was released – and that includes critics. Ralph Thompson, a book reviewer for The New York Times, was quite unimpressed. Among his criticisms:
“The historical background is the chief virtue of the book, and it is the story of the times rather than the unconvincing and somewhat absurd plot that gives Miss Mitchell’s work whatever importance may be attached to it.”
“Miss Mitchell writes from no particular point of view.”
“I happen to feel that the book would have been infinitely better had it been edited down to, say, 500 pages–but there speaks the harassed daily reviewer as well as the would-be judicious critic. Very nearly every reader will agree, no doubt, that a more disciplined and less prodigal piece of work would have more nearly done justice to the subject-matter.”
At the end, Thompson rather begrudgingly admits that, “Any kind of first novel of over 1,000 pages is an achievement and for the research that was involved, and for the writing Itself, the author of Gone With the Wind deserves due recognition.”
10. When movie mogul David O. Selznick purchased the movie rights for $50,000 in 1936, it was the most ever paid for rights to a book. Mitchell declined to be involved with the production of the movie, though she was said to have loved it save for a few details (she found Tara to be too opulent, for example).
Though she spent a decade writing her masterpiece, Margaret Mitchell only enjoyed the ensuing fame for a little more than that (truth be told, she didn’t really “enjoy” the fame). Mitchell was hit by a speeding car as she was crossing Atlanta’s Peachtree Street on her way to a movie in 1949. She died from her injuries a few days later.
11. Gone with the Wind is the only novel by Mitchell published during her lifetime.
12. It is the second favorite book by American readers, just behind the Bible, according to a 2008 Harris Poll.
13. Through its initial release in 1939, and subsequent re-releases throughout the years,the film Gone with the Wind has sold 225 million tickets, a feat unmatched to this day.
About the film
1. Over 1,400 actresses were interviewed for the coveted role of Scarlet O'Hara.
2- The one actress whom all of Hollywood felt had the role (including herself) was Paulette Goddard, live-in girlfriend of comedian Charlie Chaplin. When the press leaked the information they were "living in sin", Paulette was quickly dropped from consideration.
3- British actress Vivian was finally selected to play Scarlett. There was, however, a slight problem...she was also living with her lover,fellow British actor Laurence Olivier out-of-wedlock in England! Fearing the loss of a 2nd "Scarlet", the studio did not allow the two to see each other during any of the filming, thus eliminating any scandal since the American public was not familiar with her as they had been with Goddard.
4- Vivian Leigh's hands were usually filmed while she wore gloves. This was due to the fact her hands were very large and disproportional in regard to her petite frame (5'3").
5- Both Vivian Leigh and Scarlett O'Hara's parents were French and Irish.
6- During filming, Vivian Leigh smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day. Clark Gable smoked only 3 packs a day.
Casting The Roles - Rhett
1- Actor Gary Cooper was offered the role of Rhett Butler but turned it down. He was quoted with saying, "Gone with the Wind (1939) is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood history," and, "I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper."
2- The only reason Clark Gable accepted the role of Rhett Butler was tied into a divorce! Gable felt the general public had built up the role in their minds to the extent that no man could possible meet their expectations. He even called the role "career suicide". It was during this time Gable had fallen in love with Carole Lombard but was still married to his 2nd wife who demanded a whopping $500,000 settlement (a fortune during the Depression!) for a divorce. MGM agreed to give him the added financial help he needed to obtain his divorce that he very reluctantly agreed to be loaned to Selznick Pictures and take the role of Rhett.
3- Clark Gable wore false teeth, as well as having his large ears surgically altered. Both operations were done in 1933. He had a chronic case of Halitosis (bad breath) the rest of his life. It was so severe that many actresses would gag during kissing scenes!
Other Casting Notes
1- Judy Garland had been heavily considered for Scarlett's younger sister Carreen, but she was tied up with a previous commitment..."The Wizard Of Oz".
2- There were 2,400 extras and bit players in "GWTW".
3- 2,500 costumes were used by the female cast in the film's making.
4- Barbara O'Neil , the actress who played Scarlett's mother was only 28 years old when she played the role. Vivian Leigh was 25 years old.
5- Actress Lillian Gish was originally approached to play Scarlett's mother.
6- Billie Burke (remember her as Glenda, the Good Witch in "Wizard of Oz"?) was first considered to play Aunt Pitypat. She did not get the role because she was considered "too young". She was 54. The role went to Laura Hope Crews. She was 59 years old.
7- Did the voice of the reminiscent soldier in the Atlanta hospital scene talking about his "brother Jeff" sound familiar? It should. It was the voice of Cliff Edwards. . He was the voice of Jiminy Cricket from Disney's animated movie "Pinocchio".
8- The horse Thomas Mitchell (Gerald O'Hara) rode throughout the movie, including the infamous jumping scene went on to be one of the most famous horses of movie history...Silver of "The Lone Ranger" (1949) fame.
9- The actor who played Aunt Pittypat's servant, Uncle Peter was a a regular on popular 1940's radio star Jack Benny's show...he was gravel-voiced Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson .
10- Melanie Hamilton was originally the intended heroine when Margaret Mitchell began writing "GWTW". It was while she was writing that Scarlett began to emerge as the strong-willed heroine.
11- The original name of Margaret Mitchell 's book was "Tomorrow Is Another Day" with the female heroine being named Pansy O'Hara.
And Ending On An Odd Note...
In 1999, singer Michael Jackson paid $1.5 million for the 1939 Oscar for Best Film...It was for "Gone With The Wind".
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