597 Gone with the Wind (1939)
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This article is from the Movie Trivia, by Murray Chapman muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au with numerous contributions by others.
597 Gone with the Wind (1939)
- First scene to be shot was the fires in Atlanta, filmed on December 10 1938.
If there was a major mistake during the filming, the entire film might have
been scrapped. What they actually burned were a whole lot of old sets on
the studio backlot, including the ``Great Gate'' from
"King Kong (1933)" (qv). 113 minutes of footage were shot, the cost of the
blaze coming to more that $25,000. The fire was so intense that the
unwarned public of Culver City jammed the telephones lines, thinking MGM was
burning down. Scarlett was doubled by 'Eileen Goodwin' (qv) and
'Dorothy Fargo' (qv), while Rhett was doubled by 'Yakima Canutt' (qv) and
'Jay Wilsey' (qv).
- When filming began, the part of Scarlett O'Hara had not yet been cast.
'Vivien Leigh' (qv) was introduced to producer 'David O. Selznick' (qv) by
his brother, 'Myron Selznick' (qv), during filming. (The actor in the long
shots during the fire scenes is a double.) Leigh wanted the role so
much that she read the novel and several volumes on the Civil War.
- Selznick asked 'Alfred Hitchcock' (qv) for help with the scene in which the
women wait for the men from the raid on Shantytown and Melanie reads ``David
Copperfield''. Hitchcock delivered a precise treatment, complete with
descriptions of shots and camera angles. Hitchcock wanted to show Rhett,
Ashley etc. outside the house, dodging the Union soldiers. He also wanted an
exchange of meaning glances between Melanie and Rhett inside the house.
Virtually nothing of this treatment was used.
- 'Clark Gable' (qv) was so distressed over the requirement that he cry on
film (during the scene where Melanie is comforting Rhett after Bonnie has
died) that he almost quit. 'Olivia de Havilland' (qv) convinced him to
stay on the film.
- The public demanded 'Bette Davis' (qv) for the part of Scarlett, she was
film tested for the part, and the footage of her as Scarlett still exists.
- Female costumes were made complete with petticoats, although they wouldn't
have been missed had they not been there.
- 'George Reeves' (qv) is credited as playing the part of Brent Tarleton, and
'Fred Crane' (qv) is billed as Stuart Tarleton. This is incorrect: Crane
played Brent, and Reeves played Stuart.
- The scene where Scarlett digs up a turnip then retches and gives her ``As God
is my witness'' line, the vomiting sounds were actually made by
de Havilland since Leigh could not produce a convincing enough
retch.
- This film had three directors, 'George Cukor' (qv) being the first. The
official story was that 'Clark Gable' (qv) was uncomfortable with a
``woman's director'' (as Cukor was widely regarded). 'Victor Fleming' (qv),
who had just finished "The Wizard of Oz (1939)" (qv), was brought in, but
eventually handed over to 'Sam Wood' (qv).
- Leigh worked for 125 days and receibed about $25,000. Gable worked for 71
days and received over $120,000.
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