5
Nov
2009
Happy Birthday Vivien Leigh!
Happy Birthday to the woman with the best eyebrows in classic film!
Here are some Vivien Leigh films we suggest watching with a few side notes on each film:
Gone With the Wind (1939) – Leigh’s best known film. A virtual unknown at the time, she had to beat out every major star in Hollywood to get the part.
Waterloo Bridge (1940) – Leigh’s favorite film.
That Hamilton Woman (1941) – This was reportedly Sir Winston Churchill’s favorite film.
Anna Karenina (1948) – Interesting to compare performances with Greta Garbo in the 1935 version.
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) – Leigh also starred in the West End production of the play under the direction of husband Laurence Olivier.
Hmm, I always thought Gene Tierney had the best eyebrows in classic film – perhaps we’ll save that for a trivial edition of Favorite Fridays.
Anyway, I will always love Miss Vivien because NO ONE could have played Scarlett but her. (I still love you, Paulette) I know it’s easy to say that now, because of course I like the actor who all my life I’ve seen play that part, BUT the success of a portrayal of Scarlett hinges on one thing, which Vivien nails: making Scarlett sympathetic. Scarlett is calculating, manipulative, ruthless, cold, and still every time I see the film I am rooting for her. I want her to triumph, I want her to be happy. Nothing less than great acting ability could take a character with so many infuriating flaws and make them lovable.