In honor of the Olympic struggle I thought I’d like to remind all of Hattie's famous quote when she was chided by the NAACP regarding her playing of a maid in GWTW. She said, “a maid makes $7.00 a week and I make $700.00,….better to play a maid than be one”. If you read of Hattie’s life you would find it was not an easy one and she fought hard to attain (and … [Read more...]

Since Gone with the wind was published in 1936, folks have been traveling to the red clay of Georgia to find the inspiration for the O’Hara’s and I dare say few have found it. The book described Tara in its more rustic form and then the movie carried it into the realm of, well… movie-dom…..white columns (which Margaret Mitchell hated) and white washed brick … [Read more...]

In honor of Olivia DeHavilland’s birthday I’m posting one of my favorite photos of her from Gone with the Wind. Here she is on the porch of Tara with Scarlett and Mammy. They are in their works clothes as they are “trying to keep body and soul together” and playing host to the “Confederate Scarecrows” seeking food at their door. At this moment Melanie see’s … [Read more...]

A few nights ago I had the opportunity to hear Daniel Selznick, (the son of David O. Selznick, the Producer of Gone with the Wind) answer the question, “why was the Tara façade never taken to a museum or stored away after the success of the movie? Mr. Selznick (Daniel) answered that after the filming the “movie makers” went on to the next project and so Tara … [Read more...]

Much has been written of late about Hattie McDaniel and her part in GWTW. When she sought (yes, sought) the part as Mammy in GWTW she was chided by the NAACP as supporting another portrayal of Blacks as servants. Well Hattie went on to “make the part her own” and win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (beating my favorite, Olivia DeHavilland). … [Read more...]