A book to celebrate GWTW’s 75th Anniversary!
On Thursday, May 18, 1939, Victor Fleming directed Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable in the “No More Babies” sequence. In her bedroom, Scarlett gazes longingly at a daguerreotype of Ashley and is surprised when Rhett touches her shoulders tenderly. She withdraws from him and announces that she doesn’t wish to have any more children.
The ensuing argument concludes with Scarlett barring Rhett from her bed, warning him that she intends to lock her door at night and Rhett demonstrating how no lock can keep him out.
The tension of that scene was relieved later that day when Fleming directed Clark Gable and Hattie McDaniel in “Rhett Pours Mammy a Drink.” After the birth of his daughter Bonnie, Rhett celebrates by offering Mammy a glass of sherry. Cold tea is the traditional liquor substitute used on movie sets, but Gable had turned the tables on McDaniel.
Fleming called “Action!” Gable poured from the decanter while McDaniel delivered her line about the beautiful Bonnie and then downed her drink. An instant later, she froze. Tears came to her reddened eyes, and cast and crew roared with laughter. Gable had put scotch in the decanter in place of the tea.
Drinks all around to celebrate Gone With the Wind‘s 75th anniversary!
Blog Bio: Pauline Bartel is the author of The Complete GONE WITH THE WIND Trivia Book (2nd edition), which will be published in spring 2014, and an expert on the film and its history. Visit the website (www.paulinebartel.com/resources/books/books-available) for further information. Follow her on Twitter @PaulineBartel and “like” her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TheCompleteGWTWTriviaBook).