A book to celebrate GWTW’s 75th Anniversary!
On Friday, June 16, 1939, Sam Wood directed Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Carroll Nye (Frank Kennedy) and J.M. Kerrigan (Johnny Gallegher) in the scene “Scarlett Hires Convicts.”
After ordering Frank to return to the store, Scarlett argues with Ashley about her decision to lease convicts for the lumber mill. Scarlett defends her decision pragmatically: using convicts is cost-effective. Ashley reasons on moral grounds: he fears that foreman Johnny Gallegher will whip and starve the ill-looking, underfed mill hands.
But a deeper fear drives Scarlett, and cut-rate convicts are merely her means to an end, as she reveals to Ashley: “I’m going to have money enough so the Yankees can never take Tara away from me! And I’m going to make it the only way I know how!”
Happy 75th Anniversary, Gone With the Wind!
Blog Bio: Pauline Bartel is the author of The Complete GONE WITH THE WIND Trivia Book (2nd edition) 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).