On Saturday, May 6, 1939, Sam Wood directed Vivien Leigh in “Scarlett’s Return to Tara.” Realizing that her mother is dead, Scarlett screams her shock and grief and collapses at Ellen O’Hara’s bier. A parallel to this heartbreaking scene...
In April 1939, producer David O. Selznick recognized that the grueling pace of filming Gone With the Wind was taking a toll on his cast and crew, especially director Victor Fleming. On April 14, Selznick confided in a memo to executive staff that Fleming “is so...
In the Best Director category, Victor Fleming’s work on Gone With the Wind was up against the following Academy Award contenders: Frank Capra who directed the action in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a film in which a naïve, idealistic man fills a United States Senate...
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...
In early May 1939, Sam Wood had directed “Belle Watling on the Church Steps” — twice. The first time, Ona Munson’s costume had been heavily padded to make the slim actress look like the well-endowed Belle. The costume department outdid...
