Selznick Worries About Time and Money

On May 19, 1939, producer David O. Selznick wrote a memo to Henry Ginsberg, vice president and general manager of Selznick International Pictures, informing him about a conversation with director Victor Fleming about “speeding up on the rest of the...

Gable Kicks in Doors and Turns the Tables

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...

Fleming Returns and Wood Carries On

To the surprise of cast and crew who were just getting used to director Sam Wood’s style, a recuperated Victor Fleming returned to the set in mid-May. Producer David O. Selznick decided to retain Wood to maintain the filming pace and to take some of the pressure...

Director #3 for Gone With the Wind

To replace director Victor Fleming, producer David O. Selznick chose Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer director Sam Wood, who had just finished filming Goodbye, Mr. Chips. On Monday, May 1, 1939, Wood started his directorial duties with scenes of Scarlett and Ashley embracing at...

Fleming Gone from The Wind’s Set

Gone With the Wind’s set was a pressure cooker during the week of Monday, April 24, 1939. Working under intense pressure made the exhausted Victor Fleming even more explosive as he directed scenes of: Scarlett’s bereavement and brandy Rhett’s...