Gone With the Wind
Summary
Vivien Leighis a wiz of sure-enough Hollywood , and her calling as a leading lady traverse four decades , in which she frequently delivered award - make headway performances . Born in British India , Leigh began her vocation in both theater productions and films . First appearing in four little parts in 1935 , Leigh had her breakthrough in the 1937’sFire Over Englandas Cynthia , where she also began a much babble out about affair with Laurence Olivier which resulted in a 20 - twelvemonth marriage .
In 1939 , Leigh receive the theatrical role that would define her career , Scarlett O’Hara in the epic , famously longGone with the malarkey . The role brought massive attention and laurels , a success Leigh struggled with her whole lifetime . lionise for her look , Leigh push back against that and renown , deal herself first and first a serious actor ( viaMediakron ) . Leigh make headway two Best Actress Academy Awards over the course of her vocation , one forGone with the Windand the second forA Streetcar Named Desire . She figure out alongside some of the leading actor of the era and her filmography still stand up as an telling tome .
Certain things just are n’t done , like having the audacity to redo Hollywood ’s fabled films . Here are the ten that should rest untouchable .
1021 Days Together (1940)
Vivien Leigh plays Wanda
Cast
In the 1940 melodrama21 daytime Together , Leigh teams up with her then - hubby Olivier . The two were recently get hitched with , and their chemical science onscreen is first-class . After Larry Darrent ( Olivier ) accidentally kills the married man of his lover , Wanda ( Leigh ) , someone else is mistakenly arrested . Larry and Wanda have just 21 solar day together before the test . If the other man is found guilty , Larry plans to turn himself in . This means he will have to stop his love involvement with Wanda , which neither wants to do . Leigh and Olivier ’s parting on - screenland is in particular heartwrenching because of all the emotional the build - up .
Where To Watch
9Caesar And Cleopatra (1945)
Vivien Leigh plays Cleopatra
Leigh performed in a variety of historic movie throughout her career , including the 1945 epicCaesar and Cleopatra . The flick depicts the story of papist universal Julius Caesar ( Claude Rains ) . He want to verify Alexandria , Egypt , but Caesar presently develops strong feelings for Cleopatra , and this might peril his own political powerfulness . The production design is unbelievable for the earned run average , but the film was unable to earn back its massive budget . Caesar and Cleopatrawas nominated for an Oscar for Best Art Direction , and it ’s a substantial introduction in the swords and sandals genre that was so democratic at the time .
8Fire Over England (1937)
Vivien Leigh plays Cynthia
On the circle of the 1937 historic romantic dramaFire Over England , Leigh met her succeeding husband , Laurence Olivier , and the two had undeniable alchemy from the first day they encounter . Themovie tells the story of Queen Elizabeth I(Flora Robson ) and naval officer Michael Ingolby ( Olivier ) who volunteers to go undercover in Spain . Queen Elizabeth I develops feeling for Michael , but he in turn becomes infatuated with her lady - in - wait , Cynthia ( Leigh ) . Leigh might not have been the star of this film , but she steals every scene . Fire Over Englandwas one of the first British - made films to find succeeder in America and paved the elbow room for English influence in Hollywood .
From Shakespeare to Marathon Man , here ’s our ranking of Sir Laurence Olivier ’s 10 most iconic moving-picture show roles ever .
7The Roman Spring Of Mrs. Stone (1961)
Vivien Leigh plays Karen Stone
By the 1960s , Leigh considered the best part of her career past , which bring on depression and mental health upshot ( viaYahoo ) . It ’s knockout to discern what ’s acting and what ’s material in the 1961 romantic play , The Romanic Spring of Mrs. Stone . Leigh play a disheartened , age actress , Karen Stone . After her husband ’s last , she travels to Rome , where she meets an Italian gigolo , Paolo ( Warren Beatty ) . Leigh impress audiences with her heartbroken , naturalistic portrayal of an actress told that she ’s past her prime and just wanted to palpate beautiful again . Leigh ’s personal aliveness made the character a meta - commentary and indicates a sealed ego - reflection in this period of her life .
6Anna Karenina (1948)
Vivien Leigh plays Anna Karenina
Leo Tolstoy ’s 1878 novelAnna Kareninahas had many film adaption , let in the 1948 adaptation star Leigh and Ralph Richardson . The story watch Anna ( Leigh ) , who is traveling on a train to chitchat her family . She meets Countess Vronsky ( Helen Haye ) and her son , Count Vronsky ( Kieron Moore ) when they go far in Moscow , and they soon start a passionate love matter . It ’s an epic tale fill with love story and tragedy , and Leigh fit out both mode absolutely . It ’s not the first clock time Leigh play a theme song eccentric from an acclaimed oeuvre , and she again proves that she has the confidence and competence to do justice to an unerasable character .
5Sidewalks Of London (1938)
Vivien Leigh plays Libby
Leigh was n’t known as a comedic actress . She execute best in play , but the 1938 comedy - dramaSidewalks of Londonwas an exception . In the picture show , street performing artist Charles Staggers ( Charles Laughton ) befriends shoot for dancer Libby ( Leigh ) . When they meet songwriter Harley Prentiss ( Rex Harrison ) , Libby go after him . The film has plenty of laughs and Leigh showcases that her endowment do n’t solely consist in the dramatic . She dances through the motion-picture show , demonstrating an athletic presence that she does n’t often get to show , and she go for her own in comedic scenes .
The golden era of Hollywood is call golden with a reason . Here are ten movies from that period that are deserving watching today .
4Ship Of Fools (1965)
Vivien Leigh plays Mary Treadwell
Leigh made her concluding screen performance in the 1965 play , Ship of Fools . The picture say the story of a group of passengers aboard a cruise to Germany , pre - War World II . They form a unequaled club on board . A countess ( Simone Signoret ) is going to a German prison camp , another rider has a fateful heart condition , and the recently disunite Mary Treadwell ( Leigh ) is trying to outrun time . Despite the blithe title , Ship of Foolsis a unappeasable drama . Thefilm was nominated for eight Academy Awards , succeed two in technical categories . Leigh ’s paranoid performance is arresting but also tragical , considering the literal - life physical and mental wellness problems she was sell with .
3Waterloo Bridge (1940)
Vivien Leigh plays Myra
In the 1940 war romanceWaterloo Bridge , aballerina identify Myra ( Leigh ) meet British officer Roy Cronin ( Robert Taylor ) . They fall in love and Myra chooses to skim a concert dance performance to foregather with him . This decision has many consequences when she is give the sack from the ballet company and face financial crises . This was Leigh ’s first role afterGone with the flatus , and anyone who reckon that she had simply lucked into an unbelievable part was proven haywire after find Leigh ’s heartbreaking and modern performance . The sex study storyline was considered shameful for the clock time , but Leigh andWaterloo Bridgeproved that the motion picture could handle more mature subject matter .
2A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Vivien Leigh plays Blanche Dubois
In her 2d most iconic film role , Leigh brilliantly portrays the troubled Blanche DuBois in the 1951 drama , A Streetcar Named Desire . base on the 1947 dramatic play by Tennessee Williams , the tale follow Blanche , who inspect her sister , Stella Kowalski ( Kim Hunter ) , in New Orleans . She at once clash with Stella ’s abusive hubby , Stanley ( Marlon Brando ) . Blanche is flirtatious and on the face of it perfect , but she ’s a complex woman with more problem than she likes to take on .
Leigh delivered an emotional , grievous public presentation thatearned her an Academy Award for Best Actress . The picture show had 12 Academy nominations and won four including Best Supporting Actor for Karl Malden as Mitch . In a movie filled with memorable and classic performances , Leigh stands above such veneratedcharacters as Brando ’s intimidate Stanleyto make the movie her own .
1Gone With The Wind (1939)
Vivien Leigh plays Scarlett O’Hara
Even though she had a well - rounded picture show career , Leigh will always be known well for her role as Scarlett O’Hara in the 1939 romanticist drama , proceed with the tip . The Civil War epic based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell tells the story of Southern belle Scarlett and her love triangle with Ashley Wilkes ( Leslie Howard ) and Rhett Butler ( Clark Gable ) . The movie brought Leigh inst fame and attention . She was praise for her breathtaking carrying out , earning an Academy Award for Best Actress .
Gone with the Windhas been mire in controversysince its discharge and arguments regarding its intervention of bootleg voice and woman continue today . There can be no question the film depicts thrall , consent , and Civil War myths in a problematic personal manner . However , it ’s still the greatest performanceVivien Leighever had in her life history and boot - start an heroic and mesmerizing run of part . Gone with the Windis a product of its time and the morals it broadcast should be regarded with examination , but it ’s also a worthy technological effort with unbelievable performances at the center .
