Scarlett O'Hara is most people's favourite character (including mine). She is the protagonist of the story, and is generally found to be delightfully manipulative and spoiled. At the beginning of the novel it is clear that she is determined and flirtatious, as well as not afraid to use her charms to get whatever she wants. She is sheltered and cannot fathom that there might be anything that she could not have. She is full of life and passionate, yet uncomplicated and unable to understand anyone who is complicated. Despite this, she must still be given credit for her intelligence, although she can only understand factual information. Later on in the novel, when everything that she has ever known has changed forever, Scarlett shows us a different side. She comes through as strong and competent, and meets the challenges facing her head on. She also proves herself to be a capable business woman, and able to do whatever she needs to do to survive, despite the opinions of others.
She enrolled at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Roehampton when she was six, and remained until she was fourteen years old. In this school she was voted the girl that everyone else wanted to be.
Soon after, she met Leigh Holman and married him.
In 1932, she has a daughter named Suzanne, and enrolled in RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts). She had decided to take up acting as a pastime, more than as a permanent career, but found that she had quickly fallen in love with it.
At first, she met with little success, but in 1935 she became and overnight sensation in the play The Mask of Virtue.
She signed a film contract with Alexander Korda in 1936.
Around this time she became quite interested in actor Laurence Olivier, and became involved with him, although she was still married to Holman, and Olivier was married to Jill Esmond.
Also around this time the famous search for Scarlett O'Hara was going on. Vivien had been reading the novel and remarked, "'I'm reading Gone With the Wind, but if I brought it here I shouldn't be able to start working. I've never been so gripped by anything in my life. It's the finest book I've ever read, what a grand film it would make! I've cast myself for Scarlett O'Hara. What do you think?' She was quite serious. When another friend said to Olivier that he should audition for Rhett Butler, Vivien cut in, "Oh no, Larry won't be Rhett. But I will play Scarlett, just you wait and see."
In 1938, while travelling in America with Olivier, she tested for the role of Scarlett, and obtained the part. While she was on the set she was frantic to get back to Laurence, who was trying to obtain a divorce from his wife. Holman had already reluctantly agreed, but Esmond was proving to be more stubborn.
She received a Best Actress oscar for the role, and it became her most famous role, and it ensured that she was remember as one of the greatest classic actress ever. In 1940, she and Olivier were married.
In 1944, Vivien suffered a miscarriage on the set on Ceasar and Cleopatra.
In 1951, she starred in A Streetcar Named Desire as Blance Dubois, and received her second Oscar for the role.
In 1960, Vivien and Laurence were divorced, Vivien married Jack Merivale, and Olivier married Joan Plowright. Vivien's schizophrenia had torn the marriage into shambles.
On July 7, 1967 Vivien died. Her ashes were scattered on the lake by her estate in Tickerage. She has long been remembered as one of the most talented and beautiful actresses in England.
tempestuous Scarlett. I felt that I loved and
understood her, almost as though I had known her in the flesh. When I heard that the book was to be filmed in Hollywood
early in 1939 I longed to play the part.'
(1937)
Storm in a Teacup
(1937)
Twenty-One Days
(1937)
A Yank at Oxford
(1938)
St. Martin's Lane
(1938)
Gone With the Wind
(1939)
(1934)
The Village Squire
(1935)
Gentleman's Agreement
(1935)
Look up and Laugh
(1935)
Fire Over England
(1940)
That Hamilton Woman
(1941)
Caesar and Cleopatra
(1945)
Anna Karenina
(1947)
A Streetcar Named Desire
(1951)
(1955)
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
(1961)
Ship of Fools
(1965)
by Anne Edwards.
Vivien Leigh
by Cynthia Marylee Molt.
Vivien : The Life of Vivien Leigh
by Alexander Walker.
Vivien Leigh
by Hugo Vickers
Vivien Leigh
by John Russell Taylor
Darlings of the gods : one year in the lives of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh
by Garry O'Connor
Light of a Star.
by Gwen Robyns
Love Scene : The Story of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh
by Jesse Lasky