Olivia de Havilland

As I wrote about the classic "Gone With The Wind" movie that still stands as magnificent (if not politically correct) cinematic entertainment, I have also checked a long & complicated way to its creation: almost complicated and massive as the movie itself, the making of GWTW was a combination of determinations, ambitions and lucky chances, with several directors replacing each others, nervous breakdowns, exhaustions and of course that famous hunt for main actors. Lo and behold, it turns out there is actually somebody from that classic cast that still lives with us at this very moment and that is wonderful Olivia de Havilland who have been quietly living in Paris since 1950s and is almost 100 years old now.

We will of course forever remember her as sweet, gentle Melanie Hamilton who was everything Scarlett O'Hara could never be and although we were fascinated with that fierce Southern survivor, we would probably quietly marry Melanie instead - she appears loving, dignified and full of compassion in her own way and if at first she seemed bland and meek, during the movie we learned that she was indeed strong inside. The same could be said for de Havilland who at first glance only seemed as sweet beautiful young lady but had enough guts and courage to stand up against Warner Bros. and their well-documented court case resulted in so called De Havilland Law that forbade big studios to forcibly add more time to actors contracts (she was suspended for rejecting the roles and Warner Bros. added six months to her contract for times she had been on suspension). For this unprecedented legal fight against big Hollywood studio, de Havilland could have been blacklisted but instead of being finished, she actually continued very successfully and won Academy Award twice (in 1946. and 1949.) which not only showed love and respect of her peers but in a way reflects quiet determination her GWTW character showed in the movie. 

De Havilland moved to Paris sometime in 1950s after a marriage to French magazine editor and just like Grace Kelly brought some Hollywood glamour to post-WW2 Europe. Amongst other awards, she is recipient of US  National Medal of Arts and French  Légion d'honneur, both given to her by presidents of these countries. I am really thrilled that she is still alive and well amongst us, how fittingly that Melanie outlived them all.