More Than Just A Southern Belle

I was looking for a special way to introduce my article about Vivien Leigh. I thought it would be great if somehow I could coordinate this writing with the anniversary of her birth(November 1913). Or maybe the anniversary of her death(July 1967). Since this obviously was not possible I told myself: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a..." I'm going to write about her just BECAUSE! I don't need an anniversary day or a movie showing on TCM. Let's just celebrate this magnificent actress for the reasons that I am just beginning to discover. Vivien Leigh was very magical on screen. I really can't put my finger on it. I guess a lot of stars have this magic or they wouldn't be stars.

I am still somewhat of a newbie in this world of classic film. There are so many films I have yet to watch. There are movies I don't even know exist, actors I have yet to see perform. It is in this manner that I have discovered Vivien Leigh. It seems as though I have always known of Scarlett O'hara in "Gone With The Wind". But, that knowledge was the extent of it. I love this about art! When I started watching her films it was like a window opened up in a gallery and I peeked in to see what a grand room there was filled with varied and intriguing performances. I also learned some bits about her personal life that I never knew.

For instance, Vivien Leigh was married to Sir Laurence Olivier for twenty years. (I told you I'm a newbie!) Wow! This was almost as fascinating as the performances I was viewing. I learned that she died tragically young in 1967 of tuberculosis. She suffered from manic depression. She only made twenty films!


The fact that she made such a short list of films really made me ponder what makes a star a legend. When one thinks about Elvis, or Marilyn or even James Dean, who himself made a short list of films-three! These stars, among others, have been immortalized in a way after their death that somehow preceded their stature while alive. And while Vivien Leigh is almost certainly famous for Gone With The Wind, I think it's sad that Scarlett is all she is mostly remembered by. She really has the stuff legends are made of, as I am having the joy of discovering.

I have seen four of her films. And I am currently in the midst of watching "A Streetcar named Desire". When I watched my first Vivien Leigh movie, and no, it wasn't Gone With The Wind, it was enough to captivate me and pique my curiosity about this creature. The camera really captures qualities about her that can't be mistaken. Even though she was only forty-eight when she starred in The Roman Spring Of Mrs. Stone there is a feeling that she had already lived a lifetime in those eyes. Watch her you must!