WEBVTT 00:00:00.620 --> 00:00:05.259 Hello everybody, welcome to episode one. So today 00:00:05.259 --> 00:00:07.820 I'm going to be talking about something that 00:00:07.820 --> 00:00:12.339 has recently caught my interest. It is Norma 00:00:12.339 --> 00:00:16.019 Shearer being cast as Scarlett O 'Hara early 00:00:16.019 --> 00:00:20.019 on in the film's production. Now, you might be 00:00:20.019 --> 00:00:22.539 wondering who the heck is Norma Shearer, or if 00:00:22.539 --> 00:00:24.539 you know old Hollywood, you might be like, I 00:00:24.539 --> 00:00:26.899 didn't know she was cast as Scarlett, or you 00:00:26.899 --> 00:00:28.679 might know what I'm talking about, but if you 00:00:28.679 --> 00:00:34.409 don't, She was at least being considered for 00:00:34.409 --> 00:00:38.909 the role of Scarlett early on. And I'm not exactly 00:00:38.909 --> 00:00:41.649 sure what happened. It's very unclear. But in 00:00:41.649 --> 00:00:47.750 1938, on June 24th, she was in the newspaper 00:00:47.750 --> 00:00:51.340 as having. been given the role of Scarlett even 00:00:51.340 --> 00:00:53.200 though that wasn't completely true because if 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:56.340 you read David Selznick's memos during the time 00:00:56.340 --> 00:00:58.799 he doesn't really say anything about that and 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:01.600 also everybody pretty much already knew about 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:03.859 Clark Gable being read at that point but Norma 00:01:03.859 --> 00:01:07.599 Shearer was more out of left field for people 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:12.040 they were like what the heck And one big point 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:15.239 of contention that people had was that she was 00:01:15.239 --> 00:01:18.760 a little bit too old for the role because she 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:21.879 was in her mid -30s. And Scarlett, at the end 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:25.180 of the novel, is only 28, and it's been 12 years 00:01:25.180 --> 00:01:28.680 of her life. So obviously she's older than Scarlett 00:01:28.680 --> 00:01:32.180 ever was, and people were kind of like, why would 00:01:32.180 --> 00:01:35.340 you cast somebody who is that old? And also she 00:01:35.340 --> 00:01:38.620 was known for playing kind of more demure roles. 00:01:39.450 --> 00:01:41.890 is what I can gather. I'm not an expert on Norma 00:01:41.890 --> 00:01:44.769 Shearer. So the reason this caught my interest 00:01:44.769 --> 00:01:47.609 is because I was looking on the Harry Ransom 00:01:47.609 --> 00:01:50.670 Center's website. They are this wonderful, wonderful 00:01:50.670 --> 00:01:54.650 museum, and they have a huge treasure trove of 00:01:54.650 --> 00:01:57.670 Gone with the Wind content, a lot of which they've 00:01:57.670 --> 00:02:00.370 put online. They've digitized a lot of old documents 00:02:00.370 --> 00:02:03.269 and transcribed them because some of this handwriting 00:02:03.269 --> 00:02:06.209 is really hard to read. So I was reading a lot 00:02:06.209 --> 00:02:09.889 of these old letters and things. There's lots 00:02:09.889 --> 00:02:14.050 of great stuff on there. But I saw the section 00:02:14.050 --> 00:02:16.889 labeled protests. And I was like, what are people 00:02:16.889 --> 00:02:20.830 protesting? And I clicked on it. And it was mostly 00:02:20.830 --> 00:02:24.909 about Norma Shearer. And I was like, why did 00:02:24.909 --> 00:02:29.150 people care so much? And also, do I want to read 00:02:29.150 --> 00:02:31.150 these? I mean, I don't know anything about her. 00:02:31.189 --> 00:02:33.229 And also, clearly, she didn't get the role. So 00:02:33.229 --> 00:02:36.419 who cares? But I'm so glad I read them because, 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:42.639 oh my gosh, these letters of protest are so funny. 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:46.419 They are absolutely hysterical, at least to me. 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:49.639 People were so mad that she was Scarlett. And 00:02:49.639 --> 00:02:54.319 honestly, it reminded me a lot of today. So the 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:59.219 episode today is just going to be me mostly reading 00:02:59.219 --> 00:03:04.919 these letters. A little more context, on July 00:03:04.919 --> 00:03:07.419 7th, a little later, there was another newspaper 00:03:07.419 --> 00:03:10.479 article published where Norma Shearer stated 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:13.500 that she didn't find Scarlett very sympathetic 00:03:13.500 --> 00:03:16.020 in the last half of the book, so she kind of 00:03:16.020 --> 00:03:18.340 wanted to change that a bit. And of course, people 00:03:18.340 --> 00:03:20.180 were really protective about the book, and they 00:03:20.180 --> 00:03:22.439 were big fans of it, so they got really mad about 00:03:22.439 --> 00:03:27.419 that. Yeah, if you hear any references to that, 00:03:27.500 --> 00:03:30.379 that is what they are talking about. Now, I don't 00:03:30.379 --> 00:03:33.759 know how true any of this was. I mean, obviously 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:39.139 she was never ever cast and she wasn't signed 00:03:39.139 --> 00:03:42.520 to the role. I know she wasn't. Somebody correct 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:46.020 me if they know more about this. From my understanding, 00:03:46.219 --> 00:03:48.979 no, like this never happened. And also why would 00:03:48.979 --> 00:03:50.800 she do an interview saying she wanted to change 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:53.560 things? So it's really just a big mystery to 00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:57.599 me, but let's read some of these letters. So 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:03.219 the first one is kind of tame, but let's start 00:04:03.219 --> 00:04:05.740 with this one because this will give you like 00:04:05.740 --> 00:04:09.199 the general flavor of it. It goes, Dear Mr. Selznick. 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:12.120 May I congratulate you on your excellent choice 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:15.020 of Clark Gable for the role of Rhett Butler. 00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:18.060 I would also like to say that I'm rather disappointed 00:04:18.060 --> 00:04:20.660 to hear that Norma Shearer will play Scarlett 00:04:20.660 --> 00:04:23.240 O 'Hara. Miss Shearer is one of my favorites, 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:25.899 but I feel she is not suited to the role, nor 00:04:25.899 --> 00:04:28.459 the role to her. I was hoping your final choice 00:04:28.459 --> 00:04:31.420 would be Clara Bow. (Okay, I don't know if that's 00:04:31.420 --> 00:04:34.519 Clara Bow or Clara Bow. Sorry.) What a team, Clara 00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:37.600 Bow and Clark Gable. What a story, gone with 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:40.180 the wind. And then it is signed, disappointed 00:04:40.180 --> 00:04:43.959 and how. And the way that people sign these letters 00:04:43.959 --> 00:04:47.120 is pretty much the funniest part of all. So that's 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:49.680 kind of what they were like. So let's read a 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:52.259 slightly funnier one. All right, this is from 00:04:52.259 --> 00:04:57.040 June 24th, 1938, apparently. Dear sir, please 00:04:57.040 --> 00:04:59.620 give the public a break and give us a Scarlett 00:04:59.620 --> 00:05:02.259 O 'Hara as Margaret Mitchell requested her to 00:05:02.259 --> 00:05:04.620 be. Katherine Hepburn is the one for the role. 00:05:05.139 --> 00:05:08.639 Shearer is too old. Shearer is too blah. Lacks 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:11.759 the fire and impetuosity of an O'Hara. I'm one. 00:05:11.860 --> 00:05:15.079 I should know. We personally feel your picture 00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:17.980 shot with her in the lead. Feel the pulse of 00:05:17.980 --> 00:05:21.079 the public and be guided by that reaction. Very 00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:26.720 truly, the ghost of Scarlett O 'Hara. Yeah, it's 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:29.860 the ghost of Scarlett O 'Hara writing to Selznick. 00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:35.060 So, yeah. Okay, next one. David Selznick, Hollywood, 00:05:35.100 --> 00:05:38.040 California. Why didn't you select Mae Robson 00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:40.639 or Sophie Tucker for the role of Scarlett O 'Hara? 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:43.439 I am sure either would be more acceptable than 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:46.480 Norma Shearer. For God's sake, if not for ours, 00:05:46.620 --> 00:05:49.939 read the book. So for God's sake, God has a vested 00:05:49.939 --> 00:05:53.019 interest in this. Love you, God. If you can find 00:05:53.019 --> 00:05:55.079 one thing in common with Scarlett O'Hara and 00:05:55.079 --> 00:05:57.480 Norma Shearer, age, looks, temperament, type, 00:05:57.620 --> 00:06:02.610 I'll eat the book. Disgusted Southerner. Next 00:06:02.610 --> 00:06:06.209 one. To whom it may concern, Norma Shearer as 00:06:06.209 --> 00:06:09.050 Scarlett O 'Hara, too bad Marie Dressler passed 00:06:09.050 --> 00:06:12.449 on as its apparent age means nothing, I predict 00:06:12.449 --> 00:06:17.310 a complete flop. Not a fan. And that is all it 00:06:17.310 --> 00:06:21.509 says. Very short. Publicity Department, Selznick 00:06:21.509 --> 00:06:24.089 International Studios, Culver City, California. 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:28.160 Has someone gone balmy over there? Whoever thought 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:30.699 that Norma Shearer could play Scarlet? Your picture 00:06:30.699 --> 00:06:32.899 will turn out with two Melanies. Only one will 00:06:32.899 --> 00:06:37.910 be sweeter than the other. Disappointed. Dear 00:06:37.910 --> 00:06:41.930 Sir, Y .O .Y. cast giggling, high -voiced Norma 00:06:41.930 --> 00:06:44.670 Shearer as Scarlett O'Hara. She is not the type. 00:06:44.970 --> 00:06:47.889 Only two persons could portray Scarlett O'Hara 00:06:47.889 --> 00:06:50.550 and Rhett, and they are Bette Davis and Clark 00:06:50.550 --> 00:06:53.389 Gable. A popular vote by persons who read and 00:06:53.389 --> 00:06:55.930 loved the book would tell you this. If you use 00:06:55.930 --> 00:06:58.910 Norma Shearer as the green-eyed, shrewd, rather 00:06:58.910 --> 00:07:01.970 homely Scarlett of the calculating eyes, you'll 00:07:01.970 --> 00:07:04.829 be a box office failure. I suppose you'll change 00:07:04.829 --> 00:07:07.750 the book's ending, too, as The Good Earth. Movie 00:07:07.750 --> 00:07:09.910 producers think the public can't read and their 00:07:09.910 --> 00:07:11.930 version of a grand book must be choked down our 00:07:11.930 --> 00:07:14.829 throats. No one but Bette Davis could play Scarlett 00:07:14.829 --> 00:07:22.439 indignant. Okay, next one. Dear Mr. Selznick, 00:07:22.579 --> 00:07:25.300 It would not be fair to you who have done wonderful 00:07:25.300 --> 00:07:28.399 things to express myself as I feel, but when 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:30.779 you come out and say that Norma Shearer and Clark 00:07:30.779 --> 00:07:32.839 Gable are to co-star in Gone with the Wind, 00:07:32.980 --> 00:07:36.339 it is almost more than I can stand. You certainly 00:07:36.339 --> 00:07:38.740 are not familiar with or fair to the South when 00:07:38.740 --> 00:07:40.620 you think for a minute that Norma Shearer could 00:07:40.620 --> 00:07:43.560 be a Scarlett. I am sure I have seen her for almost 00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:45.699 twenty years on the screen, and even if she could 00:07:45.699 --> 00:07:48.620 act the part, her age is very much against her. 00:07:49.100 --> 00:07:51.000 You have dozens of stars who would be more suitable, 00:07:51.180 --> 00:07:53.860 many of whom I could enumerate but won't. It 00:07:53.860 --> 00:07:56.060 must be that she is financially interested or 00:07:56.060 --> 00:07:58.180 you would show better judgment. If you could 00:07:58.180 --> 00:08:00.000 hear how the people are expressing themselves, 00:08:00.300 --> 00:08:02.459 you would say, let's forget the whole thing. 00:08:02.980 --> 00:08:06.060 Personally, I am terribly disappointed. Signed, 00:08:06.060 --> 00:08:10.459 a daughter of the South. Sorry, I was reading 00:08:10.459 --> 00:08:14.740 wrong. Okay, July 19th. My dear Mr. Selznick. 00:08:15.310 --> 00:08:18.310 Please do not ruin our gorgeous and sweet Norma 00:08:18.310 --> 00:08:21.189 Shearer in such a part as Scarlett O 'Hara. She 00:08:21.189 --> 00:08:24.129 is most unsuited. Ronald Coleman would make a 00:08:24.129 --> 00:08:27.589 perfect Rhett Butler. Gable, terrible. Rosalind 00:08:27.589 --> 00:08:30.350 Russell might do as Scarlett. Yours, a Norma 00:08:30.350 --> 00:08:33.029 Shearer fan. I put that one in because I wanted 00:08:33.029 --> 00:08:36.210 to show she did have fans. Like, poor Norma Shearer. 00:08:36.370 --> 00:08:39.629 She probably got so many of these letters herself. 00:08:41.110 --> 00:08:44.960 All right. Dear Mr. Selznick. I prefer Katharine 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:47.259 Hepburn for the part of Scarlett O 'Hara, but 00:08:47.259 --> 00:08:49.340 Norma Shearer is not the type for that part. 00:08:49.559 --> 00:08:57.120 You are a tool if you have NS. Wow. Dear sirs, 00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:01.080 we, the people of the United States, in order 00:09:01.080 --> 00:09:03.759 to form a more perfect motion picture gone with 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:07.360 the wind, implore you not to star Norma Shearer 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:10.179 as Scarlett O 'Hara. We think she is a splendid 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:12.899 actress, but she does not suit the part. Please 00:09:12.899 --> 00:09:19.279 take this in mind. The public. Honored gentlemen, 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:22.860 please, please do not put Norma Shearer in Gone 00:09:22.860 --> 00:09:25.379 with the Wind. My goodness, can't you see it 00:09:25.379 --> 00:09:27.759 is absolutely impossible for Miss Shearer to 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:30.419 be Scarlet? She couldn't be Scarlet O 'Hara if 00:09:30.419 --> 00:09:32.500 she tried a thousand years, and I don't see why 00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:34.960 she lets you put her there. For her sake and 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:37.519 for the Lord's sake, put Katharine Hepburn in 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:41.470 instead. A citizen. So many people think God 00:09:41.470 --> 00:09:43.690 is just going to have this huge problem with 00:09:43.690 --> 00:09:48.809 this. I mean, I bet he would, too. Dear sir, 00:09:49.009 --> 00:09:53.509 what's wrong? Norma Shearer as Scarlet? Why her 00:09:53.509 --> 00:09:56.909 age alone bars her from the fiery youth, girly, 00:09:56.929 --> 00:10:00.909 etc. that made Scarlet the grand character in... 00:10:00.909 --> 00:10:02.809 And then it's just a blank line. I don't know 00:10:02.809 --> 00:10:07.250 why. Why did she... Do pay to play the part to 00:10:07.250 --> 00:10:09.750 keep a younger and capable person of securing 00:10:09.750 --> 00:10:13.789 the part? What's wrong with you, producers? Open 00:10:13.789 --> 00:10:16.990 your eyes. Get a new and younger coy person. 00:10:17.230 --> 00:10:20.250 Forget Norma and leave her to Marie Antoinette, 00:10:20.250 --> 00:10:24.009 etc. One of the many thousands disagree. Okay, 00:10:24.090 --> 00:10:26.210 also, and in case you don't know, Norma Shearer 00:10:26.210 --> 00:10:29.029 played Marie Antoinette, I think the year before. 00:10:29.190 --> 00:10:32.320 So that's what they're talking about there. Although 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:34.179 Marie Antoinette, come to think of it, she's 00:10:34.179 --> 00:10:37.899 kind of similar to Scarlett. So, I don't know. 00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:42.379 I need to see her in that role, I think. How 00:10:42.379 --> 00:10:45.519 in God's good name could you pick Norma Shearer 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:48.539 for the part of Scarlett O 'Hara? Why, a primary 00:10:48.539 --> 00:10:50.740 school child could have told you that Miriam 00:10:50.740 --> 00:10:52.700 Hopkins or Katherine Hepburn could have done 00:10:52.700 --> 00:10:57.559 justice to the part. But Shearer? Boo! I wonder 00:10:57.559 --> 00:11:00.620 if there is politics in Hollywood. Disgusted 00:11:00.620 --> 00:11:06.350 fan. Alright, this one's kind of a weird start. 00:11:06.909 --> 00:11:09.769 After all the time it took to select Scarlet 00:11:09.769 --> 00:11:11.950 for Gone with the Wind, you certainly made a 00:11:11.950 --> 00:11:15.649 boner. Miss Shearer may be alright in some pictures, 00:11:15.769 --> 00:11:19.110 but of what a mistake you have made. Clark Gable 00:11:19.110 --> 00:11:22.409 as Red, I am sure, will prove a splendid selection. 00:11:24.059 --> 00:11:26.539 Miriam Hopkins is the lady to play Scarlett and 00:11:26.539 --> 00:11:29.059 some eight or ten more stars, such as Hepburn, 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:31.980 Ginger Rogers, Betty Davis, Tallulah Bankhead, 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:35.059 Margaret Sullivan. I think by the time the picture 00:11:35.059 --> 00:11:36.779 will be released, the people will have tired 00:11:36.779 --> 00:11:38.679 of hearing of it and will not care to see it. 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:42.759 A movie fan. Well, they were definitely wrong 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:47.080 about that last part. Okay, this next one has 00:11:47.080 --> 00:11:50.559 a lot of capital letters, so I will try to indicate 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:53.629 with my voice when those come up. All right. 00:11:54.149 --> 00:11:56.610 Gentlemen, the world awaits with keen anticipation 00:11:56.610 --> 00:11:59.629 the filmed version of Gone with the Wind. It 00:11:59.629 --> 00:12:01.710 is the greatest story to sweep this country by 00:12:01.710 --> 00:12:04.389 storm in a good many years. You've got a powder 00:12:04.389 --> 00:12:06.629 box of drama with which to work and it should 00:12:06.629 --> 00:12:10.720 be dynamite. But if you muff it, the popularity 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.799 of your productions is going to drop to zero 00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:17.639 in the eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Public. What in the 00:12:17.639 --> 00:12:20.200 name of heaven are you trying to do to Scarlett 00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:23.419 O 'Hara by casting lovely but too sweet and noble 00:12:23.419 --> 00:12:27.039 and refined Norma Shearer in the part? I have 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:28.919 still to meet a friend or acquaintance who thinks 00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:30.940 it will be a successful arrangement, and believe 00:12:30.940 --> 00:12:33.500 me, it has been a subject as common as the weather 00:12:33.500 --> 00:12:35.539 between friends and strangers in these parts. 00:12:36.370 --> 00:12:39.750 We don't want a refined and made over Scarlet. 00:12:40.889 --> 00:12:43.190 Rumor also has it that you are making over the 00:12:43.190 --> 00:12:45.730 story a great deal. We think this too is a grave 00:12:45.730 --> 00:12:48.009 mistake. It would be far better to make it a 00:12:48.009 --> 00:12:50.690 three or four hour sensation and charge double 00:12:50.690 --> 00:12:53.429 prices than to cut out half the chapters in order 00:12:53.429 --> 00:12:55.909 to cram that vibrant story into a two hour picture. 00:12:56.690 --> 00:12:59.370 Whom do we suggest in lieu of the lovely Norma? 00:12:59.389 --> 00:13:02.870 And she is one of our favorites ordinarily. Well, 00:13:03.049 --> 00:13:05.870 anyone with a hot, cold, gray, green, or blue 00:13:05.870 --> 00:13:09.730 eyes, not brown, and the suggestive figure. If 00:13:09.730 --> 00:13:11.889 you get to the end of your list, dye Betty Davis's 00:13:11.889 --> 00:13:14.450 hair coal black, lace her into a 17 -inch waist 00:13:14.450 --> 00:13:18.169 bustled gown, and let her hop to it. But don't 00:13:18.169 --> 00:13:21.690 make it refined! What do you think made the book 00:13:21.690 --> 00:13:28.269 so popular? Fan. Yeah, that person was pretty 00:13:28.269 --> 00:13:32.659 angry. Interesting take on... betty davis from 00:13:32.659 --> 00:13:34.899 everybody i think she would have been a good 00:13:34.899 --> 00:13:38.440 scarlet but we'll get into that more later okay 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:41.600 this is kind of a long one dear sir i have recently 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:44.399 heard the announcement that norma shearer is 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:47.100 to play the role of scarlet o 'hara my first 00:13:47.100 --> 00:13:50.279 reaction was horror and i regret to say my second 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:53.070 and third were the same Of course, I realize, 00:13:53.190 --> 00:13:55.769 as most people do, that probably a bit of pressure 00:13:55.769 --> 00:13:58.610 was brought to bear on you, but even so, why 00:13:58.610 --> 00:14:01.389 jeopardize the filming of a great American tale 00:14:01.389 --> 00:14:04.350 by miscasting the most talked -of character that 00:14:04.350 --> 00:14:06.509 has been created in this country in a decade? 00:14:07.169 --> 00:14:09.690 Obviously, there are only two possible selections 00:14:09.690 --> 00:14:12.190 for the part, at least actresses who are known. 00:14:12.590 --> 00:14:16.169 One, Miriam Hopkins. Two, Tallulah Bankhead. 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:19.799 To be fair, I must admit Norma Shearer has been 00:14:19.799 --> 00:14:21.980 cast in parts which I nearly fainted to even 00:14:21.980 --> 00:14:24.200 think about, but when I saw the pictures I was 00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:26.899 pleasantly surprised. However, in this instance, 00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:29.940 I can anticipate no such revelation, nor can 00:14:29.940 --> 00:14:33.440 half the metropolitan area. It truly is an error, 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:36.580 for can you yourself conceivably visualize Miss 00:14:36.580 --> 00:14:39.600 Shearer with any of the guile or shrewishness 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:42.980 of Scarlet? Can you possibly imagine her whittling 00:14:42.980 --> 00:14:45.500 a favor with a smile on her lips but flint in 00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:49.580 her eyes? No, no, no. Those were all capital 00:14:49.580 --> 00:14:52.580 exclamation points. Fundamentally, she is too 00:14:52.580 --> 00:14:54.720 stereotyped. Her parts in the past have been 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:58.139 widely diversified, but there was always a concreteness 00:14:58.139 --> 00:15:00.620 about the role for her to put her teeth in. But 00:15:00.620 --> 00:15:03.620 Scarlet is elusive, subtle, blatant, detestable, 00:15:03.659 --> 00:15:06.799 yet oddly understandable. And Norma Shearer has 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:09.340 neither the scope nor the shades to her playing 00:15:09.340 --> 00:15:12.850 to... Her playing to portray a character of such 00:15:12.850 --> 00:15:15.929 multifarious emotions. Sorry, that was kind of 00:15:15.929 --> 00:15:18.769 a run -on sentence. Sincerely yours, Catherine 00:15:18.769 --> 00:15:22.789 L. Beach. I think Catherine kind of hit the nail 00:15:22.789 --> 00:15:25.690 on the head with describing Scarlett. She is 00:15:25.690 --> 00:15:29.230 elusive, subtle, blatant, and detestable, but 00:15:29.230 --> 00:15:32.970 oddly understandable. I mean, I think that really 00:15:32.970 --> 00:15:35.330 describes her well. And also the things she said 00:15:35.330 --> 00:15:38.179 about... having a smile on her lips but flint 00:15:38.179 --> 00:15:41.860 in her eyes. That is so Vivien Leigh, if you 00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:45.399 think about it. She does that perfectly. Okay, 00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:50.740 I have one, two, three more. All right. My dear 00:15:50.740 --> 00:15:53.500 Mr. Selznick, according to our movie scandal 00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:56.240 columnists, the latest reports on Gone with the 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:58.320 Wind are that Rhett Butler will be played by 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:01.480 Clark Gable and Scarlett O 'Hara by Norma Shearer. 00:16:02.500 --> 00:16:06.019 Imagine Norma Shearer as Scarlett. I'm actually 00:16:06.019 --> 00:16:09.399 laughing, DOS, and not with you, but at you. 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:12.080 What's the matter with Eleanor Roosevelt being 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:14.720 signed for the part? Or Mae Robson, Patsy Kelly, 00:16:14.980 --> 00:16:18.000 baby snooks? Just what are we to expect of this 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:20.620 production now? Well, at least I can be assured 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:22.980 of saving 50 cents and spending one night at 00:16:22.980 --> 00:16:25.840 home when this picture is released. Anyway, thanks 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:27.740 to Warner Brothers for Jezebel with a really 00:16:27.740 --> 00:16:30.120 swell cast and an actress who can portray a role 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:32.899 with ability and not because of a name. Oh, well, 00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:36.539 we all have to make a living. Yours in disgust 00:16:36.539 --> 00:16:39.700 and laughter, Roger Templeton, San Francisco. 00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:44.139 I love that one. Yours in disgust and laughter. 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:48.200 I'm going to sign a letter that way one day. 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:52.779 Okay. Dear Mr. Selznick, of all the stupid choices 00:16:52.779 --> 00:16:55.379 for parts, yours of Norma Shearer for Scarlet 00:16:55.379 --> 00:16:58.620 takes the cake. I spend three months each year 00:16:58.620 --> 00:17:00.980 in and around Hollywood. I have seen most of 00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:03.659 the stars at some time or other. I have read 00:17:03.659 --> 00:17:06.180 Gone with the Wind five times, and I'll be damned 00:17:06.180 --> 00:17:08.440 if Miss Shearer fits in the picture whatsoever. 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:11.980 As great an admirer as I am of Norma Shearer, 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:15.160 she certainly is going to be miscast. How did 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:18.259 you ever come upon this decision anyway? I, for 00:17:18.259 --> 00:17:20.359 one, will stay blocks away from the picture when 00:17:20.359 --> 00:17:23.119 it plays San Francisco under the present setup. 00:17:23.539 --> 00:17:25.880 And from what I have heard, there are hundreds 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:29.019 of others who share my opinion. You have four 00:17:29.019 --> 00:17:31.279 girls in Hollywood who could and would take the 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:33.839 part very well. They are Katherine Hepburn, Margaret 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:36.779 Sullivan, Miriam Hopkins, and Paulette Goddard. 00:17:37.220 --> 00:17:39.599 If Norma Shearer accepts the role of Scarlett, 00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:41.640 she is going to do herself more harm than good, 00:17:41.700 --> 00:17:44.509 and she will be gone with the wind. She just 00:17:44.509 --> 00:17:47.069 isn't suited to the part and no revamping on 00:17:47.069 --> 00:17:49.670 your part can alter that fact. If you are giving 00:17:49.670 --> 00:17:53.269 Norma the break because it is your means of showing 00:17:53.269 --> 00:17:56.309 your gratitude for some specific reason, for 00:17:56.309 --> 00:17:58.950 God's sake, show it some other way before such 00:17:58.950 --> 00:18:01.990 a fine person and lovely actress as Miss Shearer 00:18:01.990 --> 00:18:07.089 loses all it has taken years to build up. Sincerely, 00:18:07.089 --> 00:18:11.650 Oliver Campos, Irvington, California. So I think 00:18:11.650 --> 00:18:14.549 it's funny. A lot of people are convinced Norma 00:18:14.549 --> 00:18:16.829 Shearer is like completely going to lose her 00:18:16.829 --> 00:18:19.349 reputation if she takes the role because she's 00:18:19.349 --> 00:18:22.589 just going to be so bad that nobody's going to 00:18:22.589 --> 00:18:24.710 want her again. She's going to lose all her credibility. 00:18:26.029 --> 00:18:29.049 Okay, here's the last one. This one is short. 00:18:29.109 --> 00:18:33.869 It's my favorite. A warning to David O. Selznick. 00:18:34.190 --> 00:18:38.190 Your public sees clearer and clearer that disaster 00:18:38.190 --> 00:18:41.880 looms nearer and nearer. When she's Scarlett 00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:44.980 O 'Hara, she'll win the tiara for the screen's 00:18:44.980 --> 00:18:50.339 biggest flop, Norma Shearer. A .L. Clarke. And 00:18:50.339 --> 00:18:53.039 that reaches the end. Now, those are not all 00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:55.619 of the ones I read. There are actually almost 00:18:55.619 --> 00:18:59.359 200 of them, maybe more like 150. I actually 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:00.940 didn't get through every single one of them because 00:19:00.940 --> 00:19:03.019 they kind of drifted off of the topic of her 00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:05.799 after a while. But there are a lot of really 00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:08.539 good ones. I also read one that I should actually 00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:12.279 find. It was about Leslie Howard. Someone was 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:14.039 protesting him. And then there were a couple 00:19:14.039 --> 00:19:15.920 protesting Paulette Goddard, which I thought 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:18.279 was interesting because I didn't know that it 00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:21.539 was kind of out in the public that she was so 00:19:21.539 --> 00:19:23.759 close to playing Scarlett. But some people were 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:27.779 concerned about her too. And it's so funny to 00:19:27.779 --> 00:19:31.269 me. I mean, it's not surprising. Nobody ever 00:19:31.269 --> 00:19:33.650 mentions Vivian Leigh, of course, when they're 00:19:33.650 --> 00:19:35.170 talking about who should play Scarlet because 00:19:35.170 --> 00:19:38.609 nobody knew who she was. So it kind of reinforces 00:19:38.609 --> 00:19:42.309 this idea that when she got the part, she really 00:19:42.309 --> 00:19:45.609 was this nobody that most people hadn't seen. 00:19:45.789 --> 00:19:49.529 I know there was a yank at Oxford, which she 00:19:49.529 --> 00:19:52.309 was in, and that was shown in America. So they 00:19:52.309 --> 00:19:54.130 might have seen her in that, but most people 00:19:54.130 --> 00:19:56.700 had never seen her. They didn't really have TV 00:19:56.700 --> 00:19:59.839 at home most of the time, so they just didn't 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:02.799 know who she was. So all they really had to go 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:06.160 by were her pictures. And according to Margaret 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:09.839 Mitchell reading her letters, it seems like most 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:11.819 people were kind of happy about that because 00:20:11.819 --> 00:20:14.940 they didn't want to have somebody who they were 00:20:14.940 --> 00:20:17.019 just going to be judging by their previous performances. 00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:21.140 We can talk about Vivian Leigh and her casting 00:20:21.140 --> 00:20:24.000 a different time because that is a whole different 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:27.259 story, which is super interesting. But back to 00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:29.799 Norma Shearer, just to give kind of a conclusion 00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:35.180 to this whole story. So in this book I'm reading, 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:38.759 it's called The Scarlet Letters, compiled by 00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:41.900 John Wiley Jr. It's a bunch of letters by Margaret 00:20:41.900 --> 00:20:44.660 Mitchell. In the footnotes, there is one part. 00:20:45.710 --> 00:20:48.130 where it tells us what Norma Shearer ended up 00:20:48.130 --> 00:20:51.210 saying. So I'll just read it word for word. On 00:20:51.210 --> 00:20:54.630 July 31st, Shearer issued a statement that she 00:20:54.630 --> 00:20:56.849 was withdrawing from consideration for the role. 00:20:57.109 --> 00:20:59.569 I have decided that I should not play Scarlet. 00:20:59.829 --> 00:21:02.509 I am convinced that the majority of fans who 00:21:02.509 --> 00:21:04.230 think I should not play this kind of character 00:21:04.230 --> 00:21:06.890 on the screen are right. I appreciate tremendously 00:21:06.890 --> 00:21:11.000 the interest they have shown. So that is really 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:14.160 classy, really polite thing to say, honestly. 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:20.359 That makes me really like her. But I think I 00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:22.940 feel kind of bad for her, too, because she probably 00:21:22.940 --> 00:21:26.339 got so many letters that were like that, like 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:28.700 the ones Selznick got that were like, don't do 00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:30.740 this, you'll damage your reputation. No offense, 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:33.619 you're just not suited to this role, you know, 00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:38.829 in that kind of vein. So I'm sure that was pretty 00:21:38.829 --> 00:21:42.650 hard for her. And I'm glad she didn't get Scarlett, 00:21:42.730 --> 00:21:45.109 I guess, because I'm glad Vivian Leigh got it. 00:21:45.190 --> 00:21:47.549 But let's talk a little about the other actresses, 00:21:47.549 --> 00:21:50.230 because they brought up so many in the letters. 00:21:50.309 --> 00:21:52.369 They brought up Betty Davis and Katherine Hepburn 00:21:52.369 --> 00:21:56.349 the most, but also Miriam Hopkins, Tallulah Bankhead. 00:21:57.079 --> 00:21:59.059 Paulette Goddard, Margaret Sullivan, and there 00:21:59.059 --> 00:22:01.920 were a few others. They got mentioned a lot too. 00:22:02.220 --> 00:22:06.160 So as we know, Paulette Goddard, she almost got 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:08.559 it. Like there are so many screen tests of her. 00:22:09.819 --> 00:22:12.019 Sorry, I'm out of breath. So many screen tests 00:22:12.019 --> 00:22:15.299 of her auditioning for the role that it's almost 00:22:15.299 --> 00:22:18.519 kind of like interesting that the public wanted 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:23.940 her because who knows if after the film, if they 00:22:23.940 --> 00:22:26.490 would have. felt the same way I'm not saying 00:22:26.490 --> 00:22:29.190 she would have been bad but like I wonder if 00:22:29.190 --> 00:22:32.970 like after she had been cast how it would have 00:22:32.970 --> 00:22:35.190 been met because unlike Vivian Lee people knew 00:22:35.190 --> 00:22:40.130 who she was like they knew that she was an actress 00:22:40.130 --> 00:22:45.029 and what she had done in the past so I just wonder 00:22:45.029 --> 00:22:49.339 like For Vivian Lee, too, how many letters of 00:22:49.339 --> 00:22:51.839 protest that got. Because I haven't read any 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:53.480 letters of protest about her, and I was kind 00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:55.539 of looking for those. But like I said, that's 00:22:55.539 --> 00:22:57.900 a topic for another day. I think Betty Davis 00:22:57.900 --> 00:23:01.019 and Katharine Hepburn would have been pretty 00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:06.180 good. I don't know. Well, they're tremendous 00:23:06.180 --> 00:23:09.519 actresses, but I don't know if they could have 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:11.839 portrayed Scarlett exactly as she was in the 00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:13.859 book. The reason I like Vivian Leigh so much 00:23:13.859 --> 00:23:18.720 is because I think she perfectly captures this 00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:22.720 balance between being imposing and intimidating 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:26.039 to people and then also very childlike. I think 00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:31.700 she perfectly manages that balance. And she also 00:23:31.700 --> 00:23:34.880 has that blend of sharp and delicate features 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:37.160 that Margaret Mitchell describes at the beginning 00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:40.000 of the book. So I think she was just a perfect 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:42.599 Scarlett, but I don't know. I'm kind of biased. 00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:46.660 The other actresses they mentioned, I don't know 00:23:46.660 --> 00:23:49.519 as well. I did look up Norma Shearer after this. 00:23:49.579 --> 00:23:53.299 She was in a movie called The Women from 1938. 00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:55.819 I think it was directed by George Cukor. Hold 00:23:55.819 --> 00:23:59.880 on, let me look that up. If you don't know, he 00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:03.160 directed Gone with the Wind. He was one of the 00:24:03.160 --> 00:24:05.099 directors. He didn't get credited in the end 00:24:05.099 --> 00:24:11.019 because he quit. But The Women, 1939. Sorry, 00:24:11.099 --> 00:24:14.099 did I say 1938? It was a 1939 movie. So same 00:24:14.099 --> 00:24:16.039 year as Gone with the Wind. Yeah, it was directed 00:24:16.039 --> 00:24:18.640 by George Cukor. And I found this scene with 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:21.460 her and Joan Crawford. And Joan Crawford seems 00:24:21.460 --> 00:24:23.519 like she could have been a really good Scarlett. 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:28.180 And then Rosalind Russell was in it, too. I think 00:24:28.180 --> 00:24:31.720 she was mentioned. Norma Shearer, Paulette Goddard, 00:24:31.740 --> 00:24:35.140 Joan Fontaine, they were all in it. The gist 00:24:35.140 --> 00:24:38.839 of the film is that the entire cast is female. 00:24:39.720 --> 00:24:42.940 So it's a really interesting watch because it 00:24:42.940 --> 00:24:45.380 has a lot of Scarlet rejects, so I recommend 00:24:45.380 --> 00:24:48.460 that. Norma Shearer has a starring role if you 00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:51.940 kind of want to see her in something. So, yeah. 00:24:53.529 --> 00:24:56.670 I guess I'll end it here. That's what I wanted 00:24:56.670 --> 00:24:59.970 to talk about today is this very random bit of 00:24:59.970 --> 00:25:02.990 information that came to my attention, this whole 00:25:02.990 --> 00:25:06.210 fiasco with Norma Shearer, which pretty much 00:25:06.210 --> 00:25:09.470 everybody has forgotten about now because Vivian 00:25:09.470 --> 00:25:11.289 Leigh was cast, so it didn't come to fruition. 00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:15.900 It was certainly remembered by people who lived 00:25:15.900 --> 00:25:18.240 during that time and they thought that it might 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:20.339 have happened. And, you know, all this drama, 00:25:20.460 --> 00:25:22.680 all these passionate feelings people had were 00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:25.480 for absolutely nothing because she wasn't actually 00:25:25.480 --> 00:25:28.819 cast. It was fake news, basically. And she never 00:25:28.819 --> 00:25:34.059 got the role. So, yeah. But thanks for listening. 00:25:34.099 --> 00:25:37.980 If you got this far, let me know about your thoughts 00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:41.460 on these letters, if you have any. I might just 00:25:41.460 --> 00:25:44.779 be talking to myself for this whole podcast and 00:25:44.779 --> 00:25:49.319 that is perfectly okay. But thank you for humoring 00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:51.779 me and my creative outlet. I will see you next 00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:52.000 time.