Hollywood Dolls

"She was so beautiful she need not be so talented, and so talented she need not be so beautiful." (a quote from Vivien's Scarlett and Beyond documentary).

BUT..."Scarlett O' Hara was not beautiful" -- as Margaret Mitchell mentioned in her book. But in all her reader's eyes, she was. For how could a Southern Belle keep the richest man in the South (Rhett Butler) and make him her husband? I believed she did get him back with her beauty and charm. After Vivien played the role, she made it her own, and it was hard to imagine anyone of that time -- and in my opinion, even today capable of playing the role as good as she did.

It is said that against the fiery background of the Burning of Atlanta shoot that David Selznick first caught glimpse of Vivien Leigh. His brother, an agent, introduced Vivien to David. She was on a trip with her beau Lawrence (who was doing Wuthering Heights). Having read Gone with the Wind, Vivien believed she could play Scarlett. So on a ship from England to California, she re-read the book, memorized some of Scarlett's monologues and practiced different facial expressions to bring out Scarlett's changes in character. Selznick was bowled over (as legend says) and immediately Vivien was escorted to do her first readings. "She's the Scarlett dark horse and looks damn good!" David said to his wife Irene.

I had to practice. So, another doll had to be re-repainted. This time with a change of hairstyle faithful to Vivien Leigh (I think).
Here she is wearing Alana Bennett's blue gown inspired by the TV series sequel to Gone with the Wind: Scarlett.
I love doing portraits of my dolls. Only the new Scarlett dolls by Tonner are very expensive. Plus none of the sellers accept Western Union. I used only one brush to repaint this doll. I still have to retouch a little more. The hairline has been lowered by repainting some "hair-like" strands there. My eyesight is not as good so bear with me on this =). Hope you like her.