Hollywood Dolls

This was the first crazy moment I had for a Scarlett doll. Doing overtime in the office, waiting for clearances from the writers and artists, surfing, searching: "Scarlett O' Hara doll". The universe must have heard, for lo and behold appearing on screen was this beautiful picture of Mattel's Timeless Treasures -- finally Vivien Leigh as Scarlett. I wasn't aware of FM's Scarlett at that time and was rather wanting of a Viv as Scarlett, rather than Barbie as Scarlett (which by the way has great hairstyling -- you should see Mattel's version of the white and black honeymoon dress).


I've read somewhere (perhaps still in the internet) that the prints for this dress were actual scans of the textile used on the fabric. If this is true, it adds once again to the great details of this doll.


The factory paint on this is subtler than the "drapery version". Mattel did well by creating the disparity between the woman in the curtains, and the dreamy, deluded girl in an afternoon party.  What I like about this face paint is the Scarlett "pout".  During the premiere of GWTW, it took almost a few minutes of Vivien's interpretation of Scarlett to make Margaret Mitchell say: "She is mah Scawhlett."  And we all know how belligerent the character was, unlike Tonner and FM's version where the doll is seen in a half-smile.  Hairsyle seems to have followed the parting of Hazel Roger's/Guilaroff's style (dunno if I got those names right). The hair color is dark brown -- I think almost chestnut, not stark black -- although that was how Mitchell described Scarlett in the novel.

Amazing jewelry that follows the look of the film.


The doll comes with gloves, shawl and (white?!) ankle boots (which I think was still appropriate for the doll, though not in color). There some things that are hard to capture on this scale specifically those "pinched hankies" (a wonderful term coined by  Nikki of the Scarlett Yahoo Groups) that surround the shoulders. Unlike the Barbie as Scarlett, this dress has more flow and thank heaven, not in "organza".  The hat has a green velvet ribbon -- which is difficult to tie because of its thickness.

The doll you see is the one I display. I was so smitten by this version that I got 2 (one is still mint in the box -- and someday when I'm crazier I will take her out).

In the coming week Tonner will launch its 2010 line, among them the overheard "What's my lamb gonna wear?" For something that has been said to be overdone, the Barbeque dress is still a signature of Scarlett as she wears this in 2 settings on film. It still is a must-have -- at least for me.

































First photo from BarbieCollector.com
Note: Not seen here are the hat, white hand gloves and the lace shawl