Gone With the Wind and The Goring Collection

Pre production for GWTW

‘From the time Kay Brown brought ‘Gone With the Wind’ to Selznick’s attention in May 1936 until early July of that year the star names bantered around the studio as potential leads were Miriam Hopkins, Margaret Sullavan, Tallulah Bankhead, Ronald Colman and Gary Cooper. Of course that was in the early stages and before the ink had time to dry on the contract between Selznick International and Margaret Mitchell.
The screenwriters most often mentioned were Sidney Howard and Ben Hecht. Those two names alone will give you an idea that Selznick was thinking on a grand scale even in those pre production days. Both Hecht and Howard had earned Hollywood’s respect by their previous work.

In 1929 Ben Hecht won and Oscar for ‘Underworld,’ was nominated in 1935 for ‘Viva Villa’ and shared the Oscar with Charles MacArthur in 1936 for the ‘Scoundrel.’ Hecht and MacArthur had become famous in the 1920’s for writing ‘The Front Page.’ Sidney Howard wasn’t far behind when it came to Hollywood awards; he was nominated in1932 for his work on ‘Arrowsmith’ and again in 1937 for ‘Dodsworth.’

An old friend of Selznick’s, George Cukor was likely involved in the hiring decision for the writer. The Selznick, Cukor relationship went back to their days at RKO and the casting of ‘A Bill of Divorcement.’ They had collaborated on a new type concept and new face by looking at talent in both Hollywood and New York. They made the decision, did the tests and hired Katharine Hepburn. At the time there was near universal condemnation of the choice around the studio as well as the film community.

The hiring of Sidney Howard was not so much out of favor. There were several reasons for going along with Howard over Hecht, but the probable one was spelled out in a memo to Kay Brown during the time she was negotiating the writing deal with Howard. And using kid gloves to give Howard some idea of his hands on producing methods was conveyed in one line of an Oct. 8, 1936 memo to Kay Brown. ‘…I have never had much success with leaving a writer alone to do a script without almost daily collaboration with myself and usually also the director.’

In subsequent memos we learn that Selznick didn’t get the swinging door kind of cooperation he wanted, but worked out other ways to get his points across amicably as they hashed out their differences on the script.
Casting was looming large and Scarlett was going to be a problem because of the character’s wide range in age and emotions during the picture.

Tallulah Bankhead was one of the early considerations and was tested. However, the opening scenes of the picture with the youthful Scarlett doomed Bankhead from the beginning.  As of Jan. 4, 1937 the males under consideration were Clark Gable, Gary Cooper and Errol Flynn in that order.

(To be continued) Next week, the search is on for Scarlett.

Excerpt from: The Goring Collection:

Continued from last week: Following Jacob’s decision to turn away from the communist ideology to democracy.

‘The irony of it all was that during that period, of evaluation and soul searching, the KGB assigned him a new contact code-name Isaac. Their first meeting was set for Fisherman’s Wharf. When Jacob got there, he broke into a wide smile as he hurried across the room. Then he stood for a moment before grabbing Alexei's hand and pulling him into a bear hug. "How did you arrange this?" Jacob asked. But even before Alexei spoke, he felt a chill in the air. Something was wrong.

"I had nothing to do with the arrangement." Then the heavyset Alexei said bluntly. "Someone higher up suggested that I have a talk with you, Jacob."

"About what?" Jacob asked incredulously.

Alexei sat for a long moment chewing on the stub of an unlit cigar. "Your dedication to the cause, Jacob."

"What? How can you say a thing like that?" Jacob said as his stomach churned and he thought they must have been reading my mind.

"Jacob, I'm only telling you what has been reported to the top. None of us live in a vacuum. We are always watched and monitored. And you, Jacob get extra scrutiny. You are supposed to be the leader in the distribution of socialist ideas."

"You are telling me something I don't already know," Jacob, said irately, "that is my mission."

“Yes, well there are reports that your lectures both in the classroom and on the circuit are becoming something less than effective.” Alexei chuckled, “Some believe that the ideology has become contaminated by your Western experience."

"That's an outrageous lie, Alexei," Jacob said without conviction.

"It's not for me to say, Jacob." Then Alexei moved closer. "Now this is not official, but I believe Moscow is very close to a decision."

"A decision? About what?" Jacob demanded.

"To have you recalled to Moscow, for reevaluation, and your pallid lectures are only one part of your problem."

"What do you mean?"

With riveting eyes and a harsh whisper Alexei explained. "There is a rumor floating about that suggests that you may have turned.”

"My God!"

"Well, I wouldn't know any thing about that," Alexei said with mock humor.’
(To be continued)

Writers Notebook:
More on story ideas and where they come from.

Great artist’s and writer’s plumb ideas from their subconscious. Mark Twain confided to the world on many occasions that he never worked a day in his life. All his humor and writings were due to the fact that he tapped the inexhaustible reservoir of his subconscious mind.

At a Q&A session the other day I was asked how I came up with the idea for ‘The Goring Collection?’ and I had to confess that I first became aware of the problem when I saw a story on 60 Minutes. That got my attention and after some reading about pre war Germany and the Holocaust it was like a runaway train. I needed to research more and learn more about the war in Europe, Nazis, Gestapo tactics, stolen art, Impressionist paintings and painters.

Then I picked a typical Jewish family, built a brief background, added a famous painting, then followed two children, Jacob and Natalie Meyers, from a scene at Berlin Station in 1941 and let my subconscious take it from there to the end of my first draft.

Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter. Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.

www.tombarnes39.com
www.RocktheTower.com