ALS signed “Olivia de Havilland,” four pages, 5.5 x 8.5, February 9, 1981. An extraordinary reminiscence delving into Melanie's character and discussing the meaning and success of Gone With the Wind. In small part: "I was 22 years of age when we began filming Gone With the Wind and turned 23 on the very last day of shooting, July 1, 1939. The role of Melanie meant a very great deal to me, for she personified values very much endangered at the time.” In fine condition.
Sadly passing away recently at 104, Olivia de Havilland was one of the very last grand stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age. And the last of the four stellar stars of the truly iconic Hollywood masterwork, Gone With the Wind. There have been rumors for years that she was writing a biography but it never seemed to get finished. But represented here in a beautifully handwritten, four-page letter, is a superlative mini-memoir as she tells us about her feelings for Gone With the Wind. It is absolutely one-of-a-kind.
Through the years, and certainly in the last couple of decades, Olivia de Havilland has refused to write any significant content about Gone With the Wind in her correspondence. This truly remarkable document could very well be the finest written piece of Gone With the Wind material by Olivia de Havilland outside of the manuscript for her long promised book. Indeed it is probably the finest existing written reminiscence by any of the film's four stars. There is no other way to describe it. Her affection for the film shines through on each handwritten page. Executed on her blue notepaper, for which she is known and dated February 9, 1981, it concludes with her large, bold signature. While it has no salutation, it is nonetheless written in letter form as a reminiscence to accompany her presentation script when it was sold at a charity auction in 1981. Giving her script up for charity was, no doubt, a special moment for her and she has clearly endeavored to show her feelings for the film in this very personal account.
This extraordinary reminiscence is as important as it is enjoyable as she delves into Melanie's character and discusses the meaning and success of Gone With the Wind. Truly, this is a superlative, one-of-a-kind GWTW manuscript.
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