Post by jean-marie douau

Today 110 years ago, Olivia de Havilland was born Olivia de Havilland(July 1, 1916 –July 26, 2020) Born in Tokyo, died in Paris where she lived from the early 1950s, alltogether British, American and French, overwhelmed by the honors and awards (, winning the case against Warner Brothers who had added a suspension period to her contract term for turning down a role (hence the so called "De Havilland law"), she truly was a citizen of the world. Beside of her role as Melanie Hamilton (Scarlett's sister in law) in Gone With the Wind (1939, Victor Fleming), the most famous film she played in, she formed one of the most dazzling screen couple sharing great chemistry with Errol Flynn in 8 films, starting with Captain Blood (1935, Michael Curtiz). It was followed by : The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936),The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938, co-directed by William Keighley), Four's a Crowd (1938), Dodge City (1939), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), Santa Fe Trail (1940), and They Died with Their Boots On (1941). All directed by Michael Curtiz except the last one by Raoul Walsh. Sick of his rudeness, egoism, bad behavior and drunkenness, in spite of their strong connection and romance, she had told Flynn on the set of Santa Fe Trail that she would not work with him anymore, and so informed producer Hal Wallis. In any case she did not care a lot for Westerns, which she regarded as somehow not serious pictures. She longed for weightier roles (the reason of her lawsuit Warner Brothers confining her to ingenues' roles). Still, in Santa Fe Trail, she did at least play a strong-willed independent woman. But she relented for Libby Custer part in Walsh western which was their final partnership. The scene where Custer says goodbye to his wife is frankly quite moving. Maybe both knew it was their last pairing. Or it was just good writing and acting as Libby has a dark feeling about her husband's fate. During a later re-showing, after Flynn’s death, de Havilland welled up at the scene and had to leave... Beside of Dodge City, Santa Fe Trail, They Died with Their Boots On, she appeared in 2 more westerns : Gold is where you find it (1938. Michael Curtiz) and The Proud Rebel (1958, Michael Curtiz). Curtiz made 9 films with her. She also gave a strong performance in TV film Noon Wine (1966), a critical success which rehabilitated Sam Peckinpah. Not a pure western, it is more an intimate piece of Americana closer to Tennessee Williams' or William Faulkner's texts and atmosphere. A few other films (of 49) Hold Back the Dawn (1941, Mitchell Leisen) In This Our Life (1942, John Huston) To Each His Own (1946, Mitchell Leisen) The Dark Mirror (1946, Robert Siodmak) The Snake Pit (1948, Anatole Litvak) The Heiress (1949, William Wyler) Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964, Robert Aldrich) Photo: on the right with her younger sister, actress Joan Fontaine (October 22, 1917 – December 15, 2013) on the left.