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For the GWTWMemories.com Website
Daily Update
Posted by Faye Bell on June 27, 2001 at 21:21:22:
Hope you did well ...
1. The MGM official with chief creative responsibilities in 1936 was Irving Thalberg, who, on hearing the story of GWTW promptly saw the money-making possibilities.
[ ] TRUE [ ] FALSE
ANSWER: NO. THALBERG SAID, "FORGET IT. NO CIVIL WAR PICTURE EVER MADE A NICKEL!"
2. Margaret Mitchell believed, while writing GWTW, that her classic movel would utilimately be adaptable to a movie which would be virtually timeless in popularity.
[ ] TRUE [ ] FALSE
ANSWER: NO. MARGARET MITCHELL ORIGINALLY NEVER EXPECTED HER BOOK TO BE PUBLISHED.
3. Katherin Helpburn, after reading GWTW, envisioned herself as Scarlett, and pestered her studio to buy the film rights to the book.
[ ] TRUE [ ] FALSE
ANSWER: TRUE - BUT BEFORE SHE SUCCEEDED, SELZNICK BOUGHT THE SCREEN RIGHTS --- AND HE WASN'T HER PRODUCER.
4. Tara and Tweleve Oaks were actually mansions in Beverly Hills which were rented by producer David Selznick.
[ ] TRUE [ ] FALSE
ANSWER: NO. BOTH SETS WERE ONLY FACADES CONTAINING NO INTERIOR ROOMS.
5. When the screen rights of GWTW were first offered, the asking price was $65,000. but, for a time, the most any studio considered was $35,000.
[ ] TRUE [ ] FALSE
ANSWER: TRUE. THE RIGHTS FINALLY SOLD FOR $50,000 -- THE MOST EVER PAID (UP TO THAT TIME) FOR A FIRST NOVEL.
6. David Selznick constructed Atlanta sets to be burned on one famous scene.
[ ] TRUE [ ] FALSE
ANSWER: NO. WHAT IS SEEN BURNING INCLUDED SETS FROM PREVIOUS FILMS PRODUCED BY SELZNICK WHEN HE WAS WITH RKO AND HIS OWN COMPANY -- SETS FROM "THE GARDEN OF ALLAH", "DAVID COOPERFIELD", "KING KONG", AND "THE LAST OF THE MOHICIANS".
7. When Selznick International Studios bought GWTW, S-I had only completed one film.
[ ] TRUE [ ] FALSE
ANSWER: TRUE. SELZNICK INTERNATIONAL HAD FINISHED "LITTE LORD FAUNTLEROY" AND "THE GARDEN OF ALLAH" WAS ON THE WAY.
8. Margaret Mitchell worked very closely with GWTW's film production department.
[ ] TRUE [ ] FALSE
ANSWER: NO. SHE EMPHATICALLY REFUSED TO HAVE ANY INVOLVEMENT IN THE FILMING OF HER BOOK.
9. Of the $50,000 paid for movie rights to GWTW, Margaret Mitchell received one-third.
[ ] TRUE [ ] FALSE
ANSWER: NO. SOME REPORTS SAY THE PUBLISHER, MACMILLAN, RECEIVED $25,000 AND M. MITCHELL RECEIVED $25,000, BEFORE SPLITTING THE AGENT'S $5,000 FEE.
10. Margaret Mitchell insisted that the name "Tara" be pronounced with a long "a" to accent the Southern drawl.
[ ] TRUE [ ] FALSE
ANSWER: NO. TARA WAS TO BE PRONOUNCED WITH A SHORT "A" TO RHYME WITH O'HARA.