Vivien Leigh: Scarlett and Beyond (1990)

The tragic life and career of two-time Oscar winner Viviemn Leigh, who battled tuberculosis and manic-depression but always remained a star.

Director:

Gene Feldman

Writers:

Gene Feldman, Suzette Winter

Stars:

Jessica Lange, Vivien Leigh, Gertrude Hartley

Cast

Credited cast:
Jessica Lange	...	Self - Host
Vivien Leigh	...	Self (archive footage)
Gertrude Hartley	...	Self - Vivien Leigh's mother (archive footage)
Garson Kanin	...	Self
Claire Bloom	...	Self
Radie Harris	...	Self - Journalist
John Gielgud	...	Self (as Sir John Gielgud)
Rachel Kempson	...	Self (as Lady Redgrave)
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	...	Self
Kim Hunter	...	Self
Elizabeth Ashley	...	Self
Laurence Olivier	...	Self (archive footage)
Stanley Kramer	...	Self
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Redgrave	...	Self (archive footage)
Alexis Smith	...	Self (archive footage)

Storyline

Documentary on the life and career of Vivien Leigh who made 19 films in her 30 year career and won 2 Academy Awards as Best Actress (for A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and Gone with the Wind (1939) ). She was born in India in 1913, the daughter of a prosperous stock broker. She was bundled off to boarding school in England at age 6 and her parents only re-settled there when she was 15. Her first marriage, to wealthy barrister Leigh Holman, lasted for several years until she met Laurence Olivier. Once they each obtained divorces from their respective spouses they were married in 1940. After starring in A Yank at Oxford (1938) she received the role that would define her in the public's mind, Scarlett O'Hara. By the early 1950s, her relationship with Olivier began to unravel as her mood swings became more pronounced. She was distraught at the break-up of her marriage and at the dwindling number of roles available to her. Her last film was Ship of Fools (1965). She died in 1967 in London...

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Plot Keywords:

tuberculosis | manic depression | divorce | actress | reference to vivien leigh | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography

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Did You Know?

Trivia

This documentary is featured in the 4-Disc Collector's Edition DVD set for Gone with the Wind (1939), released in 2004.

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Quotes

Host: The tuberculosis that had returned did not seem life-threatening; she was convelescing, though impatiently, preparing to open in a new play. It was in 1967 that Vivien Leigh died... at 53, all the different moods and colors and experiences that combined to make up this unique woman were no more... she was gone... but I for one will never forget her.

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Soundtracks

Tara's Theme
(uncredited)
Composed by Max Steiner
Background music for "Gone with the Wind" montage

User Reviews

nice bio

"Vivien Leigh: Scarlett & Beyond" is a decent 1990 bio of Vivien Leigh, who gave us such a vivid portrayal of Scarlett O'Hara, Blanche DuBois, and appeared with great success in films like "Waterloo Bridge," "That Hamilton Woman," and "Ship of Fools." There are some wonderful clips and photos of the young Leigh, supplied by her daughter Suzanne, as well as home movies of Leigh and Olivier and film clips of early performances. The focus of the bio is her rise to stardom and her love affair and marriage to Laurence Olivier.

Though there are many references to her mental illness, it seems to be downplayed. It isn't clear why - it certainly wasn't the poor woman's fault that she suffered from manic-depression, but the effects of this were not mentioned: her removal from an airplane, her attempt to run away with actor Peter Finch (the inspiration for the film "The VIPS"), and the most stunning effect of all - that she would stand backstage hallucinating and walk onstage and be letter perfect. The pity is that back then, there was nothing to help her.

The effect of Leigh's illness on her marriage is mentioned, but one is left with the impression that Olivier dumped her for a younger woman. He did, but don't tell me this disease, uncontrolled, is easy to live with. Rachel Kempson (Mrs. Redgrave) said "Larry got tired." Tired? An understatement I'm sure.

Vivien Leigh was a tremendous actress and an equally great beauty. Though this is a good documentary, with interviews with the aforementioned Rachel Kempson, Garson Kanin, John Gielgud and others, it could have been more in depth. Yes, she was beautiful, yes, she was fragile, but she was so much more. Narrated and hosted by Jessica Lange, an odd choice, and the result is uneven.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 October 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Vivien Leigh: Nie tylko Scarlett O'Hara

Filming Locations:

Notley Abbey, Aylesbury Road, Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Turner Pictures (I), Wombat Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

46 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1