Gone with the wind

[cappuccino]

Hi, there, I'm new and glad to have found this site. I'd call myself addicted to classic movies, especially when Gary Cooper is in them.
The last time I was watching Gwtw I was wondering if he really turned down a big chance in not accepting Rhett Butler's part.
IMHO it was a wise decision although he turned it down because he thought the movie might be a flop. He surely could be everything, also Rhett Butler, but I think for Rhett Butler's character he would have been miscast nonetheless. What do you think?

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

Woohoo! Another Gary Cooper fan!

Great question, Cappaccino! I'd have to agree. I think Gary would have been miss-casted; not to say he isn't good, but it just wasn't a role that was created for him. And the way I see it, if he would have done Gone with the Wind, we may not have Beau Geste (which is one of my favorite Gary films) or The Real Glory because all of them were released around the same time in 1939. Declining the role didn’t detract away from his fame in the least, although I would have loved to see Gary in a cute little mustache.


Here's what wiki had to say:

Gary Cooper was Selznick's first choice, because Cooper's contract with Samuel Goldwyn involved a common distribution company, United Artists, with which Selznick had an eight-picture deal. However, Goldwyn remained noncommittal in negotiations. Warner Bros. offered a package of Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, and Olivia de Havilland for the lead roles in return for the distribution rights. When Gary Cooper turned down the role for Rhett Butler, he was passionately against it. He was quoted to have said, " "Gone With The Wind is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood history. I’m glad it’ll be Clark Gable who’s falling flat on his nose, not Gary Cooper."

[cappuccino]

Right! Well, he was wrong about the "flop" but to err is human, even for Gary :-):-) But as I said, he was not wrong about the casting.
Just take the scene when Rhett leaves Scarlett in order to join the Southern Army, because he has a "weakness for lost causes". He is so wonderfully detestable in that scene, and I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't slap him together with Scarlett for leaving her like that. I just love Clark Gable's cynical expression when he says: "Heaven help the Yankees if they capture you". So although I think Gary was one of the most versatile and gifted actors that ever lived, I simply cannot imagine him in that scene. Kissing Vvien Leigh, ok,:-) fetching her a wagon to get her out of the burning hell once called Atlanta ok, helping Melly ok - but the good bye scene - never. Just MHO.

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

Very well put, Cappuccio. I whole-heartedly agree; some of the scenes just wouldn't fit Gary's personality, even if he was a good actor...

[cappuccino]

Very well put, Cappuccio. I whole-heartedly agree; some of the scenes just wouldn't fit Gary's personality, even if he was a good actor

Exactly. That's also what I find so fascinating about Hollywood's Golden Era. They had so many wonderful actors and actresses, each of them very individual and interesting. No offense meant, but I don't think today's actors can equal them.

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

That isn't an offense, it's the truth! All the actors and actresses of today are so full of themselves, and to be honest...they're all kinda the same.

The stars of old hollywood each contributed their own pizzazz to their eras. It's a shame there are so very few left

[cappuccino]

And it applies not only to Hollywood but also to European cinema.
We had great actors in Germany, too, but now it's far from being the cream of the crop.

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

You know, that gives me an idea. I'm going to make a new category for European Films and you can share them with us! Who the best classic stars in Europe were back then, top movies, etc.

[cappuccino]

What a wonderful idea. Of course I contribute some ideas about famous German actors.