June 30th

Margaret Mitchell's epic novel "Gone With The Wind" made its debut exactly seventy years ago today. This tale of the Antebellum south, and the fates of on again-off again lovers Scarlett O' Hara and Rhett Butler, captivated a nation deep in the throes of the Great Depression and desperate for escapist fare. Three years later a film version was released, featuring a then relatively unknown Vivien Liegh as Scarlett, and everybody's first choice for Rhett, Clark Gable. The film went on to sweep the Oscars and is considered one of the greatest films ever produced. There is only one remaining principal cast member from that film, Olivia DeHaviland, who played Melanie Wilkes. To mark the occasion, I am sending her a letter.

Olivia DeHaviland