Gone With the Wind revisited
2008-04-21
“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and neither was the screenplay for David O. Selznick’s production of Margaret Mitchell’s epic novel Gone With the Wind.
Author Margaret Mitchell was begged by the movie mogul to critique every aspect of the production. A private person, she offered one criticism on the façade of Tara, and refused to make any other comment on the film, before, during and after production.
Moonlight and Magnolias, a slapstick comedy written by Emmy Award winner Ron Hutchinson about the making of the film Gone With the Wind, is now in production at TheatreWorks New Milford through May 10.
Based on fact, the action of Moonlight and Magnolias takes place in the office of David Selznick (Thomas Libonate) who has cornered writer Ben Hecht (Glenn R. Couture) and director Victor Fleming (Jonathan Ross), and locked them in his office to help him write the Gone With the Wind screenplay that must be completed in five days.
Since the time period is 1939, there is no computer to zip along with, but a trusty, well-worn typewriter to complete the task. Also “cornered” is David Selznick’s secretary, Miss Poppenghul (Missy Slaymaker-Hanlon), who dutifully takes notes and refreshes the peanuts and stacks of bananas for sustenance every day as the writers act out and argue about each scene and character. (The needle does get stuck when the men get to Scarlett and Prissy attempting to deliver Melanie’s baby.)
All the actors take full command of the stage in this fast-paced comedy. On the last day, when the art deco office is tattered and torn, the screenplay is completed, and the three men have become cousins to babbling idiots. They are pros at slapstick as directed by Sonnie Osborne.
The actors work effectively on a detailed set designed by Scott Wyshynski, who also did the lighting. Costumes are by Sonnie Osborne with contributions from the cast; sound is by Thomas Libonate, who also enjoys tearing up the stage in his major role.
While the plot unravels, you will undoubtedly think of the first time you saw Gone With the Wind, and unless you read the trade papers, you would have had no idea what it took to mount the film that was originally five and one-half hours long. The first rough cut in July 1939 ran four-and-a-half hours, which was 48 minutes longer than the final release.