Saturday, August 28, 2010

Olivia deHavilland: Alive, Well & Starring On TCM

Olivia deHavilland is the only surviving star from the epic film Gone With The Wind.
All of the other major stars of that landmark movie have since passed on.
Olivia deHavilland is 94 years old and lives in Paris. She has not been seen very much in recent years.
She did appear as a presenter at the 75th Annual Academy Awards in 2003. In 2006 she made an appearance at the 90th Birthday celebration of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Last year she gave a newspaper interview in which she said she was working on an autobiography.
By any measure, deHavilland is one of the most accomplished movies stars of the 20th century.
She made 49 movies between 1935 and 1979.
In addition to Gone With The Wind, among her better-known vehicles were: The Light In The Piazza, The Heiress, The Snake Pit, Hold Back The Dawn and To Each His Own. She won the Academy Award for Gone With The Wind (supporting actress) and for Hold Back The Dawn, To Each His Own and The Heiress (all best actress).
Last night I watched her in To Each His Own on Turner Classic Movies. In this film she plays a single mother who gives up her son, then fights to remain a part of his life.It's a classic tear-jerker: poignant, personal and heartfelt. With Olivia deHavilland in the starring role the film never becomes cheap or maudlin. She brings a radiance and a somewhat regal presence to every role.
Olivia deHavilland: A great Hollywood star worth celebrating.
They don't make 'em like this anymore, folks.

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