Windy Quote of the Day

“I love that time, with the struggles and the way they got through it all.  It just seems like it would have been a precious time to enjoy being a lady.”


--The impossibly named Selina Faye Sorrow, self-described "windy," AKA, a Gone With the Wind fanatic, speaking of the Civil War and reconstruction.  I think Selina Faye has bought off on some GWTW myth making in a big way, bless her heart.  Somehow I doubt that any of the actual women who lived through the Civil War looked back on the extreme violence and deprivation of the period as a time to "enjoy being a lady." 

Selina Faye and her windy sisters, described as "mostly middle-aged straight women and gay men," will soon descend on Atlanta to mark the 75th anniversary of the publication of Margaret Mitchell's book.  For her New York Times photo shoot, Selina Faye choose a home-made replica of the dress worn by Scarlett to the barbecue. Of course, Vivien Leigh had professional hair and make-up, but I'm sure Selina Faye will be able to choose from dozens of beaux at Twelve Oaks, or at least the Airport Marriott or wherever the events are held.






  

Quote of the Day

"The first line of the book would be 'After Rhett Butler made love to Ashley, he lit a cigarette, handed it to Ashley, and asked, 'Have I ever told you that my grandmother was black?'"

--Author Pat Conroy's proposed first line for his never-written sequel to Gone With the Wind.  He was contacted by the Margaret Mitchell estate about writing the book before the family's copyright expired, but they put so many restrictions on him, including no homosexuality and no miscegenation, that he got fed up and suggested that opening sentence.  According to Conroy, "it didn't work out."  Too bad.  The approved sequel wasn't nearly so interesting.   

Bonnie Blue Dies Again

Cammie King Conlon, who played the doomed Bonnie Blue Butler in Gone With the Wind, has died at the age of 76 in Fort Bragg, California.  The cause of death was lung cancer.  She was only 4 when she made GWTW, but she played Bonnie Blue with confidence beyond her years.  She went on to graduate from the University of Southern California and had a career as a publicist.  She often appeared at parades, museums and retrospectives, "having fun" with her status as part of a landmark movie.  She stayed in touch with other cast members through the years and, touchingly, she took a call from Olivia de Havilland on Sunday night before dying on Wednesday. 

She is survived by two children.   There will be services in Fort Bragg, California, Los Angeles, and Marietta, GA, home of the Gone With the Wind Museum.