Happy Birthday to Classic Movie Legend, David O. Selznick, born May 10th, 1902!
David O. Selznick on what I can only think of as his Producers Throne.
Oh, David O Selznick. What is there to say about you that hasn’t already been said a million times over. Genius. Check. Tyrant. Double check. Delusional. Triple check. But, lets be honest, those are the qualities necessary for anyone whose ultimate quest was greatness. And greatness is literally what Selznick produced.
Just take a look at his credits. Between the years 1929 and 1957, he produced 85 titles. For those of you who are mathematically challenged, let me break that down for you. That’s 85 films in a 28-year span or 3.1 films a year. And of course, when you add the fact that Gone With the Wind, King Kong, Rebecca and The Third Man are just a few of the titles on that list, well, it becomes evident who we’re dealing with – a creative force mixed with a tinge of madness.
David O. Selznick on the Gone With the Wind set with Victor Fleming, Vivien Leigh, and Clark Gable (1939, Victor Fleming director)
And what did Selznick think of his own legacy? Well, he did have one major regret: Gone With the Wind. Not making it, of course, but the time he made it because at the tender age of 37, he felt he was never to “top it.” While most of us regret picking Taco Bell when a salad should suffice, he regrets making Gone With the Wind too early. Well, I’m going to volunteer to help save the earth now because I feel like I’m slackin’.
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Minoo Allen for Classic Movie Hub
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