(Because yeah, it kinda sucks.)
The summer was one long frustration for him. He went around muttering darkly about G.W.T.W. “Terrible lot of nonsense-heaven help me if I ever read the book.” David Selznick was reported to be furious.
“David says he is going to sue me for spreading alarm and despondency,” giggled Leslie, quite unperturbed. He scarcely bothered to look at his lines, on the basis that they might be changed and anyway were rehearsed and shot so many times that a halfwit could remember them.
Leslie found this a dreary life, dull because it was uninspiring. “If I am alone in this opinion then I must be unique in my idea of an interesting occupation. The screen is a fascinating story-telling medium, but it is the director who tells the story.”
His slothful attitude toward Gone With The Wind caught him out upon occasion. Once he was severely criticized by Vivien Leigh for never knowing his lines. He was immediately all injured innocence and fury.
“I wont allow anyone to say that about me,” he told Doodie¹.
For the next hour Doodie had her only chance to play Scarlett O’Hara, reading the lines to Leslie while he rehearsed the tine scene that would be shot in the morning. He returned the next night with some jubilation.
“As luck would have it, Vivien forgot her lines today,” he informed Doodie. “But I was not cross. Oh no, I was not unpleasant. I just said: ‘Never mind, dear, take your time,’ and I hope she feels sorry now!”
¹Leslie Ruth Howard, his daughter
Ahaha. Excerpts from A Quite Remarkable Father by Leslie Ruth Howard.
Almost done with this book; I've been slacking with my reading! 29 more pages to go!
Oh, and more excitement to be had with the upcoming airing (Jun 28!) of the 1936 Romeo and Juliet! More Leslie Howard! (As well as The Petrified Forest! July 1! Intermezzo!!!!! July 30!!!!!)
Hot!
"A married violinist deserts his family when he falls for his accompanist."
Oh snap.
“David says he is going to sue me for spreading alarm and despondency,” giggled Leslie, quite unperturbed. He scarcely bothered to look at his lines, on the basis that they might be changed and anyway were rehearsed and shot so many times that a halfwit could remember them.
Leslie found this a dreary life, dull because it was uninspiring. “If I am alone in this opinion then I must be unique in my idea of an interesting occupation. The screen is a fascinating story-telling medium, but it is the director who tells the story.”
His slothful attitude toward Gone With The Wind caught him out upon occasion. Once he was severely criticized by Vivien Leigh for never knowing his lines. He was immediately all injured innocence and fury.
“I wont allow anyone to say that about me,” he told Doodie¹.
For the next hour Doodie had her only chance to play Scarlett O’Hara, reading the lines to Leslie while he rehearsed the tine scene that would be shot in the morning. He returned the next night with some jubilation.
“As luck would have it, Vivien forgot her lines today,” he informed Doodie. “But I was not cross. Oh no, I was not unpleasant. I just said: ‘Never mind, dear, take your time,’ and I hope she feels sorry now!”
¹Leslie Ruth Howard, his daughter
Ahaha. Excerpts from A Quite Remarkable Father by Leslie Ruth Howard.
Almost done with this book; I've been slacking with my reading! 29 more pages to go!
Oh, and more excitement to be had with the upcoming airing (Jun 28!) of the 1936 Romeo and Juliet! More Leslie Howard! (As well as The Petrified Forest! July 1! Intermezzo!!!!! July 30!!!!!)
Hot!
"A married violinist deserts his family when he falls for his accompanist."
Oh snap.