You Never Forget Your First Time, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          Of course, dears, it depends upon what first time one is talking about!  For me, this date, February 25, marks the Anniversary of my first viewing--ever!--of "Gone With The Wind."  A turning point, I can tell you!!!!!!!!!!!!!   What I can't believe is that it was all of 45 years ago, when I was just the tender age of 13.

                                            At the time, I was in Seventh grade, not one of my favorite times of life!  That fall, MGM had reissued the film for the first time when I would have been old enough and interested enough to want to see it. (I was alive for the Civil War Centennial reissue, in 1961, but at age 6, it meant nothing to me!!!!!!!!!)  By the time February 25, 1968 came around, I had read the Margaret Mitchell novel, was mad for the story, and was just panting with excitement to see the film.

                                               It was reissued at the Rivoli Theater in Manhattan, which was a big show place in its day ("The Sound Of Music" had its World Premiere there on March 2, 1965). But my parents were loathe to go into the city.  North of us, in Montclair, there was a comparable movie theater called the Clairidge (which still exists, unlike the Rivoli, but is now a multiplex!!!!!!) and this is where I ended up seeing the film.

                                                That Sunday afternoon, my parents told me we were going somewhere, but would not say.  As we traveled, I at first thought we were going to my Aunt Martha and Uncle Jack's in Cedar Grove, a popular place for us to visit, back then (As it turned out, my father did; he let my mother and I off in front of the theater, and she went with me, while he visited our relations, as we saw the film!!!!!!!). When I saw the turnoff to Montclair, my hope went up, and I sort of figured it out. And when we pulled up in front of the Clairidge, in all its "Gone With The Wind" glory, I could not wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   It was a memorable viewing. When the camera first moved in on Vivien Leigh, I was so young, I was not familiar with her work. But I remember being struck by, saying to myself, "Oh, my gosh! That's Scarlett!!!!!!!"  Olivia DeHavilland impressed me as Melanie, as did everyone, with one of my favorites being Laura Hope Crewes as Aunt Pittypat.  Coming from the perspective I am at now, I can say--Olivia plays Melanie in the film with a gutsiness she does not quite have in the book.  When I look at her Melanie now, I can see the steeliness that showed her more than capable of playing Miriam Deering in "Hush, Hush....Sweet Charlotte."

                                                     This was when the film was being shown in 70mm wide screen projection.  When I saw it years later in its original 35mm ration, I preferred it.  Maybe the wide screen accounted for the only time I have ever seen this--during the credits, when the title came on screen, instead of sweeping across the screen, by letter, as it was supposed to, it was done in blocks like this:

                                                         "GONE WITH
                                                            THE WIND"

                                                       Don't ask me why. Never saw it before, or since!!!!!!!!!  But each year, I remember this day for this very special reason. I suppose some of you are wondering if I go home at night, and play the film on my DVD player, each year on this date.  I wish I could say that I do, but I don't, for the simple reason, I do not own the film!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                         I much prefer taking my chances for an opportunity to see it on the big screen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That is the ONLY way to see it, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!