Olivia de Havilland dies at 104

[JRDelirious]

Nah, I’m giving a pass to 2020 in this case. I mean, 104, man.

Gotta feeling we know now who closes the next Oscars memorial montage.

[RivkahChaya]

OK. Well, then, one last thread. I didn’t realize he was still alive. He was so great in Saboteur.

[ThelmaLou]

@peedin

She was a wonderful actress, and simply stunning in The Adventures Of Robin Hood. . Now we’ll never know why she and her sister fell out, but as Eve said, I side with Livy.

According to NYTimes:

…After her success in “Gone With the Wind,” Ms. de Havilland returned to Warner with the expectation of more challenging roles. For the most part, they did not materialize.

One exception was “Hold Back the Dawn” (1941), in which she played an American schoolteacher who is seduced in Mexico by a wily European exile (Charles Boyer). Her performance earned her another Oscar nomination, but this time she lost to her sister, Joan Fontaine, who won for “Suspicion.” The two were rarely on speaking terms after that. (They are the only sisters to win best-actress Academy Awards, and their sibling rivalry was called the fiercest in Hollywood history.)…

I understand they did make up toward the end of their lives. Joan died in 2013 at age 96.

[Sherrerd]

Olivia de Havilland’s first post-lawsuit (against her Warner Bros. contract) movie was To Each His Own—a daring-for-its-day defense of a woman who gives birth out of wedlock. It’s very interesting for its depiction of the woman’s success in business (she builds a cosmetics empire out of practically nothing). It was all remarkably feminist for 1946.

To Each His Own

Sad to lose this last link to the movie-classics past. She was out and about well into her nineties; that’s always inspirational.

[Pleonast]

@Encinitas

Our own Eve had tea with her at her apartment in Paris a few years ago.

In mine opinion, one of the best threads ever,

So, I was having brunch with Olivia de Havilland in Paris last week . . .

. . . and if you don’t think I am going to casually work *that *into every conversation, including at the dry cleaner’s and the deli . . . I was staying in Montmartre with friends last week, and on Thursday Olivia de Havilland invited me over for demi-tasse and *macarons *at her home on the rue Benouville, a residential district (no shops, my dear). Livvy was charming and funny and gracious, and looks lovely: same voice, same smile, perfectly coiffed white hair, flawless complexion (she is 95!)…

We miss you, @Eve.

[needscoffee]

@ThelmaLou

@peedin

She was a wonderful actress, and simply stunning in The Adventures Of Robin Hood. . Now we’ll never know why she and her sister fell out, but as Eve said, I side with Livy.

According to NYTimes:

…After her success in “Gone With the Wind,” Ms. de Havilland returned to Warner with the expectation of more challenging roles. For the most part, they did not materialize.

One exception was “Hold Back the Dawn” (1941), in which she played an American schoolteacher who is seduced in Mexico by a wily European exile (Charles Boyer). Her performance earned her another Oscar nomination, but this time she lost to her sister, Joan Fontaine, who won for “Suspicion.” The two were rarely on speaking terms after that. (They are the only sisters to win best-actress Academy Awards, and their sibling rivalry was called the fiercest in Hollywood history.)…

I understand they did make up toward the end of their lives. Joan died in 2013 at age 96

I thought they had too. This piece makes it sound a lot more complicated. No idea of the accuracy. The Lifelong Feud Between Sisters Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine

[Fiddle_Peghead]

Oliva de Havilland is one of those people whose name I recognize immediately, and I was very aware of her status as a movie star. But I’ve never seen a single film that she is in. Anyone want to recommend something really good? If so, and if you don’t mind, just not “Gone With the Wind.” I’ve got nothing against it, but I could come up with that one.

[RivkahChaya]

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Dark Mirror, & The Snake Pit.

[Two_Many_Cats2]

Would anyone consider Angela Lansbury as the last of Hollywood’s Golden age actresses? She was in Gaslight and garnered an Oscar nomination for it. She’s 94 now.

I think the show Murder She Wrote has sort of eclipsed any memory of her Hollywood days. Too bad, she was truly excellent.

[hogarth]

Apparently she was willing to do her own dog noises on the radio.

According to Lorene Tuttle:

The soundman [on “Hollywood Hotel”] was supposed to do a little yipping, yappy dog, like a terrier. He sounded like a Newfoundland dog or something, and the director kept saying “That won’t do.” So Olivia de Havilland was sitting next to me, and she says “I can do a very good dog.” And I said “Well, I don’t think they’ll let you do a dog. This is an audience show; you’re a star, you can’t do a dog.” And Olivia says “I’m going to do it.” So she went over to the director, went into the booth and said “I’d like to try doing this dog for you.” So they put her behind the screen, and she went on the show and she did that yipping dog."

[The_Other_Waldo_Pepper]

@Fiddle_Peghead

Oliva de Havilland is one of those people whose name I recognize immediately, and I was very aware of her status as a movie star. But I’ve never seen a single film that she is in. Anyone want to recommend something really good? If so, and if you don’t mind, just not “Gone With the Wind.”

The Adventures of Robin Hood.

[Tamerlane]

@The_Other_Waldo_Pepper

The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Yep. A childhood favorite. It holds up surprisingly well IMHO.

ETA: A long appreciation essay on the film from 2007.

[jsc1953]

@The_Other_Waldo_Pepper

@Fiddle_Peghead

Oliva de Havilland is one of those people whose name I recognize immediately, and I was very aware of her status as a movie star. But I’ve never seen a single film that she is in. Anyone want to recommend something really good? If so, and if you don’t mind, just not “Gone With the Wind.”

The Adventures of Robin Hood.

One of many she made with Erroll Flynn (I’ll look up the exact number later). (I wonder if they hold the record for most lead actor/actress pairings?)

[RoberttheWallace]

I wholeheartedly agree with terentii–I will always Love Olivia in " The Adventures Of Robin Hood "; for me, as well, Olivia will forever be Maid Marion. She truly was a sweet, dear, gifted and Beloved Grand Lady! She really exemplified genuine womanhood and our { all of us–her devoted fans-- } monumental loss is GOD’S Eternal gain! RIP dear Olivia

[Dropo]

Some lesser known of Olivia de Havilland’s better performances:

Hold Back the Dawn (1941) - Duped into marriage by Romanian immigrant Charles Boyer so he can enter the U.S.

Devotion (1946) - As Charlotte Bronte, she feuds with sister Emily (Ida Lupino), while brother Branwell (miscast Arthur Kennedy) devotes himself to drink.

My Cousin Rachel (1952) - Did Olivia murder Richard Burton’s cousin? Will he fall in love with her trying to find out? Will she try to kill him, too? Based on a Daphne Du Maurier story.

My favorite OdH moment:

Guess Who

Re: Flynn and de Havilland:

@jsc1953

(I wonder if they hold the record for most lead actor/actress pairings?)

No. William Powell and Myrna Loy probably have the most.

[Fiddle_Peghead]

@RivkahChaya

A Midsummer Night’s Dream , The Dark Mirror , & The Snake Pit .

Thanks. Going with The Snake Pit to start, as it sounds interesting and is available on Prime Video. Also, I see The Dark Mirror is a dual role. Not a big fan of these. I usually spend most of the movie thinking about how well the actor is playing both roles, rather than just watching the story play out.

@The_Other_Waldo_Pepper

The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Like I was saying, I really enjoyed the one Olivia de Havilland film I’ve seen. If anyone is a fan of the great Peter O’Toole movie My Favorite Year, you can see him in some recreated scenes based on this, where he plays a former swashbuckling movie star, whose clips others are watching…

Whoa, I just found this. When I first saw it, I thought it was the O’Toole movie stills.

Anyway, to get back on thread, I too recommend this highly. It’s great fun.

[jsc1953]

@Dropo

Re: Flynn and de Havilland:

@jsc1953

(I wonder if they hold the record for most lead actor/actress pairings?)

No. William Powell and Myrna Loy probably have the most.

You’re right. Powell & Loy made 14 films, including the Thin Man series. Flynn & De Havilland made 8.

[alphaboi867]

@RivkahChaya

Is anyone else alive whose career peaked before 1948? There may be some child actors who did not stay in the business, but I think all the great leads are dead now.

Even Shirley Temple Black is dead.

[Baker]

As for being done with 2020, I’ve seen the following.

"I’m staying up on NYE 2020. Not to see in the new year but to make sure this one leaves."