Wizard of OZ (1939) and Gone with the wind (1939) were both directed by one man named Victor Fleming in the same year. These two movies are always mentioned in different top 10 ranking of the greatest movies of all time. For example, these two movies are ranked in the top 10 of AFI's 100 greatest America's greatest films; the only director to have achieved such a feat. How do you direct two of the greatest movie ever in the same year? Victor Fleming was a Hollywood movie director during the golden era. He worked at MGM most of his career but died in 1949 at the age of 59. He had also directed some of my other personal favorite classical movies such as test pilot (1938), captain courageous (1937), Joan of Arc (1949), Red dust (1932), Tortilla flat (1942), Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1941) and the Virginian (1929). I have read about other great classical movie directors such as Orson Welles, Frank Capra, William Wyler, Erin Lubitsch, George Cukor, John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock and their influence on modern day directors. But few have talked about the greatness of Victor Fleming.
Victor was a great director because he enjoyed a challenge. He wasn't the original director for two of his most two popular movies; gone with the wind and wizard of oz. The moment the producers of both movies realized that their movie wasn't going in the right direction, they asked Fleming to fix it which he did well. Wizard of oz was the first in line, when Producer Leroy realized his film was about to fail, he brought in Fleming to fix it. They started production on wizard of oz all over again and Victor Fleming directed about 85 percent of it before he was called to rescue gone with the wind. David Selznick had originally hired George Cukor to direct GWTW, but he wasn't happy with the direction of the movie. He called Victor Fleming to fix it. Fleming advised him to cancel the original and write a new script; Selznick heeded and wrote a new script. Fleming directed with the new script, and the result was the classical GWTW that we have all watched over the years.
We can thank Fleming for the characters of Rhett Butler and Scarlet because he was a master at bringing out characters in actors and actresses that worked with him. Hatie Mc Daniel also has him to thank for the character of mammy in GWTW. Gary Cooper and Clark Gable are considered some of the greatest actors to have ever graced the movie screen. Most people would say that Gary Cooper and Clark Gable were great because they played themselves, but none realize how instrumental Fleming was in bringing out those characters in those two actors. Gary Cooper became Gary Cooper after he made the film; the Virginian in 1929 with Victor Fleming. If you study that film carefully, the characters Gary Cooper plays in most of his other films in later years mirror his character in that film. The same goes for Clark Gable in Red Dust, the first of five films he made with Fleming as director. Gary Cooper was insecure in his acting abilities before the Virginian. but Fleming gave him some macho advice and helped him create a lasting character. Gable also dealt with insecurity before Red dust and Fleming did what he did to Cooper. Spencer Tracy whom with Gable and Cooper are on my list of 10 actors also talked about how influential Fleming was on his acting abilities. Tracy made four films with Fleming and won an academy award for one of them. These three actors remained close friends with Fleming until his death.
Fleming was considered a manly man so most people tend to understand why he had much influence on the persona of these great actors such as Cooper, Tracy and Gable. What about his influence on actresses? I have talked about how Vivien Leigh has him to thank for the character of Scarlett, he is also responsible for McDaniel's portrayal of mamy and both won an Oscar. My most favorite film of Fleming is test pilot (1939) which stars Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and Myrna Loy. Myrna Loy is famous her portrayal of Nora Charles in the thin man series and her role as a loyal wife in the "Best Years of our Lives" but those aren't her best. Loy is great at comedy and I have watched her play her comedic roles with such brilliance. Her role in the test pilot was different because she mixed in comedy and drama in such a way that I thought she deserved at least an academic award nomination for her performance. Her performance was perfect from playing a single girl stuck in a small town to the loyal wife. Ingrid Bergman is my most favorite actress of all times, no pun intended to those Katherine Hepburn fans. Bergman performance in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1941) movie directed by Fleming, was awesome and it gave Bergman a role different from the traditional roles she had played in most of her Hollywood movies. Bergman was new to Hollywood but was restricted to playing the good heroine but this role was different. Bergman was brilliant and it opened the door for her to get some of the memorable roles she is remembered for today. As usual, Fleming brought out the best in her just like he does with the other actors and actresses that have worked with him.
Fleming like all human beings wasn't perfect in his directing method or personal lives but he made great movies. Two of the greatest movie ever made can be credited to him because he did most of the directing, even if he wasn't the original director chosen. I do have a lot of respect for Martin Scorsese, John Ford, Clint Eastwood, David Lean, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and many other great directors. Victor Fleming is my most favorite director because he makes all his movies exciting and they rarely have dull moments.. And he brings out the best in the actors/ actresses that work with him. I am yet to find any movie Fleming directed during the sound era that is below par.
Victor was a great director because he enjoyed a challenge. He wasn't the original director for two of his most two popular movies; gone with the wind and wizard of oz. The moment the producers of both movies realized that their movie wasn't going in the right direction, they asked Fleming to fix it which he did well. Wizard of oz was the first in line, when Producer Leroy realized his film was about to fail, he brought in Fleming to fix it. They started production on wizard of oz all over again and Victor Fleming directed about 85 percent of it before he was called to rescue gone with the wind. David Selznick had originally hired George Cukor to direct GWTW, but he wasn't happy with the direction of the movie. He called Victor Fleming to fix it. Fleming advised him to cancel the original and write a new script; Selznick heeded and wrote a new script. Fleming directed with the new script, and the result was the classical GWTW that we have all watched over the years.
We can thank Fleming for the characters of Rhett Butler and Scarlet because he was a master at bringing out characters in actors and actresses that worked with him. Hatie Mc Daniel also has him to thank for the character of mammy in GWTW. Gary Cooper and Clark Gable are considered some of the greatest actors to have ever graced the movie screen. Most people would say that Gary Cooper and Clark Gable were great because they played themselves, but none realize how instrumental Fleming was in bringing out those characters in those two actors. Gary Cooper became Gary Cooper after he made the film; the Virginian in 1929 with Victor Fleming. If you study that film carefully, the characters Gary Cooper plays in most of his other films in later years mirror his character in that film. The same goes for Clark Gable in Red Dust, the first of five films he made with Fleming as director. Gary Cooper was insecure in his acting abilities before the Virginian. but Fleming gave him some macho advice and helped him create a lasting character. Gable also dealt with insecurity before Red dust and Fleming did what he did to Cooper. Spencer Tracy whom with Gable and Cooper are on my list of 10 actors also talked about how influential Fleming was on his acting abilities. Tracy made four films with Fleming and won an academy award for one of them. These three actors remained close friends with Fleming until his death.
Fleming was considered a manly man so most people tend to understand why he had much influence on the persona of these great actors such as Cooper, Tracy and Gable. What about his influence on actresses? I have talked about how Vivien Leigh has him to thank for the character of Scarlett, he is also responsible for McDaniel's portrayal of mamy and both won an Oscar. My most favorite film of Fleming is test pilot (1939) which stars Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and Myrna Loy. Myrna Loy is famous her portrayal of Nora Charles in the thin man series and her role as a loyal wife in the "Best Years of our Lives" but those aren't her best. Loy is great at comedy and I have watched her play her comedic roles with such brilliance. Her role in the test pilot was different because she mixed in comedy and drama in such a way that I thought she deserved at least an academic award nomination for her performance. Her performance was perfect from playing a single girl stuck in a small town to the loyal wife. Ingrid Bergman is my most favorite actress of all times, no pun intended to those Katherine Hepburn fans. Bergman performance in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1941) movie directed by Fleming, was awesome and it gave Bergman a role different from the traditional roles she had played in most of her Hollywood movies. Bergman was new to Hollywood but was restricted to playing the good heroine but this role was different. Bergman was brilliant and it opened the door for her to get some of the memorable roles she is remembered for today. As usual, Fleming brought out the best in her just like he does with the other actors and actresses that have worked with him.
Fleming like all human beings wasn't perfect in his directing method or personal lives but he made great movies. Two of the greatest movie ever made can be credited to him because he did most of the directing, even if he wasn't the original director chosen. I do have a lot of respect for Martin Scorsese, John Ford, Clint Eastwood, David Lean, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and many other great directors. Victor Fleming is my most favorite director because he makes all his movies exciting and they rarely have dull moments.. And he brings out the best in the actors/ actresses that work with him. I am yet to find any movie Fleming directed during the sound era that is below par.
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