06 4 / 2013
I don’t understand the attitude that if you’re a fan of Vivien Leigh the person, you shouldn’t like Laurence Olivier, and vice versa
I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to like both of them at the same time. The planet will not burst into flames.
05 4 / 2013
This afternoon I was going through the proof for my book and making small changes to the text, when I came to the part where I wrote about Vivien Leigh’s initial reaction to the news that Laurence Olivier was going to be given a knighthood. She basically told him he shouldn’t accept because perhaps it would be selling out or something (whether she was serious or not is uncertain). Vivien’s attitude toward Olivier’s meteoric success in the mid-1940s was a mixture of pride and, I think, some resentment at feeling like she was being left behind.
One thing that seemed to really grate on her at the time was being passed up for 17 year-old Jean Simmons for the part of Ophelia in Olivier’s Hamlet. Much has been made of this casting decision by both Olivier and Leigh biographers. When it comes to Vivien, the general attitude seems to be, “I can’t believe Olivier passed her up for that role. She was pretty upset to be told she was too old by someone involved with the film, so, see, I told you Olivier was a horrible person.”
What I don’t ever recall seeing mentioned is the idea that perhaps Vivien just wasn’t right for the part in this particular film. I’m not talking about her age or her physical beauty. I’m talking about her talent and her star status. Hamlet is all about Olivier. Ophelia is definitely a supporting role - Jean Simmons is barely in the film and when she is, she doesn’t have much to do - and Vivien was not a supporting actress. I think both she and Olivier were well aware of this. As an acting couple, they made a point of choosing particular roles that would advance their careers as artists. Is it possible that Vivien wanted to be in the film because she’d be working with Olivier, rather than because she thought the role of Ophelia particularly awesome (the same thing happened when casting Rebecca)?
This is just an idea I’ve been tossing around in my head as something to possibly insert into my text.
What do you guys think?
03 4 / 2013
Had a nice visit and chat with Laurence Olivier’s first-born this afternoon. Tarquin is a fan of vivandlarry.com and has been encouraging about my book since the beginning. He signed a copy of his new one for me. The inscription reads: “For Kendra with much admiration and love.”
I’d also recommend his heartfelt book about his dad.
02 4 / 2013
Notley Abbey - more photos here: http://www.vivandlarry.com #england #vivienleigh #statelyhomes
23 3 / 2013
20 3 / 2013
i’m glad you’re refuting this stuff about vivien! like if her sex drive WAS heightened bc of her mental problems then it’s a very sensitive issue, not just some juicy rumor
There are so many rumors and labels that have been placed on both her and Laurence Olivier that it’s hard to unwrap them and get to the bottom of things. As a researcher that can be both fun and frustrating because no matter what your research reveals to refute or confirm something, people have a tendency to take everything they read at face value. It’s very difficult to change people’s opinions.
Vivien was a very passionate person who had very large emotions.
