The tremendous life of Olivia de Havilland
Over the weekend News bulletins and social media lit up with the passing of legendary actress Olivia de Havilland. She will always be remembered as Melanie Hamilton from the Hollywood classic film Gone with the Wind.
But there is another side of Olivia de Havilland that should be appreciated and admired and that is the woman who stood up for herself against studio bosses and fought endlessly for good work and equal and fair treatment.
Olivia de Havilland was born in Tokyo Japan, her family were British and they moved to Saratoga, California. Her parents separated shortly there after with her father returning to Japan. Olivia’s mother remarried and Olivia’s younger sister took on her step-father’s surname becoming Joan Fontaine.
Olivia got her break in films with A Midsummer’s Night Dream and Warner Bros signed her to a seven year contract.
In Olivia’s words she was a “mini star” until she landed the role of Melanie Hamilton in Gone with the Wind from that point onwards Olivia de Havilland was on equal footing as many of the leading stars at the Warner Bros lot including Bette Davis.
While under contract at Warner Bros many of the contract players and stars were expected to act in any role given to them, whether they liked it or not. They had no right to refuse and in doing so were often suspended without pay. This happened a number of times while Olivia was under contract with Warner Bros. It was not that she didn’t want to work, it was that back then the studio system was like a film factory and once a star had made it, the studio would often line them up to make back to back projects knowing the audience were dying to see their pictures, making the studio a lot of money.
While at Warner Bros Olivia de Havilland made a number of successful films including Captain Blood (her first teaming with Errol Flynn), The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dodge City, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, The Strawberry Blonde,They Died with Their Boots On and In This Our Life.
At the end of Olivia’s contract with Warner Bros, Olivia decided she didn’t want to renew and was ready to move on with her career, to another studio. But Warners Bros at the time would add the suspension time to the end of the contract, meaning Olivia would have another 12 month remaining on her contract, that she was obligated to complete.
Not happy with the options she sued and the legal challenge went all the way to the Supreme Court overruling Warner Bros and releasing Olivia to move to another studio. The ruling became the De Havilland clause and is still in use today.
In standing up for her right as an artist and the ability to control her acting career she allowed more creative freedom but as retaliation Warner Bros blacklisted her from other studios, so all previous offers for work were rescinded.
This occurred during World War II and instead of staying home and waiting out the blacklist period. Olivia took up touring and entertaining the troops and did this work through to the end of the war and the year proceeding. She returned to Hollywood as an audience favorite and was offered a three picture deal with Paramount.
During this time Olivia de Havilland went from playing the good girl and evolved to the dramatic actress creating such memorable roles as To Each His Own (which she won the Oscar), The Snake Pit, The Heiress (winning her second Oscar) and My Cousin Rachel.
In 1953 growing tired of the business side of the film making industry. Olivia accepted an invitation to be on the jury at the annual Cannes Film Festival. Coincidentally she was the first female President of the Jury of Cannes Film Festival in 1965.
Anyway, while in France in 1953, Olivia would meet second husband Pierre Galante and relocate to Paris, for the remainder of her life.
While living in Paris Olivia became obsessed with Fashion Designer, Christian Dior and became a lifelong client. The fashion house completing her wardrobe on many of her films. During this time she embraced yoga and completed it on a daily basis.
Olivia didn’t walk away from Hollywood, she returned a number of times for the right project, including Libel, Light in the Piazza, Lady in a Cage and Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte.
Olivia continued occasionally acting in the 1970s and 1980s winning a Golden Globe for her role as the Dowager Empress Maria in Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna.
Olivia’s last onscreen appearance was in the television movie The Woman He Loved. She never officially retired from the screen just felt that she wasn’t offered a role that intrigued her. She occasionally appeared at anniversary screenings of Gone with the Wind.
But not to be left by the advent of the internet and social media, believe it or not, Olivia de Havilland started responding to fan mail by email and doing a number of interviews via email or Skype. Up until recently she spoke to her family on a regular basis using Skype on her iPad.
In 2010 images of Olivia de Havilland (at the age of 94) appeared online riding a bicycle, initially it was reported as fake, but in fact it was confirmed that it was Olivia riding a bicycle with her grandson taking the picture, as it was something she wanted to try.
Turning 100 in July 2016, photos of a regal Olivia de Havilland appeared in newspapers and on social media across the globe including a quote from Olivia saying “I hope to live to be 110!” and that she still enjoyed a glass of champagne every day.
In 2017 Olivia de Havilland became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, becoming Dame Olivia de Havilland. She also filed a lawsuit against film maker Ryan Murphy for her unauthorized portrayal in television series Feud: Death and Joan. The suit advanced all the way to the Supreme Court but they declined to review the case in September 2018.
Towards the end of her life Olivia de Havilland attributed her longevity with a curiosity with the world, a love for life and the eagerness to learn and be loved. She was often pictured with her dog, a pug called Oscar.
Olivia de Havilland passed last Sunday July 26th 2020 at the grand age of 104. She passed in her sleep, having only weeks before celebrated her 104th birthday with close family and friends and her beloved champagne.
“If I must at some time leave this life, I would like to do so ensconced on a chaise longue, perfumed, wearing a velvet robe and pearl earrings, with a flute of champagne beside me and having just discovered the answer to the last problem in a British cryptic crossword.”- Olivia de Havilland.
Thank you Olivia for a tremendously well lived life and a fantastic catalogue of films that will not be forgotten. I will raise a glass of your beloved champagne in your honor.