Scarlett (miniseries)
| Scarlett | |
|---|---|
| File:Scarlett123.jpg | |
| Written by | Alexandra Ripley (novel) William Hanley |
| Directed by | John Erman |
| Starring | Joanne Whalley Timothy Dalton Stephen Collins |
| Music by | John Morris |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 4 episodes (90 minutes each) |
| Production | |
| Producers | John Erman Doris Kirch Robert Halmi Sr. Larry Strichman |
| Running time | 360 min |
| Original release | |
| Network | RHI Entertainment |
| Release | November 13, 1994 |
Scarlett is a 1994 six hour miniseries loosely based on the sequel to Margaret Mitchell's novel, Gone with the Wind, written by Alexandra Ripley.
It was filmed at 53 locations in the United States and abroad. It starred Joanne Whalley as Scarlett O'Hara, Timothy Dalton as Rhett Butler, and Sean Bean as Lord Richard Fenton as well as many other notable British and American actors.
Cast
Joanne Whalley as Scarlett O'Hara Timothy Dalton as Rhett Butler Stephen Collins as Ashley Wilkes Colm Meany as Colum O'Hara John Gielgud as Pierre Robillard (Scarlett's maternal grandfather) Annabeth Gish as Anne Hampton-Butler Julie Harris as Eleanor Butler (Rhett's mother) Jean Smart as Sally Brewton Ray McKinnon as Will Benteen (husband of Scarlett's sister Suellen) Ann Margret as Belle Watling Barbara Barrie as Pauline Robillard (one of Scarlett's spinster aunts) Paul Winfield as Big Sam
Return to Tara
This section is practically identical to that of the book regarding Scarlett's actions at the funeral and the deathbed of Mammy.
Going to Charleston
The major differences in Charleston are that of the attitude and demeanors of the characters, but most notably Scarlett and Anne. Scarlett is not shown struggling with her unease in society but rather is criticized when Anne sees her and Ashley go into his hotel room together, resulting in a steamy kiss. Anne is completely different from her counterpart in the novel; while she is supposed to be a clone of Melanie, she shyly, yet coyly, flirts with Rhett and does other things her character in the book nor Melanie never would have done. The series continues to follow the relationship created between Rhett and Anne after the book ceases doing so.
Savannah
Scarlett continues to distance herself from her novel's character as her relationship with her kin is not the one of fitting in with and discovering her Irish heritage as much as escaping from her grandfather's household and passing the time. Her decision to go to Ireland is also preceded by her cutting off all ties to America and her quest of buying off her sister's share of the convent.
Ireland
Once in Ireland, Scarlett is faced with two main problems, not the source of her struggles in the novel. She is pursued, practically willingly, by Lord Fenton, of whom none of her kin approve. She also struggles to support violent revolutionaries when she wants peace, versus her feelings of comparison to how the Irish are being treated by the English to how the South was treated by the North.
Katie Colum O'Hara
Scarlett keeps her daughter's birth from Rhett a secret to spite him, thinking that if her child grows up not knowing him that she will not be like Bonnie, and that she will not love him; eventually, Rhett will meet the child and realize that she does not love or even know him and Scarlett will have her revenge. Her daughter is barely talked about outside of this - her role as the possible manifestation of a demon is completely removed. Anne Hampton/Butler also comes to Ireland with Rhett, which never happened in the novel, and even has a lengthy conversation with Scarlett. Her death from some kind of fever is also detailed.
Lord Fenton
Lord Fenton is much more evil than his role in the novel. He forces a servant girl to have sex with him, and rapes Scarlett as well. The servant girl kills him when he does this, but Scarlett is blamed. This is where the plot completely veers from the one in the novel; Scarlett is put on trial and Rhett comes to her aid, finding out about his child. It is also learned that Column was killed by Lord Fenton for trying to get him to support the servant girl because she was pregnant with Fenton's child. The servant girl is very reluctant to confess, but after Scarlett is found guilty of murder, she does. Scarlett and Rhett decide to travel the world with their daughter.