Original screen costumes on display at Gone with the Wind exhibition

There are all number of amazing GWTW mementoes to gawp at, from those immortalised onscreen (costumes, props) to those kept off-camera (letters, contracts, scripts, production sketches, a score, personal souvenirs and even awards).

Highlights in the private correspondence corner include the letter of resignation from the production’s original director, George Cukor; Leigh’s handwritten note of thanks to Cukor for casting her in the much-coveted role of Scarlett (she, and co-star Olivia de Havilland continued to be coached by famous “women’s director” Cukor after he’d been given his marching orders) and a memo from Cukor’s replacement, director Victor Fleming asking for his name to be removed from the credits of The Wizard of Oz, which he abandoned for GWTW. While there is also an audition script for the part of Scarlett and Rhett’s child, Bonnie Blue Butler and the contract for the baby that played both that role and that of Ashley and Melanie’s infant, Beau Wilkes.

Memorable onscreen treasures consist of the cheque Scarlett used to pay off the mortgage on her beloved Tara and for those with a thirst for fashion there are a number of costumes as worn by Gable’s Rhett, de Havilland’s Melanie and Ona Munson’s brothel owner Belle Watling, with individual wardrobe pieces as seen on Leslie Howard’s Ashley (a shabby and torn Confederate soldier uniform) and Cammie King Conlon as Bonnie Blue Butler (a blue velvet dress).

However, enjoying pride of place are undoubtedly items as seen on Leigh’s Scarlett and these consist of a blouse (seen when tending to the war wounded), a dress from the “Attack on Shantytown” scene and the wide brim hat, sash and a single swatch of fabric being all that is salvaged from Scarlett’s much celebrated green party dress ensemble from the Twelve Oaks barbeque opening scene.

And that’s not all. There’s also an original sketch of the aforementioned Scarlett costume by costume designer, Walter Plunkett, pre-production designs, a handwritten copy of the score by composer Max Steiner and the actual Oscar statue awarded to cameraman Arthur Arling for his work on the project.

Continuing until April 2010, the exhibition is free and means that all those with an appetite for things GWTW need never go hungry again.

Find out more about the exhibition here.

[via The Costumer’s Guide to Movie Costumes]