Has anyone dazzled the cinematic screen more than Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind? The film has remained a classic for over 80 years. The film’s success is partly due to the impeccable chemistry between Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) and Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh).
Leigh had many other memorable films besides Gone with the Wind. Her career spanned four decades, and she frequently delivered award-winning performances. Considered one of the most beautiful actresses of her time, Leigh’s films are historically well regarded for being a part of an important cinematic era. Take a look at 10 of her best films, according to IMDb.
21 Days Together (1940) – 6.1
In the 1940 melodrama 21 Days Together, Leigh teamed up with her then-husband Sir Laurence Olivier. The two recently got married and they had just as much chemistry onscreen as they did in their private lives.
After Larry Darrent (Olivier) accidentally kills the husband of his lover, Wanda (Leigh), someone else is mistakenly arrested. Larry and Wanda have just 21 days together before the trial. If the other man is found guilty, Larry plans to turn himself in. Of course, this means he will have to end his love affair with Wanda, which neither wants to do.
Caesar And Cleopatra (1945) – 6.3
Leigh performed in a variety of historical movies throughout her career, including the 1945 epic Caesar and Cleopatra. The film depicts the story of Roman general Julius Caesar (Claude Rains). He wants to control Alexandria, Egypt, but he has problems when he meets the beautiful Egyptian princess, Cleopatra (Leigh). She doesn’t agree on any political practices with Ptolemy (Anthony Harvey), her younger brother.
Caesar knows he can take Cleopatra under his wing and teach her things she can’t learn from her brother. However, Caesar soon develops strong feelings for Cleopatra, and this might threaten his own political power.
Fire Over England (1937) – 6.5
On the set of the 1937 historical romantic drama Fire Over England, Leigh met her future husband, Sir Laurence Olivier, and the two had undeniable chemistry from the first day they met. The movie tells the story of Queen Elizabeth I (Flora Robson) and her country’s complicated relationship with Spain.
Naval officer Michael Ingolby (Olivier) volunteers to go undercover in Spain. Queen Elizabeth I has feelings for Michael, but she’s concerned when he is infatuated with her lady-in-waiting, Cynthia (Leigh). Leigh might not have been the star of this film, but she still stole every scene.
The Roman Spring Of Mrs. Stone (1961) – 6.5
By the 1960s, Leigh knew she was an aging star, which brought on more depression and mental health issues. Critics reflected that she wasn’t acting much in the 1961 romantic drama, The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone. Leigh played a disheartened, aging actress, Karen Stone.
After her husband’s death, she travels to Rome, where she meets an Italian gigolo, Paolo (Warren Beatty). Like most romances, the two begin a passionate love affair. But will their relationship last? Leigh impressed audiences with her heartbroken, realistic portrayal of a 50-year-old actress who just wanted to feel beautiful again.
Anna Karenina (1948) – 6.7
Leo Tolstoy’s 1878 novel Anna Karenina has had many film adaptations, including the 1948 version starring Leigh and Ralph Richardson. The drama tells the story of Anna Karenina (Leigh), who is traveling on a train to visit her family. She meets Countess Vronsky (Helen Haye), and she later meets her son, Count Vronsky (Kieron Moore), when they arrive in Moscow. They soon begin a passionate love affair.
However, Anna is already married and she’s a mother. She must return to her husband, Alexei (Richardson), in St. Petersburg, but she doesn’t want to stop loving Count Vronsky. Anna must also face the consequences of her decisions.
Sidewalks Of London (1938) – 7.0
Leigh typically didn’t perform in comedies. She performed best in dramas, but the 1938 comedy-drama Sidewalks of London was an exception. In the movie, street performer Charles Staggers (Charles Laughton) befriends aspiring dancer Libby (Leigh). When they meet songwriter Harley Prentiss (Rex Harrison), Libby pursues him.
This leads to a quarrel with Charles, who points out that he was her partner first. Libby leaves his act to collaborate with Harley, and she finds success with his songs. The film includes plenty of comedy, but there are also several heartfelt, emotional moments that symbolize Leigh’s entire career.
Ship Of Fools (1965) – 7.1
Leigh made her final screen performance in the 1965 drama, Ship of Fools. The film tells the story of a group of passengers aboard a cruise to pre-War World II Germany. They form a unique society. A countess (Simone Signoret) is going to a German prison camp. Another passenger has a fatal heart condition.
Then, viewers meet the recently divorced Mary Treadwell (Leigh), who tries to outrun time. During their time at sea, the group forms bonds and rivalries while discovering secrets about each other. This is a cruise ship you’d rather avoid.
Waterloo Bridge (1940) – 7.8
In the 1940 war romance Waterloo Bridge, the beautiful ballerina Myra (Leigh) meets British officer Roy Cronin (Robert Taylor). They instantly fall in love. But Roy is called to active duty, and Myra chooses to skip a ballet performance to tell him goodbye.
This decision has many consequences because she is dismissed from the ballet troupe and she faces harsh financial crises. When she hears about Roy’s misreported death, she’s heartbroken and it seems nothing will get better. Audiences can’t help but cry at Leigh’s emotional performance.
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) – 8.0
In her second most iconic film role, Leigh brilliantly portrayed the troubled Blanche DuBois in the 1951 drama, A Streetcar Named Desire. Based on the 1947 play by Tennessee Williams, the drama tells the story of Blanche, who visits her sister, Stella Kowalski (Kim Hunter), in New Orleans. She immediately clashes with Stella’s harsh husband, Stanley (Marlon Brando).
Blanche is flirtatious and she seems perfect, but she’s a complex woman with more problems than she likes to admit. Leigh delivered an emotional, heartbreaking performance that earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress. She stole the spotlight in every scene and many critics say it was the most vulnerable performance of her career.
Gone With The Wind (1939) – 8.1
Even though she had a well-rounded film career, Leigh will always be known as Scarlett O’Hara in the 1939 romantic drama, Gone with the Wind. The epic Civil War drama tells the story of southern belle Scarlett O’Hara and her romance with Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). But her relationship with Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) steals the show.
The movie brought Leigh instant fame and attention. She was praised for her breathtaking performance, earning an Academy Award for Best Actress. To this day, it’s her most well-received film role. When movie fans think of the Civil War and the South, they’ll think of Leigh breathlessly saying, “After all, tomorrow is another day.”
