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Charles Affron: Gish's story is phony, the happy ending is genuine

posted 11 years ago by Prof_Lostiswitz
4 replies | jump to latest

Charles Affron has researched Lillian Gish in great detail, here is what he has to say:

The ending of The Wind was reshot, not to provide a happy fade-out but to alter the happy fade-out that had already been filmed. All of the early drafts of the script, including draft no. 4, dated February 3, conclude with the reconciliation of Letty and Lige. Marion's own copy of the final script, started on February 14, 1927, and finished on February 24, accounts for more or less what we now see on the screen, the couple's embrace: “The wind is blowing such a gust against the window that the two figures seen inside are lost forever.” The new ending, in a script dated July 20, differs only in minor details, and in the elimination of Lige's sidekick, Sourdough, as witness to the couple's bliss. It is highly unlikely that the studio decided to use the “tumbleweed” ending after the final ending had been completed. Gish and Marion fabricated their own unhappy ending, not to The Wind, but to the story of its making. For Lillian Gish, a sellout by the front office was an excellent pretext for her decision to leave M-G-M, clad in the probity of her art. In retrospect, even the chronology worked out for her. Since The Wind was her last silent film to be released, the saga of the uncorruptible [sic] actress losing her battle against the philistine studio bosses seemed to coincide with her break at M-G-M.

Charles Affron “Lillian Gish - Her Legend, Her Life” p. 229

[–] Jumbajookiba 11 years ago

If you watch the movie it is not just the final moments that have been filmed again, but, all of when Lige comes in, note that Lars Hanson''s hair is in a completely different style from the rest of the movie, this was because he was in the middle of filming The Divine Woman with Greta Garbo and was called back to reshoot the final scenes. Now, I am not saying that Gish is telling the truth, but, surely they would have filmed a rewrite a bit quicker, before Hanson went off to film The Divine Woman. I have Frances Marion's biography, It's a few years since I read it, but, I'm off to see what is said in it concerning the ending of The Wind, I'm sure I would have remembered if she contradicted Gish's version of the story. Who cares anyway, I just want it released on DVD or Blu-Ray.

I am a four eyed evil genius.

[–] TomServo23 11 years ago

"Who cares anyway, I just want it released on DVD or Blu-Ray"

I agree with this I was fortunate to see this movie earlier this year on a big screen. They should release a special edition of this movie next year for its 85th anniversary, I would buy it!

[–] mdonln 9 years ago

Prof_Lostiswitz says > Charles Affron: Gish's story is phony, the happy ending is genuine

All we really know is she was there and he wasn't. When I saw the movie recently on TCM, Ms. Gish did the intro to the movie. She talked about how she had found the story and brought it to the studio. It's been a while but I think she talked about the alternate ending too. Obviously her comments were filmed many decades after the movie was made but it seems she was sticking to her story.

If what she says is true, this wouldn't be the first time an alternate ending is used on a movie after filming has wrapped; though it may have been one of the earliest examples. There's a scene in the movie where she goes out into the wind. With a few edits, I can see that have been used as an ending; script or no script.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]

[–] littlenightmusic-15077 9 years ago

That was my thinking. SHE was actually there and the naysayers were not. I don't see why she would lie about such a thing. Where would be the benefit?