Tuesday, October 12, 2010

SCARLET O'HARA, MARIE VON TRAPP, AND CAROL BURNETT

 What do these three women have in common? Give up? I’ll bet if you thought from now on, you wouldn’t get it. Maybe I should ask, and then see if anyone can guess the connection. No? Okay, then I’ll tell you.

All three made a dress from curtains. Why did each do the same thing?

Scarlet was first to do it in GONE WITH THE WIND (1940). What possessed her to use the green velvet curtains trimmed with gold tassels to make a stunning dress with a bustle and a hat to match? Because she had to appear well off in a time of war—The Civil War—in order to woo Rhett Butler. Rhett was the scoundrel carpetbagger from the North who cared not a whit for the Rebels, or the Yankees either, but he had all the money. And little ’ol Scarlet needed that money to save her precious Tara.

Maria was the nun-turned-nanny-turned-wife in THE SOUND OF MUSIC. In playing with the vonTrapp children, she discovered they had no proper play clothes. So, she tore down the curtains in her room and made each child a set. (I will tell you, the clothes were very tacky—the drapery material just wasn’t a good choice. But Maria made do.)

Carol Burnet, as we all remember, is one of the best comediennes of all time. Younger ones learning the craft could learn much from her. In one of her skits, she portrays Scarlett and her co-host portrayed Rhett. He stands at the bottom of the spiral staircase, and Scarlet AKA Carol, appears at the top of the steps. She wears an outfit much like the one in GONE WITH THE WIND. It’s green velvet with gold tassels—hat and all. But she did not remove the curtain rods, so that they go across her shoulders, and draped with the velvet, they look like HUGE shoulder pads. I think she trips down the stairs. Hysterical. It makes me laugh to remember the scene.

So, what do these women have in common besides clothing made of curtains?

Scarlet was manipulative, hateful, selfish, and well, let’s face it—she was a real heroine.
Maria was sweet, even-tempered, generous, creative, and okay—a real heroine.
Carol was happy, funny, cheerful, noncritical, and yes—a real heroine.
Each woman had strength and courage in her imaginary role and her real life. We should admire and respect these women. Even though most of us will never reach the high pinnacle of success we dream about, we can be a Scarlet, a Maria, or a Carol.

So, which are you?
Are you too-good-to-be-true Maria?
Are you break-the-rules-and-the-devil-take-his-due Scarlet?
Or are you go-all-out-have-fun-no-matter-what-befalls-you Carol Burnet?

Or a COMBINATION?

Now, lift your spirits, make your plans, and put your nose to the grindstone. None of these women came by their success and fortune by sitting down. And this should be a lesson for us all.

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com/
http://www.celiayeary.com/

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21 comments:

  1. Great post, Celia! I'd have to pick Carol Burnett, because I try to look at the funny side of things, no matter how bad life gets.

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  2. I do remember that episode of Carol Burnett -- I loved watching that show.

    I think I'm a combination, but not all in the same order at any given moment. lol

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  3. Yep I'm a Maria I think? cute blog today. great job.

    Nan

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  4. Celia, I love to write about spirted characters like Scarlett O'Hara, and must admit I've been known to get fired up.

    But I see myself as more like Carol Burnette. I can act pretty goofy.

    Wasn't that a hilarious scene? I laughed so hard I cried.

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  5. OMG, I remember seeing the Carol Burnett/curtain rod scene when I was a kid. Just thinking about it makes me laugh.

    I'd have to put myself someone where Scarlett and Carol, probably inching closer to the former than the latter. No one would mistake me for Maria. As for my heroines, they'll probably more like Scarlett, although they're not so good at being manipulative as she is. Mmm...now I'm going to have to try to write one that is.

    BTW, wasn't Rhett Butler from Charleston? Or did I just dream that?

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  6. Celia, a very thought-provoking blog today. I've always admired Scarlett. She knew what she wanted and went after it. A true "steel magnolia." Carol has always been one of my favorite people, too. I'm not much inclined towared the goody-good people nor do I like musicals. As a kid growing up, I never cared for the movies where the stars burst into song and dance just when the plot got interessting. So maybe I'm a little Scarlett and a little Carol but mostly I'm a whole lot Linda.

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  7. SUSAN--I guess we can all see ourselves as we are. I wish I could be like Carol, but I cannot laugh my way out of feeling crappy. I admire a person who is like her--you! Celia

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  8. BEKKI---probably an honest assessment of yourself. None of us are one thing all the time.I still miss the Carol Burnet Show--there's nothing on TV as funny anymore. Celia

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  9. Nancy--how about Scarlet? Don't you go your own way and even break the rules with your writing? I think you're much bolder than Maria. Celia

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  10. LAUREN--I would definitely say you're a Carol. I love your humor! And yes, Carol Burnet has no equal. Celia

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  11. KEENA--no, you're definitely not a Maria. You pegged yourself just right. I can still see that scene with the curtain rods! Celia

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  12. LINDA--you're an original Steel Magnolia, for sure. I'm always calling you a Southern Belle, but that is not right.That should have been another category. Celia

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  13. Celia--a wonderfully creative article, and thought-provoking, too. Like Scarlet, I'm a southern gal. As much as I'd like to be a fiesty Scarlet, I'm more like the even-tempered, think it through before acting, Maria.

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  14. Great post, Celia! That scene of Carol Burnett at the top of the stairs with the curtain rod is burned into my memory forever. I laughed so hard I think I was rolling at one point. Me, and my sisters.
    No one could have pulled off that particular skit like Carol.

    I also adore Gone with the Wind and Scarlet's fiery willful spirit.

    The Sound of Music is good, too. But, I don't think I'm cut out to be that 'good' and sweet.

    In the end, I'm just me.

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  15. Of course I saw both movies but I don't remember the episode of Carol Burnett. I love the three heroines but can't connect with any of them. Hmm you make me wonder, who am I?

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  16. The real life Maria was much grittier than the movie Maria. She was 6 months pregnant when the family hiked over the mountains to freedom. Not a happy thought. And I know Scarlett was selfish, but her friends would have starved during the war without her. And Carol brought us all so much pleasure in her show, but she had a very unhappy upbringing and much sadness in her personal life. Hmm, makes them all sound like us, doesn't it? Each of us is a heroine in my book.

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  17. LORETTA--We have a lot of Southern girls here!It's fun to see what each person thinks she is.Thanks for stopping by--Celia

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  18. Yes, Savanna--you're an original! The scene with the curtain rods--and all of Carol Burnet's skits--were made even funnier by her facial expressions. I see nothing funny anymore on SNL or Late Night shows. The humor is stupid, often off-color, and just plain boring. No one has that
    comedic talent like Carol. Very sad. Thank for commenting--Celia

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  19. HI, MONA--that's the interesting part. Each character might have something we could identify with, but not all. In the end, they all worked hard at their craft, and that is how all of us are, I think. Celia

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  20. CAROLINE--you have nailed it, spot on! Thanks for your usual wise words and encouragement--Celia

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  21. That was one the BEST Carol Burnett scenes!

    Wonderful post. Exactly: get up and make yourself something!

    As for which one I am? Depends on who you ask and on what day. ;-)

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