Olivia de Havilland's legacy in Hollywood

Olivia de Havilland, an actress from Hollywood's golden age, passed away six years ago. She was awarded two Oscars and left a significant mark on Hollywood cinema, especially through her performance in Gone with the Wind, directed by Victor Fleming.

Her role in Gone with the Wind

In Gone with the Wind, de Havilland played Melanie Hamilton, the loyal sister-in-law of Scarlett O'Hara, portrayed by Vivien Leigh. The film received a rating of 4.1 out of 5 from AlloCiné viewers, reflecting its enduring popularity.

Her sister Joan Fontaine's career

Olivia de Havilland's sister, Joan Fontaine, also known as Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland, was a prominent actress. She appeared in classics such as Rebecca by Alfred Hitchcock (1940), Jane Eyre with Orson Welles (1944), and Letter from an Unknown Woman by Max Ophüls (1948).

Both sisters began their careers in 1935

The two sisters began their careers in the same year, 1935. Olivia de Havilland made her debut in A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by William Dieterle, while Joan Fontaine made her debut in No More Ladies directed by Edward H. Griffith.

Joan Fontaine's Oscar win

Joan Fontaine was awarded one Oscar for her role as Lina McLaidlaw in Hitchcock's Suspicion, which she received in 1941. Olivia de Havilland won two Oscars for her performances in To Each His Own (1946) and The Heiress (1949).

A rivalry between the sisters

The two sisters experienced a rivalry throughout their careers. In 1942, they were both nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress — Suspicion for Joan and The Golden Gate for Olivia.

Joan Fontaine's reflection on their relationship

Joan Fontaine, who died in 2013, once said in an interview given in 1949 that her sister always received the honors. She remarked, "In our family, you see, Olivia was always the one who brought the laurels home, while I was the one without talent, the little sister good for nothing."