WALTER PLUNKETT (1902-1985) 

Famed Hollywood Costume Designer

Born in 1902, Walter Plunkett first worked as an actor, much like his peers Orry-Kelly and Charles Lemair. As an actor...well, he was a wonderful designer, and he switched careers when asked to design dancing costumes for the legendary Ruth St. Dennis. The gowns in 'Hoofer' were a great success and his reputation was launched. He first became head of wardrobe for FBO Studios (later known as RKO). Plunkett was famous for period costumes, seen in such classics as "Little Women" (1933), "The Age Of Innocence" (1934), "Anne Of Green Gables" (1934), and "The Little Minister" (1934). He developed an especially close relationship with Katharine Hepburn, and designed for her almost exclusively in the 1930's.

Plunkett's selection as the creator of the costumes for "Gone With the Wind" was natural, based on his reputation as 'the' designer for historical films. In preparation for GWTW he spent several months in the deep South examining garments surviving the era of the blockade, and even gathered snippets of these fabrics from their seams. He studied the designs and garment construction of this era. Margaret Mitchell herself assisted him in ensuring authenticity. He also went to Paris to study hoops and bustles. A Philadelphia textile mill that still made patterns from 1840's swatch books was contracted to produce the fabric from which the costumes of GWTW were made.

Plunkett made over 400 costume sketches for GWTW; Rhett alone had 44.... There were 206 costume changes for principle women, and 83 for principle men. In all, Western Costume Company made 2500 costumes for female players in GWTW alone! The total costume bill was $153,818.

The costumes in GWTW are notable not only in their beauty and historical accuracy, but also for the dramatic impact they make. The white ruffled and layered hoop skirt seen in the opening scenes reflects the innocence of the 16 year old Scarlett. The next dress she wears, however is the infamous low cut green-sprigged barbecue dress, in which Scarlett dares to "show off her bosom before three o'clock," according to Mammy. Predictably, the women are scandalized whereas the men are enchanted, including Rhett Butler.... Later in the film, when Scarlett, who is by now married to Rhett, is caught in an embrace with Ashley, Rhett forces her to wear the beautiful but decadent burgundy gown to Ashley's birthday party. Last but not least is one of the most famous costume in all filmdom history- the green drapery dress made from her mother Ellen's portieres, which perfectly echoes Scarlett's determination to survive at all cost when she vows, "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again!"

Later in the film we see the white Bengaline dress, whose embroidered leaf-motif sleeves overlie engageantes of black pleated silk. Scarlett wears this in the New Orleans hotel room as she opens boxes of newly purchased clothing as she exclaims she will not buy Mammy a gift because she said she and Rhett were "mules in race-horse harness." This one of the very few dresses worn by Vivien Leigh in GWTW that are in private collections. It is on display in Marietta, Georgia, at The Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum, "Scarlett On the Square," (www.gwtwmarietta.com). It is a short drive north of Atlanta. Many costumes, such as the barbecue dress, literally disintegrated over time. Others were returned to Western Costume Company and reused in other films without any consideration to their historical value. When they were worn out they were simply discarded. Five key Scarlett costumes are in the vaults of The Selznick Archives at The University Of Texas at Austin, and are never put on public display.