Happy birthday, Olivia (and your eyes)

Olivia de Havilland is 100 years old. I can hear so many people say: aw, she was Melania in "Gone with the wind", so sweet… well too sweet. You can't compare her with Scarlett O' Hara.

A character and an actress aren't just the same thing, of course. And yet it's so difficult for us to feel the difference and the truth. Olivia won two Academy Awards, best actress in a leading role. No, not in "Gone with wind". Yet, how perfectly she acts as Melania. And how powerful Melania is. Of course, I loved Scarlett and I fancy I could be her when I was a girl. Then I grew up and perhaps the biggest help came from Kabbalah. Melania is neither silly nor blind. She sees things as she is, and this happens to everyone, I guess.

If we can't see the Evil, there could be a beautiful reason: we are good. This hardly happens, yet Melania is there to remember it's possible. When there's a danger, like a soldier who's stealing and raping, she can be strong enough to come out with a sword. Brave and swift, as you need it. Generous and kind even in front of people who try to poison her life, as she knows no poison inside.

I think Olivia de Havilland gave Melania the best light and strength. Yet she did a lot of other things and I must confess I've loved "Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte": I watched it the first time for Bette Davis. Can't you see… Olivia in what looked like the second character, while she was as good as the first one. Looks like Melania's style.

Happy birthday, Olivia. I read so much about your life, pain, love, courage. You're not a movie, but a wonderful lady. And I wonder every time I meet your eyes on the screen.

I can't remember your dresses, I can remember your eyes.

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Posso ricordare i tuoi occhi, non i tuoi vestiti. Come in un specchio ricomincio dall'altra parte. Perché oggi compie 100 anni, Olivia de Havilland, e tutti ci citano Melania. Subito osservando: oh dolce, troppo dolce.

Olivia ha vinto due Oscar come attrice protagonista, in altri due film. Ma qui com'era meravigliosa, e il suo personaggio. Chiaro, da ragazzina volevo essere Rossella O'Hara. Crescendo, grazie anche alla Kabbalah ho capito: Melania mica è scema o cieca, semplicemente vede ciò che è.  Non vede il male, perché dentro di lei non c'è. Il che non le impedisce di arrivare con la spada, quando piomba in casa il soldato ladro e stupratore.  Eppure rimane generosa e gentile nei confronti di chi cerca di avvelenarle la vita, perché non conosce veleno.

Credo che il suo successo sia legato anche all'interpretazione di Olivia. Che pur fece molte altre cose e devo confessare di aver amato e visto "Piano piano dolce Carlotta" attirata da Bette Davis, non da lei. Sembrava la seconda, era brava quanto la prima, proprio come nello stile di Melania

Auguri, Olivia. Ho letto così tanto sulla tua vita, il dolore, l'amore, il coraggio. Non sei un film, ma una persona meravigliosa. E ogni volta mi meraviglio quando incontro i tuoi occhi sullo schermo.