Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland) married Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) early on in the book. In fact, the first problem that Scarlett has in the book is trying to coax Ashley away from Melly. Someone commented that the "Wilkes' always marry their cousins" or something of that sort. Today, that would be illegal, but I can see why Ashley loved Melanie.

Melly was my favorite character. No other book has had a person who was so good, so pure, yet so real. She was braver than Scarlett, really, for she saw the world as it was and yet remained the same. Scarlett lived in a world of her own and was warped by things that happened to her.

In the beginning, she and her brother, Charles, (who later became Scarlett's first husband, thus linking the two characters) came for a visit from Atlanta. The Wilkes threw a barbeque to announce the engagement of Ashley, their oldest son, to Melly, his cousin. "The Wilkes' always marry their cousins", someone commented, (I can never remember if it was Brent or Stuart Tarlton). When Ashley went off to war, she and Scarlett lived with Aunt Pittypat in Atlanta. It is in that house that she gives birth to her son, Beau. Melanie had a heart shaped face, with a long widow's peak. She was not beautiful, but had more inner beauty than any other character. She was thin and shapeless, and looked like a child masquerading in her mother's hoopskirts.

Melanie was forced to let her husband go to war, and she did everything she could for the Cause to help him. She shared his views and opinions, and was proud of him. She was gentle and sweet, and good with children. It was she who taught Scarlett's children, Wade and Ella, how to love and be loved, for Scarlett was not a good mother to them. She became the center of the community during Reconstruction, and she was blindly devoted to Scarlett. Perhaps she could see Scarlett's good qualities and loved her for them. She would defend her until her last breath.

Melanie was played by a terrific actress, who is often overshadowed by the more famous, more prominent Vivien Leigh. Olivia de Havilland brought this wonderful character to life in the film. I can't imagine anyone portraying her better.

This is a picture of Olivia de Havilland as Melanie Hamilton Wilkes