10 More Genius Ways Movies Fixed Their Own Mistakes
5. Vivien Leigh's Eye Colour Was Changed With Makeup & Camera Filters - Gone With The Wind
The inimitable Vivien Leigh was cast as Gone with the Wind's protagonist Scarlett O'Hara, though producer David O. Selznick soon realised a major snafu: Leigh's hazel eye colour didn't match that of O'Hara's green eyes as described in the novel.
After viewing dailies early in the shoot, Selznick said Leigh's eyes were, "violet, gray, blue, tan, and nearly every other color in the spectrum."
Because cosmetic lenses weren't invented until shortly after the film was shot, Selznick and director Victor Fleming had to get creative, enlisting the movie's makeup artist to line Leigh's eyes with deep green eye-shadow, while special camera filters were used to draw as much green out of her eyes as possible.
Thankfully the effect was clearly worth all this effort, as Leigh's eyes cut a striking green hue in the final movie.