Victor Fleming

Lore & Background

Victor Fleming was an American film director, cinematographer, and producer, best known for directing two of the most iconic films in cinema history: *The Wizard of Oz* and *Gone with the Wind*, both released in 1939. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for the latter, and both films appear on the American Film Institute’s 2007 list of the top ten movies of all time. Born near La Cañada Flintridge, California, Fleming showed mechanical aptitude early, working as a car mechanic before meeting director Allan Dwan, who hired him as a camera assistant. He rose to cinematographer, collaborating with Dwan and D. W. Griffith, and directed his first film in 1919. During World War I, he served in the U.S. Army’s photographic section and acted as chief photographer for President Woodrow Wilson in Versailles. He later headed Columbia University’s School of Military Cinematography, training over 700 soldiers in film production; notable participants included Josef von Sternberg, Ernest B. Schoedsack, and Lewis Milestone. Known as a “man’s director” for his robust, outdoor-loving personality, Fleming also directed women effectively, guiding Vivien Leigh to a Best Actress Oscar, Hattie McDaniel to a Best Supporting Actress win, and Olivia de Havilland to a nomination. Cinematographer Archie Stout considered Fleming the most knowledgeable director regarding camera angles and lenses, while actor Van Johnson remembered him as masterful but tough. Fleming joined MGM in 1932, directing prestigious films such as *Red Dust*, *Captains Courageous* (which earned Spencer Tracy his first Oscar), and *Test Pilot*. His later works included *Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde* and *Joan of Arc*, his final film, which received seven Oscar nominations. He owned the Moraga Estate in Bel Air, frequently hosting stars like Clark Gable and Judy Garland. Fleming died of a heart attack in 1949 en route to a hospital in Arizona.

Reader's Guide

Fleming’s career was defined by a robust, action-oriented approach that earned him the reputation of a “man’s director,” yet he also demonstrated a notable ability to guide actresses to award-winning performances. His technical mastery of cinematography was widely recognized by peers; veteran cinematographer Archie Stout considered Fleming the most knowledgeable director he had worked with regarding camera angles and lenses. This expertise, combined with a mechanical aptitude developed early in life, informed the visual quality of his films. Fleming’s work spanned silent action movies and Westerns, often starring Douglas Fairbanks, before he joined MGM in 1932 to direct some of the studio’s most prestigious pictures. His filmography includes literary adaptations like *Treasure Island* and *Captains Courageous*, as well as vehicles for stars such as Jean Harlow and Clark Gable, whom he directed in five films. His two most famous works, both released in 1939—*The Wizard of Oz* and *Gone with the Wind*—remain cultural landmarks, with the latter earning him an Academy Award for Best Director. Under his direction, Vivien Leigh, Hattie McDaniel, and Olivia de Havilland received Oscar recognition. Fleming’s significance in film history is underscored by the fact that these same two films appear in the top ten of the American Film Institute’s 2007 list of the greatest American movies.

Did You Know?

• Fleming served as chief photographer for President Woodrow Wilson in Versailles, France during World War I.
• Under Fleming's direction, Judy Garland received an Academy Juvenile Award for her performance in The Wizard of Oz.
• Fleming died of a heart attack en route to a hospital in Cottonwood, Arizona, shortly after completing Joan of Arc.