In terms of formula, the eight-hour adaptation (beginning Nov. 13) wraps a soap opera around a chase story. The campaign of Scarlett (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer) to win back Rhett (Timothy Dalton) takes her through Georgia, South Carolina, Ireland and England, a near-fatal shipwreck, out-of-wedlock birth, a brutal rape, 120 costume changes and the most wretchedly Southern-fried dialogue since ““Mandingo’’ (““I have an unnatural adoration of celery . . . You, sir, are a caution . . . We belong together, Scarlett honey, and the world belongs to us . . . Ooooh, Ray – ettt!’’). Jumbo soaps require extra steam, and this one heats up Ripley’s novel considerably. It tacks on lots of bed scenes (Rhett hits the sack with four different women) and, to slip in some bordello action, reinstates the character of ““GWTW’’ madam Belle Watling (watch how she washes the customers’ toes). The mini-series saves its hokiest invention for last. Scarlett stands trial for murder and is sentenced to hang, but at the very last second a voice from the gallery . . . aw, who gives a damn.
To cast the leading lady, executive producer Robert Halmi borrowed a publicity gimmick from David O. Selznick, who gave us the 1939 original. He launched a two-year international talent hunt that drew 2,000 hopefuls before settling on Whalley-Kilmer, a petite British actress best known for playing prostitute Christine Keeler in the movie ““Scandal.’’ Those hopefuls must have been hopeless. Though Whalley-Kilmer has Vivien Leigh’s 18-inch waist, she lacks both her fire and her ice. She’s more shrill saloon gal than indomitable belle. The Welsh-born Dalton already knows what it’s like to step into big shoes: he played a post-Connery James Bond. The actor’s first move was to grow a Gable-esque mustache. Unfortunately, it makes him resemble a weasel more than a wolf, and his Brit intonations keep popping through his Southern drawl. He sounds like J. R. Ewing playing Disraeli. Dalton hardly helped his case with ““GWTW’’ fans when he shocked a CBS press conference by describing Scarlett as a ““four-letter word beginning with “c’.’’ (Then again, how Rhett!)
At least ““Scarlett’’ looks good. Tara is back, if not ““Tara’s Theme,’’ and the production’s $45 million budget allowed Halmi to shoot in 53 sumptuous locations. Too bad, though, that CBS didn’t invest a few more bucks in the obligatory lineup of star walk-ons. All we can spot here are Ann-Margret, George Grizzard, Julie Harris, Esther Rolle and – wouldn’t you know it? – the ever-available John Gielgud. Not that it really matters. By now the ““GWTW’’ industry is serenely immune to rough treatment. In fact, CBS has already sold ““Scarlett’’ to 74 countries. There’s even talk of a sequel to Ripley’s sequel. Memo to CBS: Should you also buy that one, why not actually play it like a soap? Your schedule already has the perfect spot for it: right between ““The Young and the Restless’’ and ““The Bold and the Beautiful.''
