Forever Amber is a 1947 American romantic historical drama film[5] starring Linda Darnell and Cornel Wilde.

[8] The Hays Office had condemned the novel, but within a month of its publication the film rights had been purchased by 20th Century Fox.

The search for the actress to portray Amber, a beauty who uses men to make her fortune in 17th-century England, was modeled on the extensive process that led to the casting of Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara.

[11] In 1644, during the English Civil War, a group of Roundheads pursue a Cavalier's carriage, which pauses to abandon a baby at a farmer's door.

Amber's dreams of an elegant life seem to come true with the arrival of a group of Cavaliers and the handsome Bruce Carlton: she is smitten.

At one performance, Bruce approaches Barbara Villiers, a former girlfriend who is now the king's mistress, asking her to persuade Charles to grant him ships for his privateer mission.

However, Charles grants Bruce's requests (to get rid of him as a potential rival) and sends him to Bristol that very night.

When Black Jack is killed by the king's guard, Amber flees and is discovered by Captain Rex Morgan.

Amber saves his life by killing a murderous, thieving nurse and lancing a boil on his chest.

Macmillan, which had published Gone with the Wind, were excited about the book's commercial possibilities and launched it with an initial run of 175,000 copies.

[18] In November 1944, 20th Century Fox bought the screen rights for $200,000, one of the largest amounts paid for a novel.

"[20] The following month, Winsor announced she had signed a contract with Fox to work on the script for the film, provide technical advice, and do a screen test.

[23] Dunne was one of the studio's top screenwriters and Stahl had just made the hugely popular Leave Her to Heaven for Fox.

[8] Dunne later called the novel "worthless" and believed in any adaptation "it would be foolish to try to recover the intent of the author which is to please that part of the public that likes to lick its lips while reading.

[8] There was an extensive, well publicised talent search for the performer who would play the lead role along the lines of David O. Selznick's challenge to find an actress to cast as Scarlett O'Hara.

[26] Maureen O'Hara who was a redhead and under contract to Fox, lobbied hard for the role, even wearing a period dress in the studio commissary.

Peggy Cummins, an Irish actress who had been on stage in Junior Miss, was (reportedly) the 37th tested and soon established herself as a favourite in October 1945.

[29][31] Richard Greene, a Fox contract player who had not worked in Hollywood since 1940 due to war service, was an early favourite for the role of Bruce Carlton.

[32] James Mason, then starring in the hugely popular The Seventh Veil, was offered the role but turned it down because he thought it was "a silly book" and the "script didn't improve it".

[37] Wilde was, after Tyrone Power, the leading "swashbuckling" style star under contract to Fox at the time.

Then on April 30, after 39 days of filming and $1 million had been spent, Fox announced that the shoot would be halted for three months and that Cummins and Stahl would be assigned to other projects.

[48] In June 1946, Fox announced that Otto Preminger would take over from Stahl as director, and that the film would resume production in September.

[56] Darnell's casting meant she had to miss out on a role in Captain from Castile; she was replaced by Jean Peters.

[60] In October, right before filming was to resume, Wilde announced he would not return to the role unless he was given an increase in salary.

Wilde said "My agent said that since I am leading the whole Fox lot in fan mail I should be getting money comparable to that received by the top people at the studio.

I am worth much more to the company than I was a year ago [when his contract was renegotiated] and an actor must insure himself against the time when he is no longer wanted.

[65] The film played 451 dates in its first week and Fox claimed that it had achieved the biggest box-office opening figures in the entire industry.

[66] Variety reported the opening receipts were by far the largest raised by one picture first week since they had been tabulating grosses across the country in 1946.

[69] The film was condemned by Cardinal Francis Spellman and the Legion of Decency who threatened a boycott of Catholic theatregoers.

Fox originally decided to fight the ban claiming the ruling was "harsh" and "unfair" considering all the effort they put in to get the movie past the censors.