I've seen the film many times, have always enjoyed it. But I've been reading the book for the first time. It's a very long novel, and you have to stay with it if you want to see the ending. It's a good read, but Margaret Mitchell, former newspaper reporter, is very thorough in her description of both Southern culture and the changes that the Civil War brought to it. It's the size of the book that was the biggest challenge for David O Selznick. Not what parts to film, but which parts to leave out. So many characters that appeared in the book couldn't be introduced in the movie without extending the film's length to well over four hours. So he had Sidney Howard write the screenplay, then cut that down to a filmable length by hiring several more writers to further pare the script, and was still rewriting it himself while it was being filmed. Selznick was close to running out of money, so he asked his angel, millionaire Jock Whitney, to loan him enough to finish the film. The film was finally completed and edited, then was test-marketed at a theatre not far from LA. The viewers were excited about having seen it and said so on their preview cards, which allowed Selznick to rest easy, knowing he had a hit on his hands.
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paskuniag-584-89055120 November 2017
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The year 1939 was a busy year for the Hollywood industry. Large-scale, majestic epics were front and center that year. You should look up the list of films released in 1939. It was a very, busy year, with huge titles from the golden age. Lots and lots of entertainment for a pre-WW2 audience. The Wizard of Oz (1939), Stagecoach (1939), Son of Frankenstein (1939), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) and this little film, are just some of the titles on that list. Everyone was competing for perfection in the film industry. The first two hurtles, being sound and color film, had been implemented into the technical side of the filmmaking process, to this point in film history. Technicolor had been utilized for, about, five years to this point and it was perfectly utilized in this film too. Technicolor always was a good film stock, rich with colors, that pop on the screen. Head cinematographer, Ernest Haller's camera, captures images, not seen before on film and blazes colors across the screen, in Gone With the Wind (1939).
I'm sure everyone knows the basic premise of the film. It boils down to a story about the life of woman, a daughter of a rich cotton plantation owner in 1860s, Georgia, who's life interweaves with the real life events of the American Civil War and the recovery and reconstruction years. It is a fictitious story utilizing events from the real world. Of course, most of us remember the picture on the movie posters of Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) and Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), locked in that emotional, romantic embrace, plus it's on the cover of every DVD and Blu-Ray out there these days, but the film is really about Scarlett and all the other characters come into her circle. And, the film needs to be about Scarlett in order to be successful, because it is her spoiled, selfish, smug demeanor that energizes the whole film. Everyone who comes into her circle feels her wrath, even Rhett. Rhett isn't really a very likeable character either and watching these two unlikeable characters square off, through various parts of this film, is something to see. These are the reasons, that make this film so good. A plot involving two unlikeable characters, who eventually, reach a certain amount of maturity, that they earn some respect from the audience, doesn't deter from the overall quality of the film, because it is such a unique character study, while chaos is happening all around them.
The film does contain many sub-plots, involving politically, socially, culturally and racially charged tones, which would be expected, considering the time this period piece takes place. Which, brings up another interesting point to this film. Even though this film is approaching 85 years old now in the 21st century, it is still considered a period piece. The interesting part is the filmmakers had a more recent memory of the events used in the film, being only 75 years before, as opposed to our view, which is roughly 150 years later. In fact, there probably were a couple of Civil War veterans still alive in 1939. Another amazing thing about this film is, they started shooting this thing in January, 1939 and released it just before Christmas that same year. That is impressive, considering the massive runtime of this film. It is the runtime of this film that really hurts it from being a perfect film.
The images the filmmakers (I would list names, but you should see the Crew List on this film), are able to show us on the screen, is incredible. The color you will have stuck in your head, for a week after viewing this film, will be the color of orange, red fire, that is seen throughout the movie and obviously, mostly comes from the burning of Atlanta. A technical achievement, that hadn't been seen in the movies yet. The special effects, art direction, costuming and lighting is fantastic. You still don't notice, even today, that most of this movie was just filmed, out in the Los Angeles countryside and on sound stages. So much is going on in this film, you don't notice it. The performances by the cast is perfect. This is an epic journey about redemption and maturing. A maturity that helps the characters and a nation begin to grow. This film would roll through the Oscars in 1940, including winning the Best Picture Oscar.
9.3 (A MyGrade) = 9 IMDB. -
angel_de_tourvel7 January 2005It is always in people's nature to put down great things and to nit-pick or sometimes just be plain mean. No matter what anyone says, this is utterly fantastic: in story, in special effects, in casting (with perhaps the sad exception of Leslie Howard as "Ashley") and in captivation. Vivien Leigh is so powerful, passionate, magnificent and beautiful that you could watch it 1000 times on that ground alone. She brings something so convincing and human to the role of the selfish, spoilt Scarlett; the character is larger than life.
Leaving Vivien's astounding performance aside, this remains a sweeping unrivalled epic. Watch it. Esther's rating: 20/10 -
This movie was on my watch list since 1996 or 1997 when I read its review in a local newspaper. I though it must be a dull movie as it is very old and procrastinated to watch until Dec 2019.
And friends, I can't tell you how much I am impressed with this movie - wonderful story, superb acting, mesmerizing cinematography and direction. And they did it in 1939 - which is really hard to digest.
I am stupid enough to miss this glory for so many years. -
Turanic12 June 2020At first you would think, the main theme of the film is the horrors of war and the idea that both sides suffer , but that is not the only case in "Gone with the Wind", the war is just a background... Scarlet lives almost her entire life in an illusion of love... She has a target she want to achieve and she thinks if she achieves it she will be happy, while missing the point on the way to that target... Something that I realised on a 2nd viewing is that Scarlet is a pretty selfish person with sociopaths behaviour. She can easily manipulate men and sometimes women in order to achieve her goal. She can kill a person and not feel that bad about it,she can exploit prisoners rather than hire free men. The goal is what pushes her forward and sometimes makes her do good things, but these deeds are never done out of big heart, they are usually done in self interest. You would think she ends up achieving everything she wanted, but she does not. Scarlet lives in a personal hell which partially she created herself and only when the last obstacle to her big love, the female friend that loves her is gone, she realises that all this time, she lived the illusion of love, she was hurting the people that loved her. Is scarlet a horrible person? Probably... Does she pay for her sins? She does more than anyone... Does she understand what true love is? Yes in the end she does... What makes this film so great, it's a tragedy like "War And Peace" with monumental character development ...Any scenes of war and racism fade compared to the tragedy of Scarlet which lives in personal hell...
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jotix10022 February 2005This film shows the best of the American cinema. Whether we like the film, or not, one has to recognize the greatest achievement, perhaps, of the creative talent of the people working in the movie industry. "Gone with the Wind" represents a monumental leap, as well as a departure, for the movies, as they were done prior to this film.
The vision of David O. Selznick, the power behind bringing Margaret Mitchell's massive account about the South, before and after the Civil War, pays handsomely with the film that Victor Fleming directed. This movie will live forever because it reminds us of how this great nation came into being, despite the different opinions from the two stubborn factions in the war.
"Gone with the Wind" brought together the best people in Hollywood. The end result is the stunning film that for about four hours keep us interested in the story unfolding in the screen. Of course, credit must be due to the director, Victor Fleming, and his vision, as well as the adaptation by Sydney Howard, who gave the right tone to the film. The gorgeous cinematography created by Ernest Haller gives us a vision of the gentle South before the war, and the Phoenix raising from the ashes of a burned Atlanta. The music of Max Steiner puts the right touch behind all that is seen in the movie.
One can't conceive another Scarlett O'Hara played by no one, but Vivien Leigh. Her beauty, her sense of timing, her intelligent approach to this role, makes this a hallmark performance. Ms. Leigh was at the best moment of her distinguished career and it shows. Scarlett goes from riches to rags, back to riches again and in the process finds an inner strength she didn't know she possessed. Her impossible love for Ashley will consume her and will keep her away from returning the love to the man that really loves her, Rhett.
The same thing applies to the Rhett Butler of Clark Gable. No one else comes to mind for playing him with the passion he projects throughout the movie. This is a man's man. Captain Butler was torn between his loyalty to the cause of the South and his sense of decency. His love for Scarlett, the woman he knows is in love with a dream, speaks eloquently for itself.
The other two principals, Olivia de Havilland and Leslie Howard, give performances that are amazing to watch. Ms. de Havilland's Melanie Hamilton is perfect. Melanie is loyal to the woman that does everything to undermine her marriage to Ashley. Mr. Howard's Ashley gives a perfect balance to the man in love with his wife, while Scarlett keeps tempting him.
The rest of the cast is too numerous to make justice to all the actors one sees on the screen, but omitting the contribution of Hattie McDaniel to the film would be sinful. Ms. McDaniel was such a natural actress that she is excellent no matter in what movie she is playing. This huge talent is a joy to watch.
Comments to this forum express their objections to the way the race relations play in the movie, but being realistic, this movie speaks about the not too distant past where all kinds of atrocities, such as the slavery, were the norm of the land. While those things are repugnant to acknowledge, in the film, they are kept at a minimum. After all, this film is based on a book by one of the daughters of that South, Margaret Mitchell, who is presenting the story as she saw it in her mind, no doubt told to her from relatives that lived in that period of a horrible page in the American history.
Enjoy this monumental classic in all its splendor. -
planktonrules5 August 2006I've done so many reviews on IMDb and despite this, I can't believe I never reviewed this super-famous film. Well, much if this is because with so many reviews, I truly doubt if anyone will ever read this! I was surprised that when I perused the reviews, there were quite a few knuckleheads that gave the film a score of one!! While I do agree that the film is rather dated in the way it deals with minorities, it is truly insane to trash a film just because it offends your easily damaged sensibilities. One person even compared the film to PLAN 9! Come on, folks,...this is an amazing film. And what makes it even more amazing is that the film had several different directors because producer Selznick was so difficult to work with on this film! And, despite this, the film wins (among many other awards), the BEST DIRECTOR Oscar! While I do think that many Oscars should have been earned, giving it to just one man seemed pretty cheeky! Despite this, this is a magnificent sweeping spectacle about the South--but even more about a selfish beauty who ultimately creates chaos of her decent life. Magnificent, well-acted and memorable--this is one of the greatest films of all time.
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bkoganbing21 October 2006Before I ever saw Gone With the Wind, I was well acquainted with Max Steiner's theme. It opened WOR TV's Million Dollar Movie before every broadcast in New York in the Fifties and Sixties. When my parents took me to see Gone With the Wind in one of MGM's re-releases as the film music started in my youthful eagerness to show off my knowledge I remarked to all who could hear that that was stolen from Million Dollar Movie.
Million Dollar Movie is gone now, but Gone With the Wind, book and film, remain eternal. In these days Margaret Mitchell's southern point of view book might have trouble finding a publisher, let alone selling film rights to the story. But it is a tribute to her and the characters she created that they remain alive in everyone's mind who reads the novel or sees the film. And that's just about the same because I can't think of another film that remained so faithful to the text.
It is said that Margaret Mitchell wrote the book with Clark Gable in mind as Rhett Butler. As the sober and ever realistic, but charming Rhett, Gable for most of the film is playing a character not to dissimilar from what he usually played on screen. However in the last half hour of the film when he's hit with unbelievable tragedy and he edges to the point of madness, Gable reached dimensions he never did before or subsequently.
If Mitchell knew who she wanted as Rhett, nobody knew who would be Scarlett. The search for Scarlett O'Hara is one of those Hollywood legends as every actress with the possible exception of Edna May Oliver read for the part. Gone With the Wind started filming without a Scarlett as the famous burning of Atlanta sequence was done first. While it was being down, David O. Selznick settled on a fairly unknown British actress, at least in the USA, Vivien Leigh.
It was a stroke of casting genius. Vivien Leigh's screen output is pretty small, she was primarily a stage actress. Gone With the Wind is more her film than Rhett Butler's. The story is her story, how she evolved from a flighty young southern belle to a hardbitten woman who is determined to survive in the style of living she's become accustomed to from the pre-Civil War era. In the process she helps all those around her economically, but loses all their previous affection.
I've always felt the key scene in the film is after Leslie Howard tells Leigh, he'll be marrying Olivia DeHavilland and Leigh makes a fool of herself with him, she finds out that Clark Gable has overheard the whole thing. He's fascinated by her, but because of that he's on to all her ploys.
Leslie Howard usually comes in for the smallest amount of analysis among the four leads. His Ashley Wilkes is not all that different from Alan Squire in The Petrified Forest. Imagine Squire as a wealthy plantation owner and you've Ashley. He's stronger than he realizes though, he's the one that reluctantly enlists in the Confederate Army while the cynical Rhett Butler makes some big bucks as a blockade runner.
I've always felt however that the most difficult acting job in Gone With the Wind was the role of Melanie Hamilton. Olivia DeHavilland after initially considering trying out for Scarlett, decided to go after Melanie.
It's a deceptive part, superficially it's a lot like the crinoline heroines DeHavilland was doing at Warner Brothers. Melanie is the counterpoint to Scarlett, an incredibly kind and decent soul who can't see bad in anyone. One of her best scenes is with Ona Munson who is Belle Watling, the most prominent madam in Atlanta. The other women of society snub her, but DeHavilland accepts her help for the Confederate cause. It's not about politics or slavery for Melanie, her husband is at war and his cause is her's.
And DeHavilland's death scene would move the Medusa to tears. It's a great tribute to the playing skill of Olivia DeHavilland in that Melanie NEVER becomes a maudlin character. She got her first Oscar nomination for Melanie in the Supporting Actress category, but lost it to fellow cast member Hattie McDaniel as Scarlett's mammy.
Hattie's a shrewd judge of character, she's a slave, but she's also a family confidante of the O'Haras. As Gable says, she's one of the few people he knows whose respect he wants.
Of course Gone With the Wind is from the southern point of view. Growing up in Atlanta, Margaret Mitchell heard reminisces from many Confederate veterans and the stories they told found their way into Gone With the Wind. It's about what the white civilian population endured during the war and Reconstruction.
David O. Selznick got a bit of irony in there though. Please note during the burning of Atlanta the slaves who are being marched out to dig trenches are singing 'Let My People Go.' And that's just what the Union Army was coming to Atlanta to do.
Gone With the Wind copped so many Oscars for 1939 that Bob Hope quipped at the Academy Awards ceremony that it was a benefit for David O. Selznick. Of course it was the Best Picture of 1939 and Vivien Leigh won the first of her two Best Actress Awards.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer kept itself in the black for years by simply re-releasing Gone With the Wind. Unlike any other classic film, it won new generations of fans with theatrical re-release. Somewhere on this planet there are people seeing this 67 year old classic and it is winning new fans as I write this.
And I think Gone With the Wind, the telling of the interwoven lives of Rhett, Scarlett, Ashley, and Melanie and the world they knew, will be something viewed and read hundreds of years from now. -
murtaza_mma8 July 2011Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, in its true essence, is a case study on the Old American way of living where pride and honor were the very essence of human existence. Victor Fleming's rendition of the classic novel, a classic within its own right, does full justice to the themes propagated by Mitchell's evocative masterpiece. In the words of Mitchell herself, Gone with the Wind is the story of the people whose gift of gumption gave them a definitive edge to endure the tribulation and throes of the American Civil War vis-à-vis those who lacked an inner resolve and determination needed for survival.
Scarlet O'Hara, the well bred, haughty, tempestuous and opportunistic protagonist of the saga, is an ostensibly flawed individual whose inexorable urge to placate her ego and realize her fancies appears far stronger than her adherence to any credence pious to her people and relevant to her time. Her scintillating charm and unrestrained zeal not only make her an object of desire for her male counterparts but also an object of envy for the girls around her.
Vivian Leigh perfectly fits into the caricature of Scarlet O'Hara. She makes full use of her talent, courage and guile to portray a part that requires subtlety, brusqueness and poise in equal parts. It may sound like a hyperbole, but no other actress seemed better equipped to play the part a southern belle than Leigh herself, who won not one but two Oscars while playing one: first for her portrayal of Scarlet O'Hara and second for portraying Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire opposite Marlon Brando. In fact, her portrayal of Scarlet O'Hara, in which she perfectly blends panache, poignancy and peremptoriness, is arguably the greatest portrayal by a female lead in cinematic history. Leigh uses her on-stage experience to improvise in order to add new dimensions and complexities to Scarlet's caricature, which according to the novel was mostly one dimensional: out-and-out bad. Scarlet's stubbornness and her impish obsession for a conformist like Ashley, who is not only indifferent to her feelings but also incapable of reciprocating the passion and zeal with which she pursues him, represent just one dimension of her multifaceted self, which is revealed layer by layer with the progression of the narrative. The viewer is gifted to see Scarlet in various avatars: a usurper, an egomaniac, a damsel, a nemesis, a menace, a guardian, a savior, a patriot, a fighter and most importantly as a quintessence of womanhood.
Clark Gable as Rhett Butler perfectly complements Vivian Leigh's larger than life portrayal. He is an outright reprobate, an unscrupulous opportunist whose life revolves around making money and pursuing carnal pleasures. However, behind this facade, just like Scarlet, there is a human capable of love, and worthy of being loved. These unobtrusive yet obvious similarities make Scarlet and Rhett a perfect match for each other. The subtle chemistry and tension between the two protagonists give the story its impetus and resonant charm. The rest of the cast has given exemplary performances with a special mention of Olivia de Havilland, who as Melanie is a paragon of love, humility and forgiveness. She provides a striking contrast to Scarlet's caricature and represents a more traditional picture of womanhood.
The movie's direction, cinematography, editing and music are all top notch and it is the great synergy of all these elements that makes the movie an extravaganza and an undisputed master piece, one to be savored till eternity. The movie is an amalgam of scenes, high on emotion and drama, which keeps the viewer absorbed throughout. The scene in which Scarlet's father tells her the importance of mother land, deeming it as the only thing worth fighting for, is pure gold. Other scenes that come close to matching its brilliance include the one in which Scarlet performs the duties of an obstetrician to help Melanie give birth to her child, and the one in which Scarlet pledges to protect Tara till her last breath. The movie also has an amazing repertoire of dialogs that are delivered with a nice mix of finesse and accuracy. Butler's famous dialog in which he says to Scarlet, "You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how," also happens to be one of all time favorite.
The movie, especially its anti-climatic ending, brings tears to eyes and leaves the viewer overwhelmed as he experiences a rainbow of different emotions, being awestruck by the tremendous impact of the journey that he is vicariously made to undergo.
PS. Gone with the Wind is undoubtedly one of cinema's greatest marvels and is a living testament to cinema's timelessness, and its limitless potential. A must watch for everyone. 10/10
http://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/ -
One of the greatest achievements in film history. This is not only an eye-popping cinematic treat, but one of the greatest stories ever put on celluloid. The movie lasts nearly four hours--- it's longer than any other mainstream commercially successful film ever made. But the time goes by so quickly that you'll miss it when it's over.
Of course, we all know that this movie is set in the days of the Civil War in the 1860s. It's the story of Scarlett O'Hara, a plantation owner's daughter who is very beautiful and who seemingly MUST have her own way at all times. She's willing to scheme and manipulate everyone in her path until she gets it. When the movie opens, the country is on the verge of civil war--- North against South--- but Scarlett barely notices, and doesn't care in the least. Her biggest obsession is that she's in love with dreamy/poetic Ashley Wilkes, and she stays in love with him throughout 98 percent of the movie.
The only problem is....Ashley doesn't have any particular interest in her at all. In fact, he spends most of the movie being married to gentle Melanie Hamilton--- a fact that frustrates Scarlett to no end. Ashley remains the one object of her desire that she is never to obtain.
She would have been better off pining after Rhett Butler, a much more solid, rather dangerous man with a reputation as a no-good scoundrel. He is openly attracted to Scarlett, grows to love her (although he dare not let her know, or she'll use it against him), and it's obvious that he would make a lot better match for her than the drab Ashley. Very late in the movie, he finally does marry Scarlett. But it's probably too late for them to be happy by then, ironically--- and they never really are happy together.
The complicated and utterly fascinating relationship between Scarlett, Rhett, Ashley, and Melanie is the fuel that keeps the movie going. But there are dozens, if not hundreds, of little extra twists and turns that fill out the movie. The Civil War backdrop for one, the colorful supporting roles for another.
A great many reviewers here have seen Scarlett as purely a selfish, one-dimensional manipulative shrew. But she's far more than that! This is a complex, multi-dimensional young woman with lots of conflicting motives. Yes, she's selfish and manipulative. But she's also selfless: the extreme sacrifices that she makes on behalf of her family, and Melanie (keeping in mind that, other than her father, she doesn't even particularly like any of them) are nothing short of heroic. She is overwhelmingly protective of her loved ones. She's a ball of fire when work needs to be done, and she's fiercely courageous.
Despite her hardness, she does also grow as a person. To her great credit, she slowly comes to value Melanie's friendship and support. She genuinely loves and is proud of her daughter. And at the very end of the movie, she does finally realize how ill-suited she and Ashley have always been for each other, and how little passion ever actually existed there.
Some quick high points, and a few flaws: the supporting roles are superb in every way. Even the rather bland Ashley is given as much life as could be expected by actor Leslie Howard, and the other parts are vivid and fill out the movie. Two female parts in particular--- wise, funny, respected Mammy (Hattie McDaniel) and wistful, decent-at-heart prostitute Belle Watling (Ona Munson) are standouts.
The scenery and photography is possibly the most superb ever done in the history of film. Many scenes are just sumptuously lit and filmed. The gripping nighttime escape from Atlanta (the whole city seemingly in flames) is one of the most spectacular action sequences ever done. The sunsets are jaw-droppingly beautiful.
Much has been said about the supposed racism of this film. It's true that it does portray black slaves as being HAPPY to be slaves. But much more important, it's also true that the wisest person in the whole movie is Mammy. This black lady may be a slave--- later an employee--- but she is smart, funny, observant, and she's treated as an equal, if not a superior, throughout the movie. And it's made clear she deserves it. With no irony or rebuke whatever, she scornfully refers to certain low-lifes as "poor white trash", and we know (Mammy knows too) that if they get called that, they deserve it. She may be black, but she isn't inferior to them or anybody. And we root for her all the way.
A few minor flaws, and I do mean minor: 1) Most of the acting looks pretty modern, but there are a very few scenes where it seems a little old-style. Hey enjoy the movie and don't worry 'bout it. People didn't do today's "method" acting in the 1930s. 2) Some of the "raw" scenes still have a Hollywood gloss to them. Even when Scarlett is on the brink of starvation and probably hasn't had a good bath in weeks, she looks perfectly made up with only a few hairs out of place. Oh well. It *was* big-time Hollywood after all. 3) The second half of the movie is more "talky" and less action-oriented than the first. I would not say it's more boring, just less movement. I don't find it draggy, but some people do.
Still a heck of a good story, and a great film, so enjoy the ride! -
eb-7776628 July 2020I watched GWTW for the first time in the late 90's. I have to admit that as teenager I was quite disappointed. This is considered one of THE movies of all time and I found it hard to enjoy for a number of reasons.
The lead: Scarlett O'Hara is not a likable character. She is selfish and egocentric and just mostly annoying. Since then I have to a degree learned to enjoy a little bit her will power but the character will always remain a disappointment to me.
"Edit 210810: Since writing this review I have realized that Victor Fleming wanted Scarlett to be depicted in a quite bad way since she was a Southerner. I never thought of that before and that makes sense.. It doesn't change my opinion about the movie but I understand why its lead is what she is. End edit"
The acting: I know it was the melodramatic way in those days but it's just not natural. First few scenes I watched I could hardly believe it since they felt SO overplayed. Since then I have watched a lot more old movies and learned to accept it but still..
Ashley: Leslie Howard was a great actor but miscast here and he felt so himself. According to several sources he was also completely indifferent. To this day I can't understand that David O'Selznick thought that was the best choice for the part.
But there are of course also reasons why this probably is the most famous movie of all time.
The photo/scenery: for 1939 nothing short of absolutely sensational. Hard to believe really and decades before it's time.
The soundtrack: also, put into context, one of the greatest of all time.
To a degree, the story: yes it is a "civil war soap opera" but the story is quite ok and some of the characters rather interesting.
So.. since that first viewing I have actually come to enjoy it for what it is. It will never be a favorite but it fascinates me more than many other movies.
Of course I have to finish talking a little bit about the racism issues because of BLM as well.
I get it. I get what annoys people about this movie. Still.. I feel that the criticism is exaggerated and IS exaggerated because of the fame and praise for this movie.
Because I don't feel blacks are badly portrayed or mistreated in an unacceptable way. Ok, I know they complain about stereotypical portrayal and "happy slaves" but I don't really agree actually.. loyal servants more than slaves, absolutely, but happy? Was that kind of relationship never the case in any household? Were slaves always treated badly by their owners and beaten etc.? In some cases, absolutely, but who wanted to watch that in 1939? Would it have been a better option to show the owners torturing their slaves than showing a decent relationship? To me, I doubt it.. And the movie is still set during the civil wat so there WERE slaves.. as tragic as that fact is.
I know that Selznick put a lot of effort in trying not to affend anyone and I think he did a decent job no matter the criticism of today.
By the way, you can also argue for the fact that Southerners were portrayed as naive and smug going into that war with such limited resources and also that the Yankees were bloodthirsty barbarians who just killed everyone in their way. About that there is not much talk..
Finally.. to put things in perspective there is one other classic movie that I will never watch because of its obvious racism and that is "Birth of a Nation". From what I have learned it's unacceptable even by 1915 standards. GWTW has its flaws but it's not even close to that level and again, considering it was made 1939 I think it is a decent watch on all levels. -
Alexis_Ray15 November 2003The setting is a Georgia plantation. The year is 1861, and sixteen-year-old Scarlett O'Hara is infatuated with the blond, drowsy-eyed Ashley Wilkes - the problem is, Ashley plans to marry another woman. Little matter that every other man in the county is courting Scarlett and that a charming scoundrel named Rhett Butler is staring at her with questionable intent - she cares only for Ashley.
Suddenly, the Civil War brakes out, changing the fates and fortunes of all. Scarlett, clever, manipulative, and charming, proves an adept survivor - but what will she have to do to survive? And will she ever learn whom it is that she really loves?
GWTW is one of the most meticulously cast films ever; with the possible exception of Leslie Howard as Ashley (in his forties, rather old to be playing a man half that age), every role was perfectly assigned. After you watch Vivien Leigh you will be unable to imagine anyone else playing Scarlett, and Hattie McDaniel's strong, unforgettable performance as "Mammy" netted her an academy award (the first for an African-American actor).
GWTW's backdrop is the gruesome Civil War, and in the end this film is the story a woman and a civilization (the Old South) going through a war that will not leave either of them unchanged.
The cinematography is beautiful, memorable. Gone With the Wind was shot entirely in gorgeous technicolor; the scene of the fire in Atlanta required the use of all eight technicolor cameras in existence at the time.
The pragmatic may think Gone with the Wind overly dramatic; the restless may find it too long; the action-stimulated, too subtle. None of this, however, detracts from the fact that GWTW retains a lasting appeal as one of the crowning cinematic achievements of the 20th century. Those who see its ending as depressing - tragic, even - perhaps miss the point - which Scarlett O'Hara makes in her very last instant with us, tear-stained eyes uplifted in a sudden, curious burst of hope beneath all the turmoil; that .. . "After all, tomorrow is another day." 10/10 -
vryaak18 October 2023"Gone with the Wind" is a well-known film that takes us back to the time of the Civil War and what happened afterward in the American South. It's based on a book written by Margaret Mitchell in 1936 and was turned into a movie directed by Victor Fleming. The movie is all about love, being strong, and dealing with tough times during a war. Many people have loved this movie for a long time, and it's considered an important part of the history of movies.
The main character in the movie is Scarlett O'Hara, played by Vivien Leigh. Scarlett is a determined Southern woman who has to deal with all the troubles of the Civil War and what came after. She's strong-willed, but she can also be ruthless when it comes to protecting her family's plantation, Tara. In the movie, she has a complicated relationship with Rhett Butler, played by Clark Gable. Rhett is charming, but he can also be cynical. The movie shows how their relationship changes as the story goes on.
This movie is famous for its big and impressive scenes, especially in the beginning. It shows the grandeur of Southern plantations and the beauty of the South. The movie's look was groundbreaking for its time because it used a color technology called Technicolor, which made everything look even more vivid. One of the most famous scenes in the history of movies is when Atlanta is burning. This scene shows how much effort went into making this movie.
A major theme in "Gone with the Wind" is about change. Scarlett's character starts as a self-centered and materialistic young woman but changes as she faces the challenges of the Civil War. She becomes a survivor who can handle anything. Her character represents how the South changed because of the war. This theme meant a lot when the movie was released during the Great Depression, and it still means something to people today.
The movie also looks at love in different ways. Scarlett has unrequited love for a man named Ashley Wilkes, and she has a complicated relationship with Rhett Butler. These relationships show that love can be really complicated. Rhett's famous line, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," is one of the most famous lines in movies. It shows how his relationship with Scarlett changes.
"Gone with the Wind" is also famous for how it shows the American South. It shows the beauty of the South, but it also doesn't hide the terrible parts of the Civil War. However, the movie has been criticized for not showing the history of slavery in the South accurately. It's also criticized for how it shows Black characters, which was a reflection of the time when the movie was made.
Even though "Gone with the Wind" is loved by many, it's also important to remember that it has problems when it comes to how it shows race and the South. But even with these issues, it's a movie that people still enjoy and talk about. -
grim_angel8 February 2000I have yet to figure out the allure of this film. A whining girl falls in lust, watches a whole lot of other people much worse off than herself for a while, whines some more, goes home and vows to make her own life better rather than helping others. There, I just saved three plus hours of your life. Go help a homeless stranger, since you now have the time.
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dhable27 September 2006I believe that when one views a film, one should consider the context in which it was made.
Barely 10 years after talking pictures were first created; less than that after the first full-length color feature film was created; near the end of the greatest depression this country ever experienced, and in which pretty much the only entertainment available to most was radio or the movies; David O Selznik decided to turn the biggest pot-boiler blockbuster novel into a movie.
And what a movie. Stunning color, the most popular mail actor of his time, perfect music score, incredible action scenes, story line only 70 years removed from when it happened, and on, and on. Can you imagine what a store-clerk or a farmer, or a teacher experienced in that world, seeing Gone With the Wind? What was there to compare with? 1939 was a watershed year for great movies, and this one was the greatest produced. Try watching this movie as if there were no TV, no DVD's, only a few radio stations, spending maybe the second to the last quarter you owned, never having seen such a movie before, and you get what I mean. Masterful for its time, and still timeless today. -
mikazuki13 December 2000Every time I watch this film, and I've seen it more times than I can remember, I'm always astonished by the freshness of the story, the power of the emotions it conveys and the beautiful, detailed images of a time long gone. That this film was made in the 1930's is almost incomprehensible to me. The challenges that had to be overcome in order to bring it to life must have been monumental. But come to life it did, and still does! A triumph of film-making ingenuity and genius, that will live on for many generations to come.
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daisukereds10 November 2019I wish people made more movies like this nowadays..
Yes! The movie is LONG, but the development of the main character has you swinging from liking her to hating her, to agreeing with her, to.. all sort of emotions!! It is well worth anyone's time. These characters feel SO real! It's like a perfect summarized soap opera. Anyone studying movie-writing should check this adaptation of the book. Would recommend to anyone.
And make yourself a favor and don't watch the sequel.. the movie ends the way it does for a reason. -
Xstal29 September 2020When a film is consistently recognised through the wisdom of the crowd, over so many years, as being great and epic and, for the duration of that film to run close to four hours - it really does suggest something a bit special. That something a bit special is a timeless story set during some of the darkest times in American history but it isn't the setting that makes this special, it's the story, the story of a cruel, selfish and manipulative opportunist performing her craft to perfection, it's the story portrayed through one of the greatest cinematic performances the world of movies has ever seen. While the leading man and the supporting cast are outstanding, you walk away from this with only one person holding and controlling your thoughts, just like the character she plays, just as she does through the whole of the picture - the incredible and sublimely talented, the beautiful and vivacious, the tempestuous hurricane of a tornado that is Vivien Leigh. Setting the bar so high it remains unparalleled, even to this day.
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Nazi_Fighter_David26 April 2008Gerard O'Hara (Thomas Mitchell), an Irish immigrant, settles in North Georgia and becomes a prosperous plantation owner By great luck he marries young Ellen Robillard (Barbara O'Neill) of Savannah, the daughter of one of the noblest Georgian families and becomes accepted by his aristocratic neighbors They are blessed with three daughters, Scarlett (Vivien Leigh), Suellen (Evelyn Keyes), and Carreen (Ann Rutherford).
Scarlett, the eldest, worships her mother Yet, under her beauty and Southern coquetry, she is charming, but proud, willful and vain She believes she is in love with Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), a good-hearted young army captain But Ashley loves his cousin, Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland), a delicate, selfless woman He is frightened by Scarlett's energy and animation And although he admits his feelings for her, he is afraid to marry her and decides to take Melanie for his bride
When Scarlett loses Ashley she is more certain than ever that she must have him On their wedding day, she meets Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), a wealthy adventurer from an old Charleston family Rhett, a gamblerwho believes that self-interest is the motive of all human conductis attracted by Scarlett's beauty and realizes that they are equally merciless and conscienceless
Vivien Leigh is magnificent as the spoiled, selfish southern belle... She carries the picture, and controls it... She reproduces the spirited character of Scarlett in all its fluent complexity...
Clark Gablewith a smile and great light in his eyesis fascinating as the elegant, heroic gentleman ... He is perfect as the ladies man... His dramatic high point is his scene crying in Melanie's presence... His love scenes with Scarlett give the picture a vibrancy that is one of its great attractions... The film begins with their first stormy meeting in the library at Twelve Oaks and intensifies at the Atlanta bazaar, when he shocks the confederacy by bidding $l00 "in gold," to dance with the newly widowed Mrs. Hamilton who cares for nothing but herself
Hattie McDaniel gives a rich characterization as Mammy, Scarlett's shrewd black servant who was never fooled by Scarlett's airs and tears...
With a memorable music score by Max Steiner, the film was an instant classic, winner of eight Academy Awards... -
It was way back on New Year's day of 2014 when I got myself a copy of this movie and watched it for the first time, in total awe; that one hadn't got an overture, intermission and exit music and ran at about 3,5 hours but I didn't feel the time at all. What's 4 hours of time when the story is timeless?
What can I tell you about the movie that you don't already know? That it is the highest grossing movie of all times? That it got eight Oscars including the first ever given to an African-American, Hattie McDaniel (whose Mammy was an adorable character and I'm totally in love with her performance)? Or that I love this movie to the moon and back? Yes, that's what I'm going to say.
This 1939's masterpiece is a perfection of a movie and frankly my dears I don't give a damn about what you have to say about it. Excellent performances (especially by Clark Gable and Hattie McDaniel) and lovable characters, impressive war and hospital scenes, plot and storylines that leave you fidgeting on the edge of the seat until the end, beautiful music, astounding cinematography, colorful set pieces, splendid direction by Victor Fleming and the list goes on and on. It's easier to say bad things about the movie because there are none.
Sometimes we all feel like Scarlett: that we are living a lie, believing the things that are untrue, making other people miserable and thinking there's no one out there who truly loves us the way we are but missing it all because of the blindfold on our eyes. But once we take it off everything changes. You change. I change. And I hope every new day will bring positive changes for all of us because after all tomorrow is another day... -
So, I've been calling myself a movie buff for ages, but it took me to get to the tender age of 23 to see one of the greatest classics in the history of cinema. I must say I was pretty impressed. The film has some outdated touches of the theatrical and romantic, but much less so than I expected. It's also interesting how the main character of Scarlett O'Hara- nicely portrayed by Leigh- is so very unsympathetic, almost an anti-hero. Still, Scarlet is a strong and interesting character who gains depth throughout the film. She goes from being a detestable manifestation of a privileged, unproductive lifestyle to an independent, even cruel persona full of determination and courage.
This one was at its best when depicting the cruelty of the American civil war, when the focus of the story was less on relationships and more on the agelessly political. -
moorekarl-4326011 June 2020An absolute classic of a film that everyone loves. Can't believe its effectively been banned now because some people get upset at everything.
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nanturn2 August 2009I'm sorry, I generally don't like this film. Expansive, epic, picturesque, an achievement for its time ... OK. A compelling story about the devastation, hardship, suffering and brutality of the Civil War, and the courage and resilience of its survivors ... OK, but credit the novel for all that.
A key problem is the heroine, Scarlett O'Hara, who remains insufferably selfish and inhumane throughout this long movie. Are we supposed to admire her? I cannot. Another problem is that the film drags in many places. Too much screen time is focused on men professing love for Scarlett and Scarlett expressing her hopeless adoration for Ashley. Gosh, move on with it!
Even for its time, I can't see how its flaws failed to overcome its grandeur. -
Nitestik30 November 2007The film claims in the opening credits to have a historian as a consultant, Wilbur G. Kurtz. And, at the time of its making, what he did sufficed as history.
The Old South was claimed to be a "pretty world," "a dream remembered," and full of gallantry. There are innumerable problems with the film the greatest of which is racist sentiment.
The portrayal of "Mammy" is particularly racist. Manny has no name and her entire life is invested in Scarlett's. She says the happiest day of her life is when Scarlett has her child. She is always worried about the family's reputation and lives vicariously through them. She becomes terribly upset and emotional when Rhett and Scarlett fight. Most outrageously, Mammy is seen pushing USCT soldiers aside to allow Scarlett through as if Mammy and other former slaves have no interest in their own freedom.
If the portrayal of Mammy is bad, the portrayal of Prissy is even worse. Mammy is at least portrayed has having some sense whereas Prissy plays "the simple-minded darkie" with no courage at all. Her high pitched voice serves to emphasize her inanity.
Mammy and Prissy's characters are part of a larger lie that the movie attempts to tell: the myth of the "loyal darkies." In the scene where Atlanta is under attack by Sherman, some black men say, "Don't worry! We'll stop them Yankees!" When one slave is given a watch he refuses to accept it and insists that Scarlett should keep it as if to say, "Look! These white people were so great to us we want nothing from them!" The film also advances the myth of benign slavery. Scarlett's father tells her to treat slaves gently, as if the only problem is a few bad masters who commit excesses. When Ashley complains of misgivings about white prison labor, he says that he kept all of his slaves well-fed and would have freed them when his father died if the war had not done so first.
Finally, the film advances the myth of the evil carpetbagger. "Carpetbaggers" are shown to be terrible and vicious people who kick injured Confederates off the road and ride with nicely dressed black men sitting in a position of equality. One night, the white southerners "clean out the woods to protect their women," which is just code for organizing the KKK and committing murder.
The film is rife with faux sentiment, posturing, and social strategizing. Scarlett O'Hara is simply a terrible character. She is screaming, crying and whining. She's weak, flirtatious, boy-crazy, and hopelessly in love. She slaps Prissy and tells her she will sell her south. Scarlett is manipulative, lying, deceptive, lovesick, and obsessed with looks. And all her tribulations are emphasized by melodramatic music and foreboding weather.
Even scenes which would otherwise be wonderful must be condemned because of the vicious intent behind them. The contrast of the tree, Scarlett, and her father against the setting sun is simply perfect. But, it intends to advance the myth of the idyllic Old South. After the attack on Atlanta, the camera shows the land covered with soldiers and pans back up to the Confederate flag. While expertly shot, the scene is used to evoke sympathy for the Lost Cause.
This film competes with Birth of a Nation for the title of "Most Celebrated Terrible Film of All-Time." Gone with the Wind is less racist, but much more celebrated than Birth of a Nation. Given the two criteria, it is difficult to say which is worse. Birth of a Nation has been kicked off AFI's Top 100 Films while Gone with the Wind still sits perched at #4. Whereas films like Christmas with the Kranks are unequivocally awful, Gone with the Wind is worse. The reason being that it is much worse to be shitty and pernicious than it is to be shitty and harmless.
To paraphrase a quote from Scarlett, "As God is my witness, I will never watch this film again!" -
ElMaruecan8219 March 2012For some nostalgic dreamers, "Gone With the Wind" is a glorious swan song depicting the fall of the South during a devastating Civil War, and its reconstruction on the ashes of the Old Order, a Civilization forever "gone with the wind". It's the adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's epic tale written in bold letters with this peculiar ability to portray the Yankees as the 'bad guys', so common in the stories related by Southerners, as they invite us to understand their idealism if not to root for it: a vision of Gallantry and Old European Nobility where women were courted, wives were submissive to their husbands and slaves treated with paternalism.
But for some idealistic spirits, "Gone With the Wind" resonates as one of the most heart-breaking pages of American History, when the North fought the South in the name of Liberty, Freedom and Justice, and when History, written by the victorious side, ultimately showed the Confederate as the 'ones who were wrong'. "Gone With the Wind" chronicles what the South used to be, a world where coexisted two cultures, the Whites and the Colored. And the depiction of the slaves oscillates between the high pitched voice of the simple-minded Prissy (Butterfly McQueen) who knew nothing about "birthin' babies" and the wisdom and authority of Mammy, Hattie McDaniel in her Oscar-winning role: two figures, two extremes, so rooted in our hearts it's impossible to dislike them, despite the obvious stereotypes.
For literate minds, History is only the setting while the film is an incredible achievement in storytelling, inviting us to follow a gallery of magnificent and appealing characters during a slice of life, where the passing of time can be felt, when History affects story with mercy or ruthlessness... sometimes tragic, sometimes ironic. It's a narrative whose emotional core is the heroine Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), whose heart belongs to the charming blonde Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), married to the gentle and extremely good-hearted cousin Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland). A triangular love that sets the personality of Scarlett as a remarkable anti-heroine: selfish, greedy, jealous, but so brave, courageous and generous when the circumstances of War forever changed the face of the South. A great soul that could only be revealed by a great opportunity, a pivotal metamorphosis incarnated by the iconic "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again".
The fascinating aspect of Scarlett's personality is that her flaws elevated her above all the other characters: she doesn't care for etiquette, for traditions, her spirit is free, her ego is big and her heart so vulnerable. While the South is definitely turned to the past, Scarlett thinks of the future, as she says: "after all, tomorrow is another day". Scarlett is a modern figure and that's what makes her so appealing both in the film and to the audience. And Rhett Butler, Clark Gable in his most defining role as 'the visitor from Charleston', is Scarlet's perfect match. Both don't belong to that era, they think of money, greed, prosperity, and passion. They embody all the values that America would stand for, transcending the old-fashioned setting of the South. But like the South's enthusiasm for War, the same pride that drives their passion would ruin their relationships.
For many passionate hearts, this is one of the most intense romances ever adapted to the big screen, a frustrating and seemingly impossible love between two strong-minded egos, two faces staring at each other as if they were at the verge of an irresistible passion or about to fight each other. As Scarlett was visibly jealous of Melanie when she went to bed with Ashley, the movie makes you penetrate the soul of these characters with such intensity you could feel she wished that Melanie could die. A childish and immature attitude, probably shared with Butler who wouldn't have minded if Ashley could die in the War, too. The love between Rhett and Scarlett is made of the same idealism that built the South myth, a lost but so endearing cause, a fire that burnt inside, and made pretty fitting that the most intimate and sensual moment they had was under the orange sky, during Atlanta's big fire.
Love has never been as passionate as a love-and-hate relationship and never seemed a romance so comparable to a lost cause, mirroring the Southerners' very faith in victory. Rhett's last stand when he takes Scarlett up the stairs in the 'one night she wouldn't turn him out' is the perfect illustration of a love that pumped its energy from hate and anger. As Scarlett, lost in her love for Ashley, will never realize that her man is Rhett... and when she does, Rhett is already fed up and finally delivers the most unforgettable come-uppance ever: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" before disappearing in a foggy mist. Scarlett gets a magnificent lesson about life, and wouldn't have been as likable without this last slap in the face. This "I don't give a damn" voted #1 in the American Film Institute's Top 100 Movie quotes was Rhett's revenge, and he sure deserved it... and many wannabe-Scarlett would admit that too.
But while "Gone With the Wind" deals with lost causes, it's more than anything the triumph of Cinema as the most defining Art of the last century. Echoing the novel's status as a best- seller, it's one of the greatest films of all time, the greatest casting ever, the greatest score and the greatest challenge for superlatives. Victor Fleming's super-production that would become a landmark in film-making, with its unique visual style and beautiful cinematography in colors, forever incarnated by Scarlett's shadowy silhouette standing beside a tree, during a beautiful sunset. Along with "The Wizard of Oz", and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", "Gone With the Wind" is probably Hollywood's Golden Age reaching its pinnacle before the War would come in 1939 .