Gone with the Wind (Four-Disc Collector's Edition) 1939

I thoroughly enjoyed Gone with the Wind as entertainment and spectacle. The epic romance, even if it is about two rather shallow people (but what hilariously shallow people!). The lavish sets and sweep of the story are both to be commended. I can see why this movie is so remembered.

However, I am not African American, and I try to imagine what it would be like to see it through their eyes. The movie glorifies the slave-holding South ("the land of plenty and grace"!), and every black person--except the uppity black carpetbagger--is docile, happy-go-lucky, and stupid. Yes, stupid. The movie shares its era's perception that blacks aren't genetically up there with the white folks and runs with this idea for all it's worth. Crissy, especially, is the personification of every racist stereotype imaginable: brain-dead, cowardly, hysterical, likes to sing, etc. Incredibly, the movie even thinks giving black Americans the right to vote is a mistake since they are easily misled by Yankees--as shown in that "You'll vote for your friends" scene. And, of course, the Klan is glorified as a means of taking back Southern pride from uppity blacks and Yankees as shown by Ashley and Scarlett's second husband going after the people in the "shanty town." And truly, do we really need to worry about the spoiled desires of two white people when millions of blacks were suffering through the worst humiliation and pain in the history of this country? Excusing the blatant racism in this movie as "it's a product of its time" will only get you so far.

So, yes, this is a good movie--but you might as well make an epic romance about the marital problems of two spoiled German Protestants during, say, the Holocaust. And only because the people suffering here are black and not white can this movie get away with it.

Gone with the Wind (Victor Fleming, 1939)

I have hated Gone with the Wind for decades based on little snatches of it that I've seen here and there over a long period of time. I thought that, perhaps, I might be giving it short shrift, so a few nights ago, I sat down to watch the entire four-hour extravaganza from beginning to end. It somehow doesn't surprise me that I now hate the film in an entirely new, more passionate, more comprehensive way than I did previously.

My main bone of contention is not that the film is far, far too long for the skimpy subject matter it explores-- an hour and a half running time might have helped immensely-- but that Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, in the final ninety minutes of the film, break the cardinal rule-- they manage to screw everything up by simply not talking. These are incredibly stupid, shallow people. Why have generations wasted four hours on this twaddle? And why do some do it every year? I've heard many people refer to it as a great romance; maybe this is a good portion of what's wrong with America today. If this is your idea of a great romance, folks, then perhaps you need to go back to the well and think a little more about what constitutes a great romance. I'm pretty sure that philandering, jealousy, all the character depth of a piece of onionskin, and a decided lack of intelligence should not be contributing factors.

While the visual spectacle of the thing is inarguable, everything else about it-- the pace, the characterization, the script, all of it-- are just plain awful. And the romance? There is none. *

As Reviewer Gary F. Taylor clearly states in his excellent review do not expect historical accuracy nor political-correctness from this film. More than 60 years has elapsed since it was filmed and IMHO it will be unfair to focus on those two items to evaluate it.

The story is well known; still I'll sketch it for reviewing convenience.
Scarlett O'Hara is a very young & mercurial wealthy southern heiress just at the start of Civil War. She is infatuated with his neighbor Ashley Wilkes.
Rhett Butler is a mysterious gentleman from Charleston, skeptical about war.
He eavesdrop Scarlett's desperate love declaration to Ashley and his rejection. He is somehow enticed by this passionate girl. He makes a gallant overture but he is turned down cold by angry Scarlett.
War erupts disturbing everybody's life!
Ashley marries his cousin Melanie and immediately departs to the front. Distressed Scarlett marries one of her suitors and soon become a young widow.
In a few years South is starting to be defeated and Sherman's invading forces find Scarlett at Atlanta. Rhett rescue her from the burning city.
As South sinks, so does Scarlett & company... nevertheless she will struggle with each menace, peril or foe with all her strength using whatever resource she has at hand.
The movie is the chronicle of her deeds and its costs!

Clark Gable performance's as Rhett Butler is really top-notch, deserving his Oscar nomination (and more). With subtleness he composes a complex character: cynic yet chivalrous, tough yet kindhearted, detached yet madly in love with Scarlett.
Vivien Leigh's Scarlett is a legendary performance. She portrays Scarlett from nearly adolescent until a grown up woman, from a scatterbrained damsel into a willful business woman. Her Oscar was more than well deserved.
What to say about the "secondary" or "supporting" actresses & actors! Olivia de Havilland (nothing less), Oscar nominee; Hattie McDaniel, Oscar winner; Leslie Howard gives an excellent performance, even personifying lukewarm character; Butterfly McQueen as childish irresponsible Prissy; Ward Bond in a minor role; veteran Harry Davenport as Dr. Meade and so on.

All technical items are exceptional!
Ernest Haller's color picture is unbelievable beautiful. Atlanta burning images are just unforgettable. Prolific Haller, more than 182 films, won his only Oscar with this film yet he will be nominated several times more.
Musical score authored by multi-awarded Max Steiner underlines each scene & mood outstandingly.
Director Victor Fleming will be always remembered for directing this film, nevertheless even if he never repeated such allure he directed some other excellent ones as this film, The Wizard of Oz(1939), Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (1941) and Joan of Arc, this last film is IMHO very underrated, deserving better treatment.

A Classic movie you should see and appreciate!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

I've seen Gone With the Wind many, many times. Each additional time I've seen it it gets worse. The acting is often over stated, and the casting is sometimes questionable, as well. Could it have hurt the producers to have used real Americans to play Americans in an American made movie about Americans? Clark Gable is awesome as Rhett Butler, and the buck stops there. But the worst problems with GWtW is it insipid portrayal of Blacks, its racist tones, and its shabby reflection on history. Scarlett O'Hara is not a likable character. Up until the final curtain, she's continually selfish and self-centered. Four hours of Scarlett is about 3.5 hours too much.

This film took some leaps and really put its lead out there when he said, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. Nice acting as well with a powerful story.