Gone With The Wind

Few films carry the reputation of "Gone With the Wind", in fact few films can carry the entire scope and magnificence of "Gone With the Wind". It stands as a class by itself, it's one of those bonafide classics like "Casablanca", "The Wizard of Oz" and "It's a Wonderful Life", that has made its way into our pop culture, and has still surpassed all the blockbusters that came after it to still be the most popular movie ever made.

I'm not sure what else to say about "Gone With the Wind" that already hasn't been said, it's been almost a decade since I've seen the film so I decided to revisit it. It has lost none of its majesty on me, I still remember seeing it on tv as a kid, being impressed by it even then. I had no idea what technicolor was, I thought the film couldn't have been that old since it looked so modern, and it was so big compared to the other films of that time, or any time for that matter.

Of course I can't look at "Gone with the Wind" as simply as I did back then, seeing how it is a film that does rewrite history in many ways, it romanticized the south during the civil war, depicting African Americans as ones who seemed to not mind being considered slaves, or being even dimwitted. The most demeaning depiction in the film is the part of Prissy played by Butterfly McQueen who would later state she hated playing the role that way. Of course there was Hattie McDaniel who played Mammy and would go on to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. To give credit where it was due, McDaniel never really fell into stereotype and brought with her a feeling of dignity to the part, you couldn't ask more than that back in those days.

I always felt it's so easy to find flaws in "Gone with the Wind" if you were to deconstruct it. It's a conflicting feeling, since there are so many things wrong with it, yet you can't deny all the things that are right with it.

"Gone with the Wind" works because it's such a lesson in storytelling, telling a big story for a long time while keeping you interested. This was mostly due to the vision of Producer David. O. Selznik, who had a one track mind. "Gone with the Wind" is Selznik's legacy, sure he made other great classic movies, but this one more than any others had his own stamp on it.

Selznik was one of the moguls of old Hollywood perhaps the greatest mogul, he was an independent producer, and he fought tooth and nail to get "Gone with the Wind" made his way. The film had multiple directors work on the film at one time or another, and Selznik would change when necessary. When all was said and done, it was Victor Fleming who took the credit and the Oscar. Ironic it was Fleming since he also took over the directing duties of "The Wizard of Oz" that same year almost under the same circumstances.

The film is a technical triumph, with iconic moments like the burning of Atlanta, to that large tracking shot of wounded soldiers as highlights. The use of color is wonderfully done, no better I think than that dark night where Rhett carries Scarlett up the stairs to the bedroom. The scene is drenched in passionate red to show off both characters burning desire, and also there heated personalities.

I suppose "Gone with the Wind" couldn't have been the film it was had Selznik not gotten the cast he wanted. Vivian Leigh was a British actress relatively unknown, but she owns the role of Scarlett, she carries all four hours of the film on her shoulders and pulls it off beautifully. To me Scarlett O'Hara is one of the great female roles in history. Scarlett is one of those great heroines who is difficult to root for on the page, but Leigh brings out her strength, her charm, and her vivaciousness wonderfully it's hard not to get on her side.

Unlike Leigh, who had to be searched for in order to find the right person to play the part, Clark Gable was the only one to play Rhett Butler. Had he not been cast, there would've been an outcry of injustice by the public. Gable was the biggest movie star of the time, and this was his role, and he did the most with it, he could be charming, but also downright frightening at times.

There is so much to say about "Gone with the Wind", it's such a huge movie, it's technically brilliant, wonderfully acted, and keeps your interest. It's a yarn, an entertaining yarn, and something Hollywood did all the time with its assembly line of films. To make "Gone with the Wind" today would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and I fear the story would get diluted.

"Gone with the Wind" was made by people who cared about movies, for the producers they were sold as entertainment, but they also had respect for the artists who brought it to life, there's a reason they call in The Golden Age. "Gone with the Wind" is the epitome of that age, and today few movies have dared to try and touch it's scope and imagination.