Gone with the Wind (1939)
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Gone with the Wind Movie Review
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 epic romance film directed by Victor Fleming and starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. It’s a pure masterpiece and my favorite movie of all time.
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“Tomorrow is another day“
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There is a lot to talk about here, but first let’s state the obvious facts. The film came out at the end of 1939 and it went on to become the highest-grossing movie of all time, a record that it still holds when adjusting it for inflation. It also went on to win eight Academy Awards. Still, the film’s reputation is becoming tarnished in the last couple of years due to the PC movement and all the horrendous, ridiculous SJWs who got no better thing to do than destroy the reputation of classic movies.
I wholeheartedly disagree with their statements that the movie is racist and that it promotes the Old South. It has its racist moments for sure, but this is a 1939 film that is set in the Civil War era, so any such judgment on almost a century old movie is biased and unfair. But even if the movie is as “vile” as they say it is, to forget all its accomplishments and its central romantic story and focus on just those smaller details is what is truly vile, political and manipulative.
But back to the movie itself, it was flawlessly adapted from its source material, and although it runs for four hours, it never felt too long due to excellent pacing and great editing as they cut all the unnecessary drama and they adapted only the important stuff. Where the movie excels is in its character development, which remains absolutely incredible. Every single character in this movie seems like a real human being and after watching it, you feel as if you just met all of them. They are all incredibly complex and just remarkable.
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Words cannot describe my love and appreciation for Scarlett O’Hara. She is in my opinion the greatest character not just in books and moves, but in all of fiction ever. She is a brat and sometimes genuinely cruel and a horrible human being, but you still cannot help but root for her and respect her astonishing strength. She is an incredibly brave, inspirational person who will do whatever it takes to protect her family and succeed in life. Her journey was incredible, especially as it relates to her romances. She had to realize that she was chasing somebody who didn’t love her and that she thus lost a man who was her true love all this time in front of her. That made the ending truly incredible, but more on that later.
Whether you are talking about being funny, charismatic, cruel or passionate, Vivien Leigh sold all of those in what is one of the greatest acting achievements in the history of cinema. Watching her as Scarlett is just otherworldly. She literally became Scarlett and in every single scene or line of dialogue, she imbued so much energy and immense details, making the character all the more real and believable. Leigh garnered her Oscar for this, thus becoming one of the most deserved Oscar winners in history.
Rhett Butler is also terrific. This was the quintessential role for Clark Gable. He is magnetic here, incredibly funny, suave and just so amusing to follow. Both are jaw-droppingly charismatic, again proving to us that actors during this period had so much more charisma than today’s actors. Rhett also develops into a better human being who at least tries to fight and not escape from battle. Still, the two were perfect for each other as they are both selfish, conceited and very playful, but more on their romance later.
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Ashley Wilkes is very likable and some say Leslie Howard was miscast in this role, but he did a very good job regardless and I bought him in the role myself. Again, the relationship between him and Scarlett is so well established and the movie explores so well the flings and foolish romantic pursuits of the teenage and adolescent years, and how unbelievable and ridiculous they can be.
I adored Melanie. She is by far the best person of the bunch and simply seeing her smile and her constant faith in people and especially Scarlett was just so moving. Again, the romance between her and Ashley was wonderful and they were such a sweet couple, but the genuine friendship that develops between her and Scarlett was very emotional. Scarlett ended up caring for her and appreciating her and that whole arc was very emotionally rewarding. Some may say that Olivia de Havilland was also miscast, but she did play the good woman roles and she was just as good at them as at the more evil ones, similar to Bette Davis herself. Thus, her Oscar nomination here was very much deserved.
I loved Scarlett’s parents, especially Gerald as the father-daughter scenes were so touching, and what happened to him was heartbreaking. Again, Scarlett’s drive for home and her family was very relatable to me personally and the film’s message about the importance of home still rings true the same way that this year’s another classic ‘The Wizard of Oz’ also does. As for Scarlett’s husbands, they were both utterly forgettable and underdeveloped, but that actually serves the story well as she did not care for either of them and they were just tools at the time. I also have to commend the movie for portraying a prostitute as having a good heart and helping the cause. That was very modern for this time and the friendship that develops between her and Melanie was brimming with heart and humanity.
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Now, the black characters. Yes, Prissy is terrible. Squeaky, screaming and incompetent, she is a very bad depiction of a black woman. However, others are vastly superior. Big Sam is wonderful and the scene where Scarlett gave him her father’s old watch was very sweet. And of course Mammy is awesome. Hattie McDaniel truly elevated this role by making her her own. Her performance is incredible as the character is both nurturing and very feisty and funny at times. Her Oscar win was important as the first ever given to a black person and I am so glad that it happened to her as her work here is fantastic and the character is so wonderful.
Going back to the storyline, the film can appeal to everyone as it is both a historical/war picture and a romantic melodrama, but first and foremost it is a romance, and a glorious one indeed. Rhett and Scarlett are an absolutely iconic couple and in time their relationship has only become better and stronger given how modern it was for its time. Many of their lines of dialogue are actually incredibly sexual with the innuendo being overwhelming and hilarious, but due to these complex personalities and their very complicated journey, they feel like a genuine, real life couple, something that the vast majority of Hollywood couples never did.
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Again, I did not read the film as this pro-Old South propaganda, but I read it as promoting home and how you are always bound to go or wish to go back home. That sentiment was very strong throughout and it appealed to me a lot. The war elements are not excessive actually, but the doom and despair are definitely felt, the panic on the streets is palpable and that scene where the fallen soldiers are lined up was just haunting.
The movie truly serves as a two-movie experience in a way as it has its overture and intermission that clearly cuts the movie in half with both halves feeling very different in plot and tone. It’s just one epic storyline that never gets tiresome. I personally preferred the first half, but I still loved the second one. The second half is somewhat rushed in the kids’ subplot, but very impactful in the romance as it develops here to the fullest. Melanie’s death was incredibly difficult to watch, but the finale remains one of my favorite endings of all time.
You definitely can understand why Rhett is fed up with her, but still even though she was an annoying brat, you feel for Scarlett because she was young and she didn’t know better. She chased someone who was never going to love her back while ignoring the true love in front of her. Of course, Rhett’s exit with that famous, coarse line is iconic, but the way she is reminded of her home and how she is still determined to bring him back led to an ending that is sad, but also hopeful for the future. It was a perfect combination and it gives me chills every single time I see it.
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But not as much as it does watching the ending of the first half. Yes, this is easily my favorite film scene of all time as it represents everything I love about movies. Scarlett doesn’t want to be hungry again and she will stop at nothing to fulfill that goal. Her determination and strength are so inspirational here, thus this scene is very emotional. But what makes it spectacular is the Technicolor cinematography with the great use of the orange color, the unforgettable tree imagery and that sweeping orchestral piece that is one of the rare compositions that gives me genuine goosebumps every single time I hear it.
Yes, Gone with the Wind is also a technical achievement unlike no other. It reaffirms my love for historical epics and my sadness that these movies no longer exist. They were the blockbusters of their time, but the blockbusters that had history and genuine human drama in them, which is why I love them so much. This one has it all. It’s a spectacle, but a spectacle with heart and soul.
The cinematography is stunning. The Technicolor has rarely been better utilized than here. I particularly adored the war scenes with the orange and smoky effects being very authentic, but I also appreciated the close-ups and genuinely fantastic camera movements. The camera tracks the action on screen flawlessly while establishing some stupendous shots as well as takes that are super memorable and also gorgeous.
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So, the score. Oh my god, do I love this score. I continue to be moved by it and it shakes me to my core every single time I hear the orchestra in particular. I love the orchestra and I am also sad that it is no longer present in movies. Here, we get the best orchestral pieces of all time and throughout the whole movie the score elevated an already excellent storyline by making it more dramatic, romantic or emotional whenever those were needed.
The dialogue in Gone with the Wind is incredible as is the humor. The movie can be pretty funny at times and especially the first third of it is so joyous, playful and hugely entertaining. The picture is realistic, but also cinematic and enchanting in a way due to those pronounced technical features. It’s also a genuine work of art as the sets are magnificent and the costumes are beautiful. All of Scarlett’s dresses are memorable and fun and so colorful while all the sets are unforgettable, especially Tara the homeland. You get the importance and the beauty of Tara for sure.
The tone is perfectly struck between comedic and dramatic, romantic and tragic etc. Its themes are very well explored and relevant to this day. Its adapted screenplay is absolutely perfect and the runtime was also just right for this epic storyline as less would have hurt it undoubtedly. The direction from Victor Fleming is exceptional in a year where he also directed ‘The Wizard of Oz’ in what is one ridiculously impressive year for a director.
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