The basic story involves a spoiled
southern belle, Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) coping with life,
love and the inconvenience of the Civil War. Her stormy relationship
with the handsome Rhett Butler (Clark Cable) and her undying love
for the already married Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) becomes the
romantic focus and driving force of the epic film.
"Gone With The Wind" has many memorable
scenes. This epic story starts on the day that the Civil War starts
in Georgia. A large plantation party is planned by the Wilkes
family at their 12 Oaks Estates. The O'Hara family gets ready
to attend. Their family estate is called Tara. The eldest head
strong daughter, Scarlett, who is used to getting her way, has
her heart set on the Wilkes' son Ashley, who she has fallen in
love with. Upon arriving, Scarlett is deluged with many young
gentleman admirers, including beaus of the other young women there.
When she finds out that Ashley plans to wed his cousin, Melanie
Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland), she sneaks down during the afternoon
nap period for the women, and pleads with Ashley in the library,
to marry her instead. When he leaves her, after turning her down,
she throws a vase at the fireplace mantle, in a tantrum rage,
breaking it to pieces. Unknown to her, Rhett Butler (Clark Gable)
had witnessed the whole scene, and had some pithy remarks in response.
Scarlett: "You Sir, are no gentleman."
An amused Rhett answers: And you, Miss, are no lady!"
All the young men vowed to join the Southern
war effort, despite Rhett's warning about the likely outcome -
that the North will ultimately win. When Ashley and Melanie announce
their wedding plans for the next day, Scarlett also agrees to
marry Charles Hamilton, when he asks her, not because she loved
Charles, but because Charles was Melanie's brother, which means
she could keep in contact with Ashley through the family connection.
So, there was a double wedding before the men went off to war.
A short time later, Charles Hamilton died of
the measles, leaving Scarlett a widow, who hates to wear the black
mourning clothes. "My life is over. Nothing will ever happen
to me again!"
She and Melanie are sent to Atlanta to reside
with Aunt Pittypat Hamilton (Laura Hope Crews ), for a change
of scenery. Scarlett goes with the hope of seeing Ashley when
goes to Aunt Pittypat's home on his leave to see Melanie. Mammy
(Hattie McDaniel ) knows what Scarlett is up to, and says that
going to Savannah would be better for her, because in Atlanta,
she would just get into trouble. "You know what trouble I's
talkin' 'bout. Mr. Ashley be comin' to Atlanta when he gets his
leave, and you sattin' there waitin' for him, just like a spider."
When Ashley does come to Atlanta to see Melanie,
he makes Scarlett promise to take care of Melanie. It seems that
Melanie is pregnant.
At a fundraising dance for the war effort, it
just about kills Scarlett not to be able to dance, because she
was supposed to be in mourning. However, the good people at the
event were shocked when she dances with Rhett Butler to help raise
money, not caring about her reputation, much to the distress of
Aunt Pittypat, who faints.
As the war gets closer and closer to Atlanta,
more and more wounded are taken to the train station. A favorite
scene takes place following a major battle around the city of
Atlanta. Scarlet O'Hara (Leigh), helps tend to the wounded near
a train station. At the camera cranes up and up we see hundreds
of wounded soldiers, stretched out as far as the eye can see.
The scene, visually, shows the huge price in human pain and suffering
that war causes.
Another favorite sequence of scenes starts when
Melanie goes into labor, while the Union army is advancing on
Atlanta, ready to burn it to the ground. There is no doctor to
help Melanie, who has a terrible time. What keeps Scarlett there
is her promise to her beloved Ashley. Despite nearly dying, Scarlett
and Prissy help bring a new baby into the world, just before Atlanta
falls. Rhett Butler manages to run into them and drives their
wagon through burning Atlanta safely to the other side. After
giving her a passionate kiss, he sends her driving the wagon on
their way back home to Tara, which wasn't burned. Troubles galore
await her. Her father has had a mental breakdown, her mother died
of disease, her sisters were sick, and there was little food.
At the end of this first half, Scarlett proclaims: "As God
is my witness, I'll never be angry again!"
The second half of this film has Scarlett in
charge of her family, as she protects them the best she can, has
to make some hard choices and finds ways to survive their hard
times. How she is introduced to Rhett Butler all over again, her
adventures in making money, her marriage to Rhett and their troubles,
and how her love for Ashley gets her into trouble all makes for
an involving, poignant story, told in only how Selznick and Victor
Fleming working together could envision and put on the silver
screen.
"Gone With The Wind" is a classic because of the stellar
cast, great sets, beautiful photography, an emotionally wringing
story and wonderful music (by Max Steiner). The film won Oscars
for Leigh, Best Picture, Direction, Screenplay, (by Sydney Howard,
adapting Margaret Mitchell's hugely popular novel), and others.
The film benefits from perfect casting in all the roles, large
and small.
Vivien Leigh did a superb job portraying the
southern princess, Scarlett O'Hara, who had to grow up a lot in
order to survive the post war times, and learns the hard way that
unrequitted love can cause havoc in one's personal relationships..
Despite an extensive nationwide search for an unknown to play
Scarlett, Hollywood actress Leigh was chosen.
Hattie McDaniel made Oscar history by winning
the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her fantastic portrayal
of Mammy, the slave /servant who took care of the O'hara girls
and stuck around to work for Scarlett and Rhett at Tara.
Clark Gable was perfectly convincing as Rhett Butler, the dashing
rogue who fell in love with Scarlett, striving to change her mind
about Ashley Wilkes. In order to get the
acting services of star, Clark Gable, producer David O. Selznick
was forced to release the movie through MGM. That studio has released
it numerous times over the years, making a huge profit. Clark
Gable also was instrumental in getting George Cukor dismissed
as the director, because Gable felt Cukor was more of a woman's
director.
Olivia de Havilland did an outstanding job as the loving, gentle
positive Melanie, who only saw the good side of Scarlett, and
always thought the best of people. Of the four principle actors,
only Olivia de Havilland survives today. She's been living quietly,
in retirement, for some years.
Leslie Howard was convincing as the mild-mannered Ashley, who
lacked the nerve and guts to tell Scarlett from the beginning
that he didn't love her, which would've saved a lot of grief and
pain to others.
Rated G: This film has been a family favorite
since it came out in 1939. This beloved American classic is lots
of fun, as enjoyable to watch today as it was when it was first
released.
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