Gone With The Wind (1939)

Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh

'Gone with the Wind' is a monumental, epic film, set in the American South, telling the story of the American Civil War from the viewpoint of a Southern family. It was made in 1939, directed by Victor Fleming and produced by David O. Selznick and it stars Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland, and Hattie McDaniel.

Even after over 60 years the movie remains a classic and it is easy to see why it has become one of the most loved movies of all time. There is a style, a passion, a breadth and a timeless grandeur to which few modern films can aspire.

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The movie was derived from Margaret Mitchell's novel published in 1936. Producer David O.Selznick acquired the film rights to the novel for $50,000 - a record amount at the time for a first novel and then spent a budget of 3.7-million-dollar - again, an unheard of amount - on the movie. The results were spectacular. The film grossed nearly 192 million dollars and received more Academy Awards than any other film up to that time, with thirteen nominations in all and eight wins, including Best Picture, Best Director (Victor Fleming), Best Actress (Vivien Leigh) and Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel - the first ever nomination for an African-American). There were an additional 2 awards, 1 honorary, and 1 technical, giving a grand total of ten. It set an Academy Award record which lasted until 1959 when 'Ben-Hur' won eleven awards.

Everything about the film was large-scale. almost 4,500 people were involved in making the movie and there were over 2,800 costumes and uniforms, 1,000 horses, 450 vehicles and Vivien Leigh wore 38 different hairstyles.

The movie describes 12 years in the life of Scarlett O'Hara, the beautiful, wilfully self-centred, and ultimately indomitable, Southern belle, and her various marriages and romances during the chaotic years of the Civil War and its aftermath. The movie's action includes the burning of Atlanta through to the famous closing line spoken by Clark Gable as Rhett Butler, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," which has been called the most memorable line in cinema history.

The whole work is swept along by Max Steiner's magnificent score which was ranked as the second greatest of all time by the American Film Institute. The movie itself has ranked between number four and number six in the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies listing. These lists are, of course, subjective. Whatever its position 'Gone with the Wind' is a magnificent cinematic achievement and is one of the greatest and most popular films of all time, a wonderful monument to the golden age of Hollywood.