Gone with the Wind

Audience Reviews

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Draco P Apr 26, 2019 This is one of my favorite films therefore I struggle to review it objectively but I do genuinely believe it's one of the greatest pieces of cinema ever produced. Nothing could equal the book but this is as good an adaptation as you could get with all of Scarlett's indomitable sassiness on display and her complex relationships with Melanie and Rhett delved into fully. The film looks stunning and all of the iconic lines "With god as my witness, I'll never go hungry again", "Quite frankly my dear I don't give a damn!" and "Tomorrow is another day" are delivered with the force they deserve. It's a beautiful masterpiece and one that deserves to be the highest grossing film of all time adjusted for inflation and an unquestioned Best Picture winner. Scarlett O'Hara, Vivien Leigh, is a sheltered Southern Belle who is secretly tough-as-nails, when the American Civil War occurs she loses everything and is forced use her will of iron and inner strength to rebuild her beloved Tara. She is married three times, twice to men she doesn't love, and her passionate affair with Rhett Butler ends in tragedy as she is unable to admit she loves him until it is too late. The man that she believes she loves is Ashley Hamilton,, but he is married to his sweet cousin Melanie Wilkes, Olivia de Havilland, therefore she must scheme to have time alone with him. She opens a lumber mill, has multiple children and loses both of her parents against the backdrop of the Civil War. Scarlett is one of the greatest female characters ever written and the film brings her to life with a screenplay penned by Margaret Mitchell herself and a cracking performance from Vivien Leigh. Leigh would not have been my first choice to play the role, Joan Crawford or Norma Shearer would have been more conventional choices, but she is brilliant managing to convey all of Scarlett's inner workings whilst being a romantic heroine worthy of Rhett Butler. Clark Gable is perfect as Rhett Butler, nobody else could play this part and be as charming and sexy as Gable is in this role. Leigh and Gable complement one another perfectly and their chemistry makes their love story utterly compelling as we see two iron wills clash in an unconventional love story. The casting choice that I commend above all others is that of Olivia de Havilland as Melanie Hamilton. Has a more perfect casting choice ever been made? The deceptively sweet and naïve Melanie has a strength that rivals even Scarlett. In this role de Havilland uses her doe eyes and placid smile to fool us into believing Scarlett's impression of her. Her death scene is stunning because we recognize the steel behind Melanie's eyes as having been there all along but it is only now that Scarlett recognizes her as an equal. One of my favorite actresses, de Havilland never receives enough recognition for her performance in this film or for her acting in general, she is a force to be reckoned with in every performance she gives. The production design used in this film is impressive, most films today don't equal it, especially when considering the resources available to them in 1939 but David O. Selznick found a way as he always does. The fire is the most often commented upon technical feat and it is impressive seeing little Vivien Leigh wander through a real fire as she struggles to salvage the memory of her old life. The production design would be nothing without a great story for it to build around and Gone With the Wind provides that as we actually care about Scarlett's plight as she loses the things she holds most dear. Other epics like Doctor Zhivago (1965) have fantastic production design but are poorly acted and written and struggle to keep a handle on a fascinating and subversive source material. This is an unimpeachable win, I don't like The Wizard of Oz (1939) it's saccharine and features one of the most overrated performers of all time, Judy Garland, in the lead role. This is probably the greatest Best Picture winner of all time and ranks up there as one of the greatest films of all time. See more

Hermione W Apr 11, 2019 A favorite of mine since childhood.

Finn R Mar 3, 2019 Possibly the best movie of all time!

George S Feb 24, 2019 Cinematic masterpiece with one of the most unlikable protagonist in movie history.

Feb 13, 2019 A movie that will NEVER die. For about 4 hours you're allowed to dream. Not only the story is captivating but the costume design is breathtaking. Leigh and Gable's performance are from out of this world. Wish we had more movies like GWTW nowadays. See more

Theodore G Feb 13, 2019 Vile and offensive. Histrionic in emotion. Shoves the slave-loving confederacy in your face and tries to make you sympathize with it when black people had been kept in slavery for hundreds of years. No romance here. White people privilege is finally over. GOOD! Burn it down. See more

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Gone with the Wind

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