blu_cu
Houston, Texas
Date: 10 November 2001
Summary: Absolutely glorious!
Gone With the Wind has always been my favorite movie. It has never lost it's magic touch on me. The story is very beautiful and enhanced by David O. Selznick's wonderful filming. None of the characters are shallow. There's war and adventure, there's history, there's the beautiful representation of the antebellum South and most of all, there's a love story that will make all romantics cry at the end. There is also the dazzling array of stars. Vivien Leigh is radiant as Scarlett, Clark Gable alluring as Rhett, Olivia De Havilland angelic as Melanie and Leslie Howard haunting as Ashley. Along with the principal cast, there's also many fine actors in supporting roles: Thomas Mitchell, Hattie McDaniel, Barbara O'Neill, Ann Rutherford, and Evelyn Keyes.
The movie is perfection in every matter.
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sloopbillyb
Memphis, Tennessee
Date: 15 October 2001
Summary: Sloopbillyb skewers "Gone with the Wind"
Gone with the Wind is just about the most overrated film I have ever seen. Now, let me tell you why: 1. Scarlett O'Hara is the most dislikable protagonist created in American fiction, not counting Jar Jar Binks. She is pushy and always wants her way. She is an immature brat. And this movie makes her out to be some kind of heroine!? 2. Clark Gable has little acting talent in this movie, which disappointed me after seeing him in the hilarious "It Happened One Night". He pretty much smiles and charms his way through the picture, and by the end of the movie you wonder who he is, really. The movie could have built a kind of mysterious aura about him, like in "Citizen Kane," but nope. It pretty much assumes you already know him. 3. Every character is a stereotype. Every single one. I know this is a common criticism, but just look at it again. Don't think I'm criticizing Hattie McDaniel, though. She did wonderful with what little she was offered. In fact, her performance is the best in the film. 4. Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland practically sleepwalk through their parts. 5. The story is nothing more than a soap opera. Now mind you, soap operas at least have the decency to have more than one corny, stupid story line so that there's some variety. In "Gone with the Wind," there is only one story: Scarlet. Her relationship with Rhett is quite flexible; no more than five minutes pass in the movie when they love each other. After five minutes, they hate each other. Another five minutes, they're in love. With a movie 234 minutes long, that means there is a monotonous love story with, oh let's see, 46.8 twists and turns. We'll say about 40. Oh my, isn't that exciting?
Actually, there are three redeeming qualities: Hattie McDaniel, a moment where Scarlet shoots the phony Union soldier with a pistol (the entire theater cheered), and the performance of Butterfly McQueen. Her performance was witty and mature. Here are some poignant quotes: "Miss Melanie, Miss Melanie, I doesn't know nothin' about birthin'!" "Put a knife under 'da pillow and cut 'da pain in two." How sad yet how true.
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Carissima47 (helzebub@hotmail.com)
Date: 11 October 2001
Summary: Greatest of all time
Who has not heard of Gone with the Wind, or heard the famous line: Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn? This film is the creme de la creme, it just does not get any better than Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, fighting, loving, conniving. The film, although a little long, has everything you could want. Love, war, lust, betrayal, desperation, death, marriage, style, the list is endless. Ask any film critic whose opinion is worth anything to name his top ten films, and Gone with the Wind will be mentioned.
The story follows the independent Scarlett on her quest through life, dealing in her own unique way with the troubles life throws at her. Rhett is the dashing love interest, who is obviously Scarletts soul mate, but can she give up on Ashley, her love of so long?
Do I think everyone should watch this film? Frankly, my dear, yes.
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Taxdawg
Date: 3 October 2001
Summary: Vivien Leigh
What can be said about this classic that is not redundant? Well, it seems to be falling a bit from the top of peoples' lists, but in any event should always be seen as one of the all-time greats. Clark Gable was superb, but Vivien Leigh's Oscar-winning best-actress performance is one of the best female performances of all time, and to me, the best of which I am aware.
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Alexandra Orfanidou (alexiaorfanidou@hotmail.com)
Thessaloniki, Greece
Date: 23 September 2001
Summary: The greatest film ever!
It's a story of love, war, passion, jealousy, death, tragedy and ressurection. But, most of all, it's the story of a woman that dared to break the rules.Scarlett (an astonishing Vivien Leigh)is selfish, tough, and sometimes cruel, but she is remarkable because she took her life in her own hands. The film has a great cast.Apart from Mrs Leigh, notice Clark Gable as Rhett,Olivia de Havilland as Melanie, Leslie Howard as Asley and Hatty MacDaniel as Scarlet's Nanny (The first African-American actress that ever won an Academy Award for best supporting actress)It also has beautiful photography and hearttaking music. It's worth its place in the history of cinema plus all the Academy awarrds it got A must-see for everyone
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ilookgood2
California
Date: 17 August 2001
Summary: An Epic...
I can't believe that I had never seen this movie before I did!! I love this movie, as well, as a work of art with all the significance in each scene and different colors and actions signifying different themes through out the movie (e.g. the color Red... Rett [Red] and Scarlett) It is one film that with out a doubt I can call an epic!
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apuluvmanjula
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Date: 16 August 2001
Summary: Why I DON'T like this film...
It's not because of the production value. It is by far one of the most beautiful looking films ever made. The scenery is breathtaking and the sets phenomenal. It's almost hard to believe that such a vast film was made in 1939. When you live in a time with larger than life films being made on a regular basis with life-like CGI effects, a film that uses plain old ordinary sets and back lots really amazes you.
But a movie should be more than just production value. Hence the reason why I found this nearly four-hour movie to be extremely boring and not worthy of my time. Actually, the only true reason I practically despise this fabulously made film is the main character. Scarlet O'Hara is the quintessential (word I cannot use on this website). If I had to hear her say "fiddle-dee-dee" one more time, I was going to scream. Actually, she didn't say it all that much, but every single line she uttered was either a whine or a plea for pity. And this was in EVERY SCENE OF THE FILM!!!! It seems that I'm supposed to admire her constant, melodramatic pleas for her one and only true love, Ashley. Who cares that she married three men for no reason but to make the guy jealous (which by the way, did not work). Who cares that the only marriage that lasts somewhat is the one to Rhett in the last hour of the film where it gets so sappy and tedious that I almost felt like falling asleep. Now that could be because the film has been copied so much that having seen the rip-offs before watching the film itself ruined it for me. And maybe I'm being to hard on Scarlet and her very tumultuous life as that is the entire point of the epic picture. "GONE WITH THE WIND" simply wouldn't exist if Scarlet O'Hara wasn't the character she was. But when you hate the main character so much, that really tends to make the whole film seem really bad.
I will recommend this film, though, as it is--like maybe Rob Reiner would say, an essential--because the film represents what all epic films should be. I just wish Scarlet O'Hara had been a much more lovable character rather than the whiny, melodramatic ham I perceived her to be.
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m_finebesser (m.finebesser@ivillage.com)
London, UK
Date: 17 August 2001
Summary: Long on hype, short on believable performances
I know this comment will be viewed as sacrilege from the vast majority of movie lovers. This is just one woman's opinion. I find Gone With The Wind to be one of the greatest pageants ever filmed. The opening scene at Twelve Trees is a dressmaker's dream. The breadth and depth of the cast is amazing. This is clearly a big-budget epic. There are many people who love grand-scale epics for, well, the sheer grandiosity of it. This is what makes movies such an individual experience. I am not one of those people.
I love believable characters, thoughtful premises, clever plot twists, terrific acting, and witty dialogue. Gone With The Wind has all of these things, but only a sampling of them. Clark Gable is tremendous as Rhett Butler and Ona Munson is unforgettable as Belle Watling. But (here comes more heresy) Vivian Leigh's over-the-top frenetic performance of Scarlet O'Hara is bad acting at its zenith. She is never anything but a cartoon. And, she is supposed to carry the film. Even worse is an insipid Leslie Howard as Ashley Wilkes. Hattie McDaniel is great as Mammy (It is a disgrace to realize that it was 62 more years before a Black woman could win another Oscar, also for Supporting Actress). But Thomas Mitchell is present in body only as Scarlet's father. The rest of the all-star cast fares much better in their bit parts.
This is one movie that has never lived up to its legend for me.
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Doreen (babeelmo1)
Staten Island, NY
Date: 15 August 2001
Summary: What A Movie!
This has to be the all time greats of movies. I first saw this movie when I was 18 and immediately was riveted by Vivian Leigh's portrayal of a Southern Bell. Scarlet's survival instincts and conniving manner keep you entertained through both tapes. And her infamous line "I'll just worry about that tomorrow!" is said in all the right places. My only regret is that we weren't as advanced in cinematography when the movie was released as we are now. This is definitely a movie collector's must have.
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stamper
Holland
Date: 13 August 2001
Summary: Gone with the Wind? Not yet!
It is really amazing that even now, over 60 years later this film can still be enjoyed. I mean comedic standards change, filmmaking techniques change, special effects change and so on. But all that did not made a difference to this films class. The jokes still work, the set decoration is good, the battle scenes and effects are still good (even nowadays and I didn't even watch the restored version from 1998), the film has a couple of great shots and a lot of diversity. But it is the effort and class of the two leading actors that make this film so good and worth while. Vivian Leigh is just perfect as the breathtaking and naive yet selfish and cruel Scarlett whereas Clark Gable pulls off the best ungentlemanly yet likeable money chaser I've ever seen. The combination of these two is really great, with Scarlett always whining and pretending to be such a poor, poor girl while Clark Gable makes fun of her and enjoys it himself extent.
The thing that I found most amazing though was that although I felt not for Scarlett until the very end of the film, I found myself in the same situation as Rhett Butler. I fell for the charm of Scarlett and I must say, I sometimes hated myself for loving her. This is a classic film in many ways and one I must say I cannot imagine they will remake soon, because everyone who has seen this film, has the characters as they were portrayed by Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh imprinted into their memory forever.
8 out of 10
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cottonsbaby
Milledgeville, Georgia
Date: 9 August 2001
Summary: Cinema at its best!
I suppose that I would be a little bias about my favorite movie. I was a bit surprised that it isn't ranked closer to the top but it's not hard to understand why more recent films stand out in the minds of viewers. Gone With The Wind marked a new era for Hollywood and is a tribute to it's great epics. This movie stirs up so many emotions in one's soul and had a wonderfully talented cast. It's a testament to great film making. They really don't make films like this anymore!
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lora61 (lora5588@hotmail.com)
Date: 11 August 2001
Summary: An enduring movie one doesn't forget
As with so many other viewers, I saw this movie when I was young and impressionable. It becomes a part of your psyche and I'm still impressed every time I see it even today, fifty years later. I'm compelled to watch whenever it's on TV. What can I say? It's just the best movie ever -- some fantastic scenery, beautiful costumes, great acting, and haunting, timeless music!
Vivien Leigh happens to be my favorite actress and I enjoy seeing her perform in other roles played before and after this memorable one. Obviously I'm not an impartial critic. Seeing her in "Waterloo Bridge" is a wonderful treat as she reverts back to her British roots.
Also, I do admire Olivia de Havilland for her mature acting ability at so young an age, and she later went on to garner awards in her own right.
-- from just one more devoted fan.
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blktoptrvl
Date: 5 August 2001
Summary: Wow, I was wrong.
Maybe it is that it is because it is so steeped in "southern tradition." I certainly don't like to see the way African-Americans are portrayed. Maybe it is because the last time I saw the film it was on TNT(?) and they mercilessly cut and subdivided the movie - putting freeze frames in prior to commercials.
Today, I just watched the movie from beginning to end - uncut and I must say that I enjoyed it. It is very well written and a powerful romance.
I recommend this to anyone who wants to see a good movie - as long as they too watch it uncut and uninterrupted.
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harry-76
Cleveland, Ohio USA
Date: 3 August 2001
Summary: Less Sting, but Still Windy
The facts speak for themselves: a (to date) 62-year-old film; one of the all-time best box office grossers; enjoyed five major theatrical releases, including wide-screen versions; VHS, laser disc, and now DVD transfers--and three major restorations.
Folks are still talking about it: debating its value-- agreeing, disagreeing, agreeing in part but taking exceptions... It's quite a work that David O. Selznick and his superb production company fashioned.
On the purely technical achievement side, there's almost unanimous consent that the film is a historical milestone. After that, opinions are beginning to vary.
There's evidence that some folks today aren't quite as smitten by it as in the 40's through, say, the 60's. They're beginning to take note of some of the sociological implications, as the narrative is told from the perspective of the land-owner/slave-owner/ruling/upper class. The narrative begs the audience to identify and empathize with this aristocratic echelon, and to see the beauty and grace of this society through the land owner's eyes.
Well, some folks aren't completely buying that perspective any more. They're starting to think about the sweat, tears, and broken lives upon which this aristocracy has built its so-called genteel world. They're also beginning to embrace characters and situations untold here -- while applauding such efforts as Alice Randall's 2001 spinoff/parody ("The Wind Done Gone") to at least help set records straight.
Of course, there are many tales told from the perspective of the ruling class, whose power has come from the enslavement and domination of others. So it really depends upon how the viewer tends to see things. One has a feeling, though, that GWTW will continue to be viewed with an increasingly suspicious eye, as years pass.
There's also a feeling that it will remain a "classic," being a genuine marking point in cinematic history as to how films were made. It's technical influence is still felt today, and many audience members are still captivated by the total sweep and power of its superb production values.
So, the Wind's still heartily blowing, and there's every indication it will continue to do so for some time to come.
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XULILIXU
Indiana, U.S.
Date: 20 July 2001
Summary: I love this movie!
Gone With The Wind is so wonderful, it's hard to believe it was made in the 30s. What I like most about this film is that the characters are so real that you think you know them personally. GWTW is about Scarlett O'Hara. She loves Ashley, but Ashley is married to his cousin, Melanie. So she married Melanie's brother Charles( a total loser) in spite. The war started, so the men goes off to fight and Charles died two weeks later. Scarlett moved in with Melanie in Atlanta. She ruined her reputation dancing with Rhett. Then more stuff happened. The plot is quite simple, but the strong characters saves this film along with other things. The music is great, the sceneries are nice, and the costumes are the best. Oh, did I mention that the acting is to near perfection by all the cast?
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zetes
Beloit, WI
Date: 13 July 2001
Summary: Yuck
Probably the most overblown, overrated classical film there is, GWTW fails in almost every account, acting being the biggest. The screenplay is poor in every respect. There are about three scenes that work, all in the first half (all the ones that are particularly famous), but the second half is nothing but dreck. Scarlette O'Hara is perhaps the most selfish, most annoying character ever committed to celluloid, and Rhett Butler is not much better. I sympathized with him, though, because his rudeness came about when having to deal with HER. And about the racism: you may attribute the casual racism to the era in which GWTW was made, but I feel this is unfair. Sure, people were racist at the time, in the North and in the South, but few in the 1930s would have argued against emancipation. This film is NOT just trying to depict how things were in the 1860s, but is actually arguing for slavery. And against the 15th amendment (? maybe 14th; blacks' right to vote, anyways). There is a scene where carpetbaggers are shown as cowardly, evil people as they try to convince black men to vote. How evil this movie is.
For comparison, read the novels of William Faulkner. It would be wrong to deny that he was racist, but, unlike GWTW, he writes about similar events with intelligence. In his novel The Unvanquished, there is a scene that is cognate to the carpetbaggers' trying to get the black men to vote. He does not, however, depict the carpetbaggers as caricatures, but depicts the pathos of the situation.
So the question arises: why does this Margaret Mitchell crap still exist when we as Americans have William Faulkner's insightful novels? It's just the stupidity of this country, I guess.
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Rob Ribar (RwRobo@AOL.com)
New Jersey, USA
Date: 6 July 2001
Summary: The ultimate piece of cinema
GWTW is possibly the greatest film of all time. It neatly blends acting, script and beautiful art direction into a stunning film. Not many movies can hold your attention for four hours and this can. Vivien Leigh deliveres a powerhouse performance which is quite possibly the greatest of all time. She never loses her momentum despite the fact she is on screen in almost every scene. Together with Clark Gabel, Leslie Howard, and Hattie McDaniel she creates the ultimate Hollywood picture. GWTW is revolutinary also in it's brilliant use of color and art direction as well as landmark special effects. I give Gone With the Wind a 10 out of 10 and should be higher on both the AFI's list and IMDb's.
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sddavis63 (sddavis63@yahoo.com)
Ontario, Canada
Date: 4 July 2001
Summary: An Old Classic That Holds Up Well To The Test Of Time
I have watched a lot of movies over the years, and yet - as hard as it is to believe - I had never watched "Gone With The Wind" from beginning to end until now. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it still deserves to be considered a classic, even 62 years after its release.
It's true that this movie is far from perfect. It is overly sympathetic to the south, and foolishly romanticizes "Old Dixie." Masters and slaves were just one big happy family if you choose to believe this account. (In fairness the screenplay does point out, through the eyes of Rhett Butler, the foolishness of the South even getting into this war, let alone believing that it could actually win the thing.) The Civil War itself seemed to pass at lightning speed, which perhaps contributes to some questionable historical references. For example, reference is made seemingly early in the War to General Lee "pushing the Yankees out of Virginia." The problem is that I can't find any reference to Lee commanding troops in battle that early in the War. OK. That's pretty picky perhaps. There is certainly, however, the racist stereotyping of the happy slaves who just wish those damn Yankees would go away and let them go back to their nice, comfortable lives in the fields and slave huts, although that has to be looked at in the context of 1939; there is a very strange lack of southern accents among these Confederates; and, at about 3 and a half hours the movie is inexcusably long. The second half especially drags a little bit and lacks the sustained excitement of the first 90 minutes or so.
Having said all that, the negatives definitely do not outweigh the positives. Where to begin? How about the acting! There really isn't a weak performance anywhere, and there are a number of standouts. Is it even possible to imagine anyone but Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh as Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara? These two were superb in these roles. The chemistry between them literally drips from the screen as their complex love-hate relationship is explored. Gable demonstrated great versatility as he moved seamlessly from greedy blockade runner to doting father to abusive husband. Leigh captured the essence of Scarlett perfectly, and was very convincing in her statements of her love for Tara, the family plantation. Hattie McDaniel was great as Mammy - the house slave, and Olivia de Havilland put on a strong performance as Melanie Wilkes, the woman who married Scarlett's true love.
I was especially impressed by the special effects in this movie - especially the scenes as Rhett and Scarlett rush through Atlanta's streets as the city burns down around them. There was also good use of low-key humour scattered throughout, which helped to break some of the dramatic tension in what was for the most part a pretty dark movie.
So, yes, even after 62 years, this holds up well. Every movie fan should watch it at least once. I rate it as an 8/10.
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klaw32
Date: 1 July 2001
Summary: Gone with the Wind--Glorification of Racist Traitors
Gone with the Wind the greatest? Please. Scarlett O'Hara was a simpering white girl who we are supposed to feel bad for. I watched the movie (once) and felt bad for the people unfortunate enough to be owned by her. The entire movie was a glorification of an evil and degenerate lifestyle (yes, folks, owning people as human chattel was evil and wrong). Gee, I wonder what everyone would say if they made a movie sympathetic to the Nazi regime. Heck, let's cry and "be moved" because Hitler didn't get his way in WWII. Wake up, people. Read Beloved if you want a true picture of a "time long gone."
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Malu
Belgium
Date: 28 June 2001
Summary: Along with Silence of the Lambs my favorite movie of all time
How can anyone NOT love this movie? I have seen GTWT more times than I can remember, and every time again it moves me to tears, or causes me to laugh, or simply brings a smile to my face. This is truly the most magnificent picture ever, as is the book the most amazing book ever written.
Scarlett O'Hara is the most memorable female character ever portrayed on film in my eyes: She's strong, independent, stubborn, horrible yet lovable at the same time. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her at the end of the movie (is it a spoiler if I say this? I mean, if you don't know what the ending's about you're truly from another planet) and her motives are clear and understandable with everything she says and does.
Rhett Butler is just... you can't help but love him. He's such a jerk sometimes, but all you want to do is just kiss him and love him the way Scarlett should. He is the kind of man mothers warn you about: totally wrong for you, yet you can't help but fall in love with him.
Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh simply CREATE these characters. Their acting is superb, especially Leigh's: she IS Scarlett, there could have never been anyone else to play her. Clark and her have the *best* chemistry and I rank them my absolutely favorite movie couple of all time. Top notch are all acting perfomances in this splendid picture. Olivia is perfect as Melly, Hattie is just Mammy, no actor but Leslie could have portrayed our wooden gentleman Ashley Wilkes in a better way,... I could go on and on. I feel for these characters as if they are real. And for me, they are. Tara is real. The story is real. For me, this movie is. It is a part of my soul, I will love it till I die.
Who could ever forget Scarlett's words "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again"? Rhett's "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn?" Classic lines from the mother of all classics. This movie taught Hollywood how to make movies. From Gone With The Wind came Casablanca came Citizen Kane came The Godfather came Silence Of The Lambs came every classic ever made. I'm having a hard time believing this picture is (currently) ranked outside the top 100 Movies of all time here on the IMDB site. It should be among the top 10 movies, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm quite sure I'm not the only one.
GTWT is just the classic of all classics, and I feel blessed to have been able to see such a magnificent piece of film-making. I love, LOVE this movie, more than I can say and I will until my dying day.
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