"[114] The film's removal sparked a debate about political correctness going too far, with film critics and historians criticising HBO over potential censorship. Here are the movies we're most excited for in 2021. Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from the 1936 novel, of the same name, by Margaret Mitchell.Set in the American South against the backdrop of the American Civil War and the Reconstruction era, the film tells the story of Scarlett O'Hara, the strong-willed daughter of a Georgia plantation owner. [81] The film was phenomenally successful in Western Europe too, generating approximately 35 million tickets in the United Kingdom and over 16 million in France, respectively becoming the biggest and sixth-biggest ticket-sellers in those markets. Emanuel Levy, Cukor's biographer, claimed that Gable had worked Hollywood's gay circuit as a hustler and that Cukor knew of his past, so Gable used his influence to have him discharged. [94] Schlesinger notes that the first half of the film does have a "sweep and vigor" that aspire to its epic theme, but—finding agreement with the film's contemporary criticisms—the personal lives take over in the second half, and it ends up losing its theme in unconvincing sentimentality. [65], Upon its release, Gone with the Wind broke attendance records everywhere. The tide of war turns against the Confederacy after the Battle of Gettysburg, in which many of the men of Scarlett's town are killed. [91][92] Both Schickel and Andrew Sarris identify the film's main failing is in possessing a producer's sensibility rather than an artistic one: having gone through so many directors and writers the film does not carry a sense of being "created" or "directed", but rather having emerged "steaming from the crowded kitchen", where the main creative force was a producer's obsession in making the film as literally faithful to the novel as possible. These characters feel SO real! Selznick refused to let us eat lunch, arguing that food would slow us up. Later that evening, Rhett, having heard the rumors, forces Scarlett to attend a birthday party for Ashley. At the Capitol Theatre in New York alone, it averaged eleven thousand admissions per day in late December,[37] and within four years of its release had sold an estimated sixty million tickets across the United States—sales equivalent to just under half the population at the time. The casting was widely praised, and many reviewers found Leigh especially suited to her role as Scarlett. Selznick hired Susan Myrick (an expert on Southern speech, manners and customs recommended to him by Mitchell) and Will A. [19], The idea was revived in the 1990s, when a sequel was finally produced in 1994, in the form of a television miniseries. Directed by Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood. [3][4], Before publication of the novel, several Hollywood executives and studios declined to create a film based on it, including Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Pandro Berman at RKO Pictures, and David O. Selznick of Selznick International Pictures. Steiner spent twelve weeks working on the score, the longest period that he had ever spent writing one, and at two hours and thirty-six minutes long it was also the longest that he had ever written. The Old Mill Park, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. [8] Selznick used the delay to continue to revise the script and, more importantly, build publicity for the film by searching for the role of Scarlett. [37] In the case of The Birth of a Nation, its distributor, Epoch, sold off many of its distribution territories on a "states rights" basis—which typically amounted to 10 percent of the box-office gross—and Epoch's accounts are only indicative of its own profits from the film, and not the local distributors. Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind. [103], From 1972 to 1996, the Atlanta Historical Society held a number of Gone with the Wind exhibits, among them a 1994 exhibit which was titled, "Disputed Territories: Gone with the Wind and Southern Myths". Oscars Best Picture Winners: 7 Blu-ray Box Sets You Should Buy, Trump Criticizes Oscars’ Record-Low Ratings: ‘Don’t Be So Politically Correct and Boring’, 22 ways to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, Top 100 Movies as Rated by Women on IMDb in 2016, The Top 200 Movies as Rated by Women on IMDb in 2018, Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Things From the Week of Oct. 15. [5][8], The arrangement to release through MGM meant delaying the start of production until the end of 1938, when Selznick's distribution deal with United Artists concluded. [68] By the time MGM withdrew it from circulation, at the end of 1943, its worldwide distribution had returned a gross rental (the studio's share of the box office gross) of $32 million, making it the most profitable film ever made up to that point. [51] Similarly, Hoellering found her "perfect" in "appearance and movements"; he felt her acting best when she was allowed to "accentuate the split personality she portrays" and thought she was particularly effective in such moments of characterization like the morning after the marital rape scene. But Gone With the Wind is perhaps not that interesting a test case. Carl E. Milliken, secretary of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association, estimated that The Birth of a Nation had been seen by fifty million people by 1930. "[52], While the film was praised for its fidelity to the novel,[51] this aspect was also singled out as the main factor in contributing to the lengthy running time. [51] Hattie McDaniel's performance as Mammy was singled out for praise by many critics: Nugent believed she gave the best performance in the film after Vivien Leigh,[51] with Flinn placing it third after Leigh's and Gable's performances. [38][71] Successful re-releases in 1954 and 1961 enabled it to retain its position as the industry's top earner, despite strong challenges from more recent films such as Ben-Hur,[75] but it was finally overtaken by The Sound of Music in 1966. gone with the wind phrase. The Gone With The Wind narrative, along with the accolades it has received, makes for a perfect American metaphor. While perpetuating some Lost Cause myths, the film makes concessions with regard to others. The leading roles are played by Vivien Leigh (Scarlett), Clark Gable (Rhett), Leslie Howard (Ashley), and Olivia de Havilland (Melanie). [19][43], In 1978, CBS signed a deal worth $35 million to broadcast the film twenty times over as many years. A double bill of Hawaiian Nights and Beau Geste was playing, but after the first feature it was announced that the theater would be screening a preview; the audience were informed they could leave but would not be readmitted once the film had begun, nor would phone calls be allowed once the theater had been sealed. [9], Cinematographer Lee Garmes began the production, but on March 11, 1939—after a month of shooting footage that Selznick and his associates regarded as "too dark"—was replaced with Ernest Haller, working with Technicolor cinematographer Ray Rennahan. It follows her romantic pursuit of Ashley Wilkes, who is married to his cousin, Melanie Hamilton, and her subsequent marriage to Rhett Butler. In July 1936—a month after it was published—Selznick bought the rights for $50,000. In a letter to his wife two days later, Selznick admitted that Leigh was "the Scarlett dark horse", and after a series of screen tests, her casting was announced on January 13, 1939. [41] For its 1967 re-release, the film was blown up to 70mm,[9] and issued with updated poster artwork featuring Gable—with his white shirt ripped open—holding Leigh against a backdrop of orange flames. Would recommend to anyone.And make yourself a favor and don't watch the sequel.. the movie ends the way it does for a reason. [62][64] Malcolm X later recalled that "when Butterfly McQueen went into her act, I felt like crawling under the rug". [26] Tara, the fictional Southern plantation house, existed only as a plywood and papier-mâché facade built on the Selznick studio lot. [105], W. Bryan Rommel Ruiz has argued that despite factual inaccuracies in its depiction of the Reconstruction period, Gone with the Wind reflects contemporary interpretations of it that were common in the early 20th century. "[15], A pressing issue for Selznick throughout casting was Hollywood's persistent failure to accurately portray Southern accents. If we are to create a more just, equitable and inclusive future, we must first acknowledge and understand our history. This historical novel features a coming-of-age story, with the title taken from the poe… 14 wins & 12 nominations. "[28], About 300,000 people came out in Atlanta for the film's premiere at the Loew's Grand Theatre on December 15, 1939. [52] Of the other principal cast members, both Hoellering and Flinn found Leslie Howard to be "convincing" as the weak-willed Ashley, with Flinn identifying Olivia de Havilland as a "standout" as Melanie;[52][53] Nugent was also especially taken with de Havilland's performance, describing it as a "gracious, dignified, tender gem of characterization". Upon her return home, Scarlett finds Tara deserted, except for her father, her sisters, and former slaves Mammy and Pork. It was re-released periodically throughout the 20th century and became ingrained in popular culture. Are any of the actors from the credited cast alive today? I wish people made more movies like this nowadays..Yes! [40] There were further re-releases in 1971, 1974 and 1989; for the fiftieth anniversary reissue in 1989, it was given a complete audio and video restoration. Scarlett does not know he is in the room when she pleads with Ashley to choose her instead of Melanie. [130] In 2003, Leigh and Gable (as Scarlett and Rhett) were ranked number 95 on VH1's list of the "200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons of All Time". – #31, "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again." It enjoyed a more-than-30-year reign as the all-time Hollywood box office champion, and it won eight Academy Awards (in addition to two honorary awards). – Nominated, This page was last edited on 7 May 2021, at 22:47. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell Gone with the Wind is a novel by American writer Margaret Mitchell, first published in 1936. It is well worth anyone's time. Scarlett learns that her secret crush Ashley Wilkes is to be married to his cousin, Melanie Hamilton. In effect he said he is an honest craftsman and he cannot do a job unless he knows it is a good job and he feels the present job is not right. For the role of Rhett Butler, Selznick wanted Clark Gable from the start, but Gable was under contract to MGM, which never loaned him to other studios. There are moments when the two categories meet on good terms, but the long stretches between are filled with mere spectacular efficiency. He wrote that "it continues to give cover to those who falsely claim that clinging to the iconography of the plantation era is a matter of 'heritage, not hate'. She has vitality. Victor Fleming, who was directing The Wizard of Oz, was called in from MGM to complete the picture, although Cukor continued privately to coach Leigh and De Havilland. When adjusted for monetary inflation, it is still the highest-grossing film in history. [71][78] Including its $6.7 million rental from the 1961 reissue,[79] it was the fourth highest-earner of the decade in the North American market, with only The Sound of Music, The Graduate and Doctor Zhivago making more for their distributors. He provided bananas and salted peanuts ... thus on the seventh day I had completed, unscathed, the first nine reels of the Civil War epic. [40], Upon its release, consumer magazines and newspapers generally gave Gone with the Wind excellent reviews;[9] however, while its production values, technical achievements, and scale of ambition were universally recognized, some reviewers of the time found the film to be too long and dramatically unconvincing. [62] Meanwhile, screenwriter Sidney Howard became the first posthumous Oscar winner and Selznick personally received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for his career achievements. There is a new man there that day, the day the Civil War begins. It set records for the total number of wins and nominations at the time. "But despite the number of writers and changes, the final script was remarkably close to Howard's version. It ran for four hours and twenty-five minutes; it was later cut to under four hours for its proper release. In the official credits filed with the Screen Writers Guild, Sidney Howard was of course awarded the sole screen credit, but four other writers were appended ... Jo Swerling for contributing to the treatment, Oliver H. P. Garrett and Barbara Keon to screenplay construction, and Hecht, to dialogue ..."[21], Principal photography began January 26, 1939, and ended on July 1, with post-production work continuing until November 11, 1939. [39], A 1961 release of the film commemorated the centennial anniversary of the start of the Civil War, and it also included a gala "premiere" at the Loew's Grand Theater. – #59, "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies." Despite many excellent scenes, he considered the drama to be unconvincing and that the "psychological development" had been neglected. The movies that are as good as the original books? [124], Gone with the Wind and its production have been explicitly referenced, satirized, dramatized and analyzed on numerous occasions across a range of media, from contemporaneous works such as Second Fiddle—a 1939 film spoofing the "search for Scarlett"—to current television shows, such as The Simpsons. When the title appeared on the screen the audience cheered, and after it had finished it received a standing ovation. “[Gone With the Wind] is a film that, when it is not ignoring the horrors of slavery, pauses only to perpetuate some of the most painful stereotypes of people of color,” Ridley wrote. Two grifters team up to pull off the ultimate con. They acted scenes based on Sidney Howard's original script which needed to be rewritten in a hurry. I … At the 12th Academy Awards, it received ten Academy Awards (eight competitive, two honorary) from thirteen nominations, including wins for Best Picture, Best Director (Fleming), Best Adapted Screenplay (posthumously awarded to Sidney Howard), Best Actress (Leigh), and Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel, becoming the first African American to win an Academy Award). When Scarlett begs him to run away with her, he confesses his desire for her and kisses her passionately, but says he cannot leave Melanie. British actors Joanne Whalley and Timothy Dalton were cast as Scarlett and Rhett, and the series follows Scarlett's relocation to Ireland after she again becomes pregnant by Rhett. Recalling the episode in a letter to screenwriter friend Gene Fowler, he said he hadn't read the novel but Selznick and director Fleming could not wait for him to read it. [53] Leigh won in the Best Actress category for her performance at the 1939 New York Film Critics Circle Awards. Although some of Cukor's scenes were later reshot, Selznick estimated that "three solid reels" of his work remained in the picture. Search for "Gone with the Wind" on Amazon.com, Title: When Rhett returns from an extended trip to London, Scarlett informs him that she is pregnant, but an argument ensues which results in her falling down a flight of stairs and suffering a miscarriage. [87][88], In revisiting the film in the 1970s, Arthur Schlesinger believed that Hollywood films generally age well, revealing an unexpected depth or integrity, but in the case of Gone with the Wind time has not treated it kindly. The answer isn’t to sideline it. But Ashley, the man she has wanted for so long, is going to marry his placid cousin, Melanie. Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression-era South, defends a black man against an undeserved rape charge, and his children against prejudice. Filming was delayed for two years because of Selznick's determination to secure Gable for the role of Rhett Butler, and the "search for Scarlett" led to 1,400 women being interviewed for the part. A distraught Scarlett returns home to Tara, vowing to one day win Rhett back. [36] Premieres in New York and Los Angeles followed, the latter attended by some of the actresses that had been considered for the part of Scarlett, among them Paulette Goddard, Norma Shearer and Joan Crawford. Horse-drawn carriages. British POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors, not knowing that the allied forces are planning to destroy it. Dale O'Connor . We worked in this fashion for seven days, putting in eighteen to twenty hours a day. [19], "By the time of the film's release in 1939, there was some question as to who should receive screen credit", writes Yeck. [19] It became at that time the highest-rated television program ever presented on a single network, watched by 47.5 percent of the households sampled in America, and 65 percent of television viewers, still the record for the highest-rated film to ever air on television. After two male musicians witness a mob hit, they flee the state in an all-female band disguised as women, but further complications set in. Gone with the Wind the novel, despite its repugnant racism, is actually a sophisticated and surprisingly modern take on gender politics that features a complex female protagonist. [64], In the 21st century, criticism of the film's depictions of race and slavery led to its availability being curtailed. But we've known that for years; the tainted nostalgia comes with the territory. [99] In 2014, it placed fifteenth in an extensive poll undertaken by The Hollywood Reporter, which balloted every studio, agency, publicity firm and production house in the Hollywood region. [62] Even so, some sections of the black community recognized McDaniel's achievements to be representative of progression: some African-Americans crossed picket lines and praised McDaniel's warm and witty characterization, and others hoped that the industry's recognition of her work would lead to increased visibility on screen for other black actors. [16][17], Of the original screenplay writer, Sidney Howard, film historian Joanne Yeck writes, "reducing the intricacies of Gone with the Wind's epic dimensions was a herculean task ... and Howard's first submission was far too long, and would have required at least six hours of film; ... [producer] Selznick wanted Howard to remain on the set to make revisions ... but Howard refused to leave New England [and] as a result, revisions were handled by a host of local writers". Gone With the Wind is a representation of the worst myths America still holds about itself. "[20], According to Hecht's biographer William MacAdams, "At dawn on Sunday, February 20, 1939, David Selznick ... and director Victor Fleming shook Hecht awake to inform him he was on loan from MGM and must come with them immediately and go to work on Gone with the Wind, which Selznick had begun shooting five weeks before. [5] Early frontrunners included Miriam Hopkins and Tallulah Bankhead, who were regarded as possibilities by Selznick prior to the purchase of the film rights; Joan Crawford, who was signed to MGM, was also considered as a potential pairing with Gable. The original screenplay was written by Sidney Howard and underwent many revisions by several writers in an attempt to reduce it to a suitable length. [14] Just before the shooting of the film, Selznick informed newspaper columnist Ed Sullivan: "Scarlett O'Hara's parents were French and Irish. 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