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Rating:  - Scarlett O'Hara against the Whole World!
As Reviewer Gary F. Taylor clearly states in his excellent review do not expect historical accuracy nor political-correctness from this film. More than 60 years has elapsed since it was filmed and IMHO it will be unfair to focus on those two items to evaluate it.
The story is well known; still I'll sketch it for reviewing convenience.
Scarlett O'Hara is a very young & mercurial wealthy southern heiress just at the start of Civil War. She is infatuated with his neighbor Ashley Wilkes.
Rhett Butler is a mysterious gentleman from Charleston, skeptical about war.
He eavesdrop Scarlett's desperate love declaration to Ashley and his rejection. He is somehow enticed by this passionate girl. He makes a gallant overture but he is turned down cold by angry Scarlett.
War erupts disturbing everybody's life!
Ashley marries his cousin Melanie and immediately departs to the front. Distressed Scarlett marries one of her suitors and soon become a young widow.
In a few years South is starting to be defeated and Sherman's invading forces find Scarlett at Atlanta. Rhett rescue her from the burning city.
As South sinks, so does Scarlett & company... nevertheless she will struggle with each menace, peril or foe with all her strength using whatever resource she has at hand.
The movie is the chronicle of her deeds and its costs!
Clark Gable performance's as Rhett Butler is really top-notch, deserving his Oscar nomination (and more). With subtleness he composes a complex character: cynic yet chivalrous, tough yet kindhearted, detached yet madly in love with Scarlett.
Vivien Leigh's Scarlett is a legendary performance. She portrays Scarlett from nearly adolescent until a grown up woman, from a scatterbrained damsel into a willful business woman. Her Oscar was more than well deserved.
What to say about the "secondary" or "supporting" actresses & actors! Olivia de Havilland (nothing less), Oscar nominee; Hattie McDaniel, Oscar winner; Leslie Howard gives an excellent performance, even personifying lukewarm character; Butterfly McQueen as childish irresponsible Prissy; Ward Bond in a minor role; veteran Harry Davenport as Dr. Meade and so on.
All technical items are exceptional!
Ernest Haller's color picture is unbelievable beautiful. Atlanta burning images are just unforgettable. Prolific Haller, more than 182 films, won his only Oscar with this film yet he will be nominated several times more.
Musical score authored by multi-awarded Max Steiner underlines each scene & mood outstandingly.
Director Victor Fleming will be always remembered for directing this film, nevertheless even if he never repeated such allure he directed some other excellent ones as this film, The Wizard of Oz(1939), Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (1941) and Joan of Arc, this last film is IMHO very underrated, deserving better treatment.
A Classic movie you should see and appreciate!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.
Rating:  - Over Wrought
I've seen Gone With the Wind many, many times. Each additional time I've seen it it gets worse. The acting is often over stated, and the casting is sometimes questionable, as well. Could it have hurt the producers to have used real Americans to play Americans in an American made movie about Americans? Clark Gable is awesome as Rhett Butler, and the buck stops there. But the worst problems with GWtW is it insipid portrayal of Blacks, its racist tones, and its shabby reflection on history. Scarlett O'Hara is not a likable character. Up until the final curtain, she's continually selfish and self-centered. Four hours of Scarlett is about 3.5 hours too much.
Rating: - Great purpose
This film took some leaps and really put its lead out there when he said, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. Nice acting as well with a powerful story.
Rating: - ...And Still Champion
There are great movies and each generation has its favorite...very few stand the test of time, so let me begin by saying--This is the greatest movie ever made! There have been other great movies loved by movie aficionados, critics and the casual fan--but not like this one and not for such duration of time. If you have not seen this movie, it is the one movie you must see. The color, the cinematography, the pastoral sets, the Burning of Atlanta the creative juxtaposing of scenes and characters; these are all integral parts of an American masterpiece. There are so many individual great scenes; wonderfully crafted and beautifully acted, the movie must be seen to be appreciated. If you appreciate American literature, or American history or just a damn good story this movie is for you. It spans the period before, during and after the greatest conflict in our nation's history. The magnitude of that epic struggle is vividly portrayed. The casting is perfect, the acting is flawless; whether it is a major character or a minor character; they all are what a reader of the novel could expect. All in all there has never been a greater movie.
Rating: - GWTW video
I slept through this 3-4 times as a toddler. Mother held my twin and I on her lap while father ran the projector at his theater.
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