Gone with the Wind – a Classic American Masterpiece

Gone With the Wind – A Classic American Masterpiece

There are few movies that are unforgettable and that stay with us for the rest of our lives. Gone With the Wind (GWTW) is one of these movies. It is a movie that has been celebrated throughout its 75 years. The first time I watched it I didn’t grasp the meaning; only later in life did I understand what it meant. GWTW, released in 1939, was an instant success. GWTW could not have been released at a better time: on the eve of the Second World War. People flocked to the theaters to be swept up in a thrilling story of love and war, trying to forget about the danger of the real war they were facing. Aljan Harmetz states it well in his book On The Road To Tara, “Occasionally, a movie is lucky enough to be made at a perfect moment. On the edge of a cataclysm, Gone With the Wind and its audience raced toward each other” (Harmetz 21). It is true that the movie’s timing was impeccable, but the movie would have stood the test of time regardless.

The film, set in the 19th century, before, during, and after the civil war, has a tendency to romanticize slavery and plantation life in the Deep South. It has become a classic example of the social tensions and history of the time period. The plot centers around young Scarlett O’Hara (Vivian Leigh), who is a spoiled southern belle living on one of the many plantations in the South. Scarlett is a huge flirt and the movie depicts her as unfaithful: moving from boy to boy. She cares little for the people around her, and is an unsympathetic character. It is very hard to classify Scarlett as the “heroine”, but the “hero” of this movie definitely shines through. Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) from the start of the movie will find a much deserved place in your heart. Rhett falls in love with Scarlett O’Hara at the start of the movie, but Scarlett has her sights set on another. Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), a young southern gentleman who is currently engaged to Melanie Hamilton (Olivia De...