Neither Best Nor Worst

Rating: Null/10 (26 February 2012)

Contrary to IMDb's many pro or con reviews, the movie is neither America's best nor worst. In fact, this is the only film I can think of where that truism might usefully apply. One thing for sure— whatever one thinks of the film, it is likely America's best-known movie. Anyway, after 500+ reviews, there's no need for detail, so let me summarize.
On the plus side. The cast amounts to perfect visual counterparts of their characters. Whatever you think of his or her performance, can you visualize anyone but Gable as Rhett or Leigh as Scarlett, etc. Also, the historical sweep is filmed in striking Technicolor. The fiery reds, glowing golds, and dusky darker shades lend considerable eye and emotional appeal. Then too, the musical score is outstanding and shrewdly applied, especially Tara's Theme. Finally, the drama has all the elements of effective soap opera—a long-suffering heroine, a handsome manly hero, and an assortment of well-etched supporting players. In sum, as spectacle, the film is lavishly and effectively produced.
On the minus side. The 4-hour run time is definitely too long, even for lavishly assembled soap opera. I expect the large number of script writers, both credited and uncredited, has much to do with that. Either way, 240-minutes is much too much for any one sitting. But, most importantly and most damningly, Gone With The Wind, whatever else, does its best to prettify a lie. Now, there's no need to go into the movie's nostalgic treatment of the slave- holding Old South or its bitter, one-sided treatment of the Union North. These cosmetic features are all too obvious and have become more decisive over the decades in judging the movie's worth. Certainly, that's the case with the negative reviews on this site.
Now, the larger issue of whether a movie can be legitimately enjoyed apart from its politics is too complex for this context. Instead, consider how American audiences would react were British rule over the American colonies romanticized in a similar spectacular and personal way. This is not intended to equate the Confederate South with British colonial rule, but the thought experiment does, I think, illustrate an important point.
Anyway, in my little book, this most celebrated of American movies remains an over-long and badly flawed spectacle that ironically attracts and repels at the same time. Perhaps that's why the film continues to occupy such a central place in our movie history.