Epic tale of love set during the Civil War

Rating: 10/10 (4 November 2000)

This Classic film tells the tale of the life and loves of Scarlett O'Hara (played to perfection by Vivien Leigh), a tough Southern Belle who survives the Civil War, shocks Southern society, and spends years chasing a love of which she can't let go while ignoring the one that is right before her eyes.
Based on Margaret Mitchell's best-selling novel, Gone With the Wind has become one of the most beloved films of all time, the love triangle between Scarlett, Rhett (Clark Gable), and Ashley (Leslie Howard) among the most famed.
Scarlett is a character that has captured public imagination; she is the girl we love to hate. She is selfish, calculating, and shrewd, she is impulsive, passionate, and single-minded in her pursuit of Ashley Wilkes. Despite her so obvious character flaws, the viewer can't help but fall in love with her, just as the men around her do, can't help but cheer her triumphs and empathize with her heartbreaks.
All of the characters in this film come alive to the viewer; the kind, sweet Melly who can never find fault with Scarlett; the confused Ashley Wilkes, who loves his wife but can't seem to make it clear to Scarlett; the tough "scoundrel" with a heart of gold, Rhett Butler; Mammy who loves her Scarlett while utterly disapproving of her; all of the Southern ladies and gentlemen who bravely face the destruction of their world and try valiently to adjust to the new one.
Gone With the Wind is not only the tale of a woman, but the tale of a civilization now gone. It is a tale of survival, of love and loss. Beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted, with stunning costumes and scenery, Gone With the Wind has delighted audiences for over 60 years, and will continue to do so for many to come.