"Gone With the Wind" the Movie is Over-rated...Novel is Great!

Rating: Null/10 (24 January 2006)

(Vivien Leigh was made for Scarlett's part.) Let's start with her. She has got to be the most overbearing brat that ever lived on film. Her father (Thomas Mitchell) taught her all that was important was the land, Tara, his plantation, her inheritance. Obviously, he forgot to mention the importance of family, Mother Ellen and sisters, Suellen and Carreen. Or if he did she wasn't listening. When it came to their wants, needs or relationships, Scarlett wasn't interested unless it was someone she needed. The only heart she showed was during the the war, while fighting to get herself, Melanie and Melanie's baby to safety. But we must remember that Rhett had left them and she, too, was hungry and scared. That can bring out the 'nobility' in most of us.
(Clark Gable IS Rhett Butler.) But Rhett doesn't do enough to put Scarlett in her place from the very beginning. After the war he gives her everything she wants, unless it interferes with his wants. But it's obvious he enjoys her fiery spirit (and ducking thrown vases) but he needs to be more firm about her attitude towards her others. Let her know it's not necessary to be so high-handed or self-center all of the time. As the movie progresses he becomes more cruel to her...a cruelty mixed with loathing. But I must say that he does a great job of standing around and looking very much the southern gentleman.
Then we have Ashley and Melanie Wilkes (Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland). Ashley is just plain wishy-wash. He doesn't have the testicular fortitude to come out and tell Scarlett he loves Melanie and that's that. But, of course, that might end the story right there. And Melanie is Scarlett's best buddy no matter what she's accused off.. That's because of all Scarlett does to get them home. The worst case of hero worship I've ever seen. But that I can understand.
(Hattie McDaniel plays Mammy to perfection.) Mammy, a wise strong woman of color, who tries to raise the girls right; this especially comes true after Miss Ellen (O'Hara) dies. We, still, have Gerald to care for his daughters, but with Miss Ellen's death, he's pretty much out of it.
It will be Mammy the girls' nurse who will take over there. She is a 'slave' (in body only, NOT in mind of spirit) who loves her 'family' and does all she can for them, but in spite of her obvious love, wisdom and dedication, a deaf ear is often turned towards her advise.
(Butterfly McQueen as Prissy.) She "don't know nothing' about birthin' babies, Miss Scarlett!". It's amazing, that in spite of her flightiness she sure learn's fast. And Ashley and Melanie's child is born.
They make it home. With the Civil War ended, we have a long drawn out Reconstruction Period. It wasn't handled as President Lincoln wanted it to be. He wanted the two halves of the nation to come together peacefully and rebuild the South. But his assassination stopped that plan.
During that time, because of Scarlett's selfish actions, we get to see the activities of the KKK. This because she wouldn't listen to the men about staying out of town and away from the undesirable element. No, she 'decides' to go to work and gets roughed up on the way. The men take over avenging her honor. Which brings about tragic results. But we do, finally, get to meet Belle Watling (Ona Munson), owner of a house of ill-repute and a friend and business partner of Rhett's.
What happens next? So much more than I can express here. Do Rhett and Scarlett finally get together? Does her infatuation with Ashley ever die? See the movie if you don't mind wasting 222 minutes of your life. Or better yet read the book. You can put it down when you need a break to figure out the threads that link the relationships. And there are many more relationships to solve in there!
I've given the reader of this comment my perspective on a famous novel/movie. The actors did well and I tried not to give out any spoilers. Here are some little asides:
1) When Margaret Mitchell was ask "who should play Rhett Butler?" Her calm, straight-faced answer was, "Groucho Marx."
2) Margaret was born November 8, 1900. She died August 16, 1949 after being struck by an automobile in a crosswalk in her home town.
3) She received $50,000 from David O. Selznik for the original film rights to her book. Then another $50,000 through another business transaction from Selznik.
4) After she passed away her brother, Stephen Mitchell, held the copyright to the book until his death. He didn't allow for a sequel.
5) In the 1990's Alexandra Ripley was chosen to write the sequel "Scarlett" It was done as a TV mini-series in 1994. Margaret and Stephen must both be spinning over in their graves now.