An epic movie in every meaning of the word

Rating: Null/10 (24 June 2018)

One of the most well-known films even today. Still the highest-grossing film ever released if you account for inflation. A grand epic about the times of American Civil War and how it affected a group of Southern landed gentry.
Starring the indomitable Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara, the oldest daughter and presumed heir of the Tara plantation, and Clark Gable as Rhett Butler, her on and off mentor slash rival slash romantic interest. The story revolves around Scarlett in the months leading up to the Civil War and in the years that followed. And what a character. Very few movies I've seen in my life I have been able to call Films with a capital F. But this belongs on that elusive list.
I find it especially intriguing how jaded they portray Scarlett. She is not a pleasant person, not at all. She's scheming, manipulative, almost purely after her own interest and she most certainly does not take a no for an answer. And yet the scene just before the interlude, where she swears that she and hers shall never suffer like they have suffered, is one of the strongest scenes I've ever see put on film. And the reason for that is the fact that you can understand where she is coming from. Likable she may not be. Admirable, on the other hand, oh so very much.
And it's not like she's a pure villain or a monster either. She is not immune to the suffering of others, she is loyal to those she considers hers and her sheer willpower and force of personality are certainly something to be praised.
She's also beautifully set up and contrasted by those around her. From Rhett Butler's more relaxed scheming to Melanie's (Olivia de Havilland) straight up sainthood.
The only real problem I have with the film is the way it shows its age. More specifically the way it portrays slaves. It is told from the point of view of the South, and it tends to portray slaves as a simpler people, who are being gently looked after by their white masters. More often than not the slaves are shown either as people of limited understanding or as straight up mentally handicapped. It usually isn't the focus of the film, but the story is about the Civil War so it's always on the background. And it is uncomfortable, to tell the truth.
Aside from that, the film is really good. A masterpiece. Masterfully acted, masterfully scripted, masterfully made. It is hard to recommend a film almost eighty years old and almost four hours in length to anyone. But in this case I believe the recommendation is more than warranted.