review

Rating: 7/10 (23 February 2015)

Review of "Gone with the Wind"
Southerners revile the idea of her and feminists shiver at the concept of her, for Scarlett O'Hara is manipulative, dishonest, and constantly in turmoil over the men in her life. Gone with the Wind depicts a tale of the survival of a woman in a world dominated by men. Scarlett O'Hara is described as "feisty" and "stubborn", not at all what many southerners feel accurately depicts the "gentility" of southern women (Ebert). Feminists find her to be a glorified southern belle, fitting the ideal illustration of "female bondage" (White). However, Scarlett O'Hara as seen in Gone with the Wind, depicts strong feminist principles in her determination, free spirit, and search for control over her own life. Although set in the 1860's, Gone with the Wind was released in 1939. Parallels can be drawn between elements of Scarlett O'Hara's personality and the women of the World War II time period. Women were just beginning to fill the jobs left vacant by men sent overseas, taking control of their economic situation. One of Scarlett O'Hara's motivating factors through out the movie is her need to sustain herself, her family, and her home. She alone controlled her economic status at first in a beneficial marriage, then by planting and picking the cotton on the plantation herself, and finally successfully running a lumber business. She sought control in all aspects of her life and became an inspiring character to the women of the 1930's. Ebert refers to Scarlett O' Hara as "the spiritual sister of Rosie the Riveter". The characteristics of Scarlett O'Hara identify with working women of The World War II era as well as more current time periods Scarlett O' Hara is portrayed by Vivian Leigh in the film adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind written by Margaret Mitchell. Leigh displayed Scarlett's determination as something described as "a demonic energy, a feverishness that would later tip over into illness and pathology" (White). This determination to "never be hungry again" motivates Scarlett "to lie, steal, cheat or kill." (Gone). Scarlett's fear of loss of control ultimately pushes her into marriages over and over again. It is within these marriages that she is able to provide for herself and control her life. This is clearly illustrated in the film when we see Scarlett driving through "Shanty Town" (Gone) without an escort. A woman of gentile birth would never dare to venture to such a town, but for Scarlett it is the only way to reach her lumber mill, which secures the promise of continued financial stability. The only thought in Scarlett's mind is that of economic sustainability and control, the idea of being afraid of such an area seems absurd to her character. Armond White concurs that Scarlett O'Hara does depict feminine principles in stating that "Scarlett embodies the secret masculinization of the outwardly feminine, the uninhibited will to act of every tomboy adolescent, here justified by the rule-bending crisis of war." Very much a topic of gossip, Scarlett pays little mind to tradition during a time where tradition and social standing were of utmost importance. Furthermore, Scarlett ever the personification of determination, purposefully instigates such gossip, breaking out against southern mourning traditions and attending balls to meet her next husband of choice. She is a survivor, as proved when she is quick to abandon the ways of the "Old South" and adapt to the ways of the Reconstruction Period so as not to experience any disadvantages (Gone). Scarlett eventually works her own cotton fields, abandoning the wealth and luxury of a previous time, in order to adapt to new demands. From the very beginning of the film, Scarlett expresses frustration with the social norms of femininity, "I'm tired of everlastingly being unnatural and never doing anything I want to do. I'm tired of acting like I don't eat more than a bird, and walking when I want to run and saying I feel faint after a waltz, when I could dance for two days and never get tired. I'm tired of saying, "How wonderful you are!" to fool men who haven't got one-half the sense I've got, and I'm tired of pretending I don't know anything, so men can tell me things and feel important while they're doing it " (Gone). Scarlett says what is on her mind, not to be held back by what was expected of women. She commands power yet accesses it through unusual avenues, such as running her business, for a women of her time and stature. This conflict makes Scarlett both hated and adored, striking, even dazzling, character. As the film comes to a close and audiences are accosted by the scene of Scarlett losing Rhett, those who abhor her cheer as Rhett declares, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn", an obstacle those audience members assume Scarlett will not be able to overcome. Those who were drawn to her tenacity and sheer will to survive, cling to the ever optimistic and determined response of "I'll think of some way to get him back. After all... tomorrow is another day" (Gone). No matter what occurs in the life of Scarlett O' Hara, her determination, free spirit, and search for control expose feminist principles in Gone with the Wind. After all, in her mind, tomorrow would come regardless.
Works Cited
Ebert, Roger. "Gone With the Wind Movie Review (1939)." Roger
Ebert.com. Ebert Digital LLC, 21 June 1998. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
Gone with the Wind. Dir. Victor Fleming. Prod. David O. Selznick. By Sidney Coe Howard, Max
Steiner, and Ernest Haller. Perf. Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia De
Havilland, Thomas Mitchell, and Hattie McDaniel. Loew's Incorporated, 1939.
White, Armond. "What the Wind Blew In." The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Feb.
2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.