Gorgeous movie of trashy people

Rating: 8/10 (10 May 2008)

Even after 70 years, this film holds it's own pretty well. The jewel-like 1930s Technicolor makes the ornate 19th century sets and lovely gowns look even more stunning, the story has epic sweep, and heroine Scarlett is both lovely and lively, albeit ultimately (and by accident) portrayed as truly ugly human being, just like every member of Southern upper-class. White trash indeed! (And no, this is not racism, I'm white!) All this comes from the source of GWTW, the novel by Margaret Mitchell, which is a love letter to the antebellum South but seems sometimes almost despising the characters. Her book is still quite good romantic drama, if one can stomach the sporadic whining and self-pity - it is thankfully largely cut from this movie.