One of the great Hollywood films ever

Rating: Null/10 (12 February 2006)

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Most famous quote in cinema history came after Scarlett pleading to Rhett Butler about what she should do next. There is no singular motion picture that had left such profound impact on me as film buff and not only film buff but as a regular guy who enjoy really good cinema. I personally think it's one of the greatest epic films ever made and will not be matched because it is really product of its time and everything just fall in right time.
Vivien Leigh's performance as Scarlett O'Hara is so outstanding that one has to overlook the many candidates for that role. Also, it should be interesting to see that Leigh has been always first choice, despite huge auditions process with many well known actresses like Bette Davis and Tallulah Bankhead. Without Leigh, Gone with the Wind would be very soapy, very dated, and somewhat dull. Also, it helped that Leigh had solid co-star, whose is Clark Gable. Gable brought his own style to his role, which is amazing because I cannot think of anyone in that role. In fact, I was surprised to learn that Gary Cooper had been offered that role but rejected it because he thought it would be huge flop in Hollywood history. Gable only accepted that role so he can get married to Carole Lombard, whose was magnificent comedian in her own rights.
You know how you always watch great films but always find something new in each viewing? God, Gone with the Wind was like that for me. When I watch it for umpteenth time, there are so many parts that I had forgotten and it add a lot to the experience. I had forgotten how wonderful barbwire dialogues between Gable and Leigh and it enhanced the film very well. I would love to see it in theater someday but I'm perfectly satisfied with my copy of DVD.
Gone with the Wind remains landmark because it is quintessential epic film and it has genuine sweep of any epics that I had seen. Modern filmmakers wouldn't know how to structure the film like Gone with the Wind because they don't know how to tell the story. I felt that today's epics are just bunch of b movies with huge budgets like Pirates of the Caribbean and Peter Jackson's King Kong. Gone with the Wind is in class all by itself and the box office has prove that since it is the film that sold the most tickets ever. When you adjust the box office inflation, Gone with the Wind would be always number 1 because it is made for blockbuster and it shows that the audience is very appreciative.
On repeated viewing, I was very surprised to see how the editing works so well in Gone with the Wind that I hadn't noticed on my previous viewings. Take the scene where Gable and Leigh are riding through Atlanta when it is about to burn. Look at the background between one of their dialogues part and you can see rear projection but when it is cut to other side, everything around them is very real, especially the house. It show how ahead Gone with the Wind is in technical sense. But it doesn't matter because the story is so gripping and very engrossing that you just develop the attachment to the characters, which I did.
It is seldom to see singular piece of motion picture that just fall in right place, right time, and everything is just in sync. But that is Gone with the Wind. It isn't known for director's film but much of the film's success goes to David Selznick, a famous producer of Golden Era of Hollywood. Selznick was able to gamble everything he had on this film and he succeeds. Unfortunately, it's his huge failure as well because he cannot duplicate the success again, which would haunt him for rest of his life. Nonetheless, it remains the bona fide landmark film that would never ever be challenge.
It is interesting to see 4 directors worked on this film yet only one got credit. George Cukor got fired because he didn't think it would be good. Victor Fleming replaced him and suffering from nervous breakdown and 2 directors relieved him. But like I said, it is astonishing piece of film-making craft because everything in this film is so convincing real.
I don't think I would find another film that is like Gone with the Wind, if one is so inclined to remake it, which would flop for certain since the budget would be so outrageous enough for the studios not to pursue it. I don't doubt that one would be very reluctant to see this film because it is clocked at 3 hours and 50 minutes but I would like to assure that it is very engaging and move at relatively fast paced film. I've seen 2 hours films that would felt like if it last all day with no ending come in the sight but Gone with the Wind, despite its running time, move faster than any 2 hours films I saw. It proved that it is able to engage the audience and left profound impact on them.
It is genuine magnificent motion picture, make no mistake about it.