The Epic and The Soap Opera...

Rating: 8/10 (27 January 2016)

I have a theory that the whole American daytime soap aesthetic was inspired by the second half of Gone with the Wind, in terms of the staging, lighting and dialogue. It becomes a story about interpersonal relationships, whereas the first half of the movie relates to the characters more in the context of their time and history. For these reasons, I can see why the film has mass appeal, because it tells its story through two sensibilities. Had George Cukor remained as director, I am sure the whole film would have been more in line with the soap opera approach, but the Victor Fleming touch gave it the epic grandeur and vitality that makes the first half of the movie breathtaking. In my opinion, you have to really invest in the characters in order for the second half of the movie to keep you captivated. As far as GWTW is concerned, the only disadvantage of changing its approach is that by the end of the film, several events happen in such rapid succession of each other that something feels unnatural and forced. This is because the very power of the soap opera approach lies in its ability to draw narrative out in a way that is driven by character and not plot: slowly, meticulously and over a long period of time... and this is why film was never the soap opera's favoured medium, because most mainstream movies are contained narratives and need to be plot driven to meet their criteria. And that is the very reason why women tend to be secondary in modern Hollywood, because most men are traditionally yearning for action and adventure and women reflect on their feelings and motivations: you can make a box office hit that meets the former criteria quite easily, but the latter is something that is so incredibly complex, you had best turn to literature and television soap opera/serial drama for it to be fully realised. Gone with the Wind and Titanic managed to bring the epic and soap opera together, which is why they resonated profoundly with the culture.
When James Cameron cast the esteemed soap opera actor Eric Braeden as John Jacob Astor in Titanic, he knew exactly what he was doing. Braeden has been compared to Clark Gable frequently, and like Gable, was referred to as the 'King' of his medium... watch any scene between Victor and Nikki sparring in their mansion in classic episodes of The Young and the Restless, and it will immediately recall Rhett and Scarlett in the second half of Gone with the Wind...