Good, not great *possible spoilers?*

Rating: 7/10 (26 November 2002)

The immortal "Gone With the Wind" is regarded as a classic in many quarters, both with film historians and the general public. However, labeling it as such might be stretching the truth somewhat. It may have been the most financially successful film in the history of motion pictures, but box-office receipts do not automatically translate into quality. The film has many strong points, but it also has its share of weaknesses; being completely uncritical towards it, as many have been, is a closed-minded attitude. It went through several different directors and writers, most of whom have not received credit for their efforts, which may explain its unevenness. The true "author" of the film is legendary producer David O. Selznick, to whom the movie was his pride and joy.
The first half is undeniably the strongest, containing most of the scenes that have cemented it into film legend. One of the most memorable shots is of the camera pulling back to reveal hundreds of dead and wounded soldiers on the streets of Atlanta. The sequence showing much of the city being burned is dramatically potent and visually compelling. A genuinely moving scene depicts the townspeople eagerly awaiting word of their loved ones' fates on the front, and their reactions to the inevitable bad news. The epic sweep of the Civil War is staggering, and for once the story is being told from the "other side's" perspective. The cinematography and set design is of uniformly high quality. However, the remainder of the movie, while still well-done, is overlong and redundant at times. At this point, most of the story has already been told, so chunks of it could easily have been omitted without harming the narrative. It threatens to become a soap opera, but the stars' chemistry help somewhat.
The best performance comes from Vivien Leigh, as Scarlett O' Hara. I admit to disliking her character at first, since she initially came off as a spoiled brat. However, as the film went on, the character grew on me. It was interesting to see how she adapts to new situations; she grows from a privileged, dainty young woman to a survivor, forced to salvage a meager existence from what is left of her estate. Leigh herself is consistently compelling, regardless of O' Hara's shortcomings. Though Clark Gable is first billed, his Rhett Butler character is actually a supporting player; he nonetheless gets some of the best material, and has great chemistry with Leigh. There are also solid supporting performances from Leslie Howard and Olivia de Havilland. However, Butterfly McQueen is simply irritating as a servant girl.
Hattie McDaniel has been noted as the first black person to win an Oscar, and she does a fine job of transcending what could have been a gross stereotype. "Gone With the Wind" may not be politically correct by today's standards, but it's not nearly as racist as I'd been led to believe. Nonetheless, the depiction of the Old South is still too romanticized. In fact, this aspect of the film is what dates it the most. Its downplaying of issues such as slavery or racism seems (at best) naive today. The fact that viewers continue to cherish it after more than sixty years does say something about its lasting appeal though. Despite these more complex and cynical times, its romantic allure is still, at least for some people, just as strong as ever.
*** (out of ****)
Released by MGM