A true classic

Rating: 10/10 (20 August 2002)

"Gone With the Wind" is one of those films that I've had recommended to me for most of my life, but had never actually gotten around to seeing...until recently. Let me establish that I am not, by any means, a romantic guy. Unquestionably, the genre this film would be placed in is that of Romance, or possibly Romantic Drama if you want to be really specific. But...in another review (Star Wars Episode II) I mentioned films that rise above their genre and become something more, something nearly everyone can enjoy. "Gone With the Wind" is one of those films. The story surrounds Scarlet O'Hara, and her struggle to survive and regain the style of life that the Civil War took from her. She starts out as a manipulative, largely false and uncaring young woman, whose only real care in life is to get her way. She is "in love" with Ashley Wilkes, largely, in my opinion, because she can't have him. Ashley is a nice enough man, but he certainly isn't the type for Scarlet. In the beginning of the film, the characters are nicely established. The acting is top-notch, the writing is excellent, and this is one of those films you just have to see to believe. This is another of those films that I really can't comment on too much without giving away parts of the plot, so at this point I'd advise you to stop reading if you don't want to risk having something given away to you. SPOILER WARNING. Now, my philosophy on the film--you aren't supposed to like Scarlet. She is manipulative. She is shallow. She rarely shows compassion for others unless it will get her something in return. She lures two prospective husbands away from other girls via lies and false affection (not that the men aren't partially at fault there) and then basically makes the men miserable for what little time they live afterwards. That's simply the way she is for most of the film--a person who uses the misery of others, from slaves to prisoners to her husbands, to enhance her own life. Ashley says it himself in the later parts of the film, commenting that her use of prisoners in her business is wrong, that she should hire people (and, incidentally, that he'd intended to free his family's slaves when his father died and they became his, if the war hadn't done it first). Her entire life is focused around getting something she cannot have--Ashley Wilkes. He is husband to Melanie (who is, incidentally, a sweet and kind woman who sacrifices herself for everyone else, and eventually dies because she gave too much of herself). Scarlet is living in a fantasy world, where everything revolves around her, and refuses to accept that things will not go her way. In the middle of the film, this gives her strength, and allows people to survive...but once her home is safe, she becomes unbearable again. She never changes, never realizes that the needs of other people matter too. Even poor Rhett (who, to be fair, is quite the manipulative and false man himself, and is certainly not without fault) is manipulated by her, constantly pushed aside despite doing everything he can to show her his love, until finally his heart is broken and he can take no more. The end of the film, where Scarlet finally turns to Rhett after Ashley finally musters up the will to tell her "no" for good, isn't uplifting..."Tommorrow is another day" isn't hopeful. It's tragic. Scarlet still cannot accept the loss of something she wanted. Rhett will never return to her, because she's caused him too much pain, but she will keep on trying, manipulating people, because she is still unable to let other people's needs go ahead of her own. Maybe it's just my way of seeing it (I /have/ been told that I "missed the point," that somehow Scarlet's manipulation should be accepted because it is a search for security--I feel that's a reason, but not an excuse)...but in any case, I immensely enjoyed "Gone With the Wind," despite hating Scarlet, and any movie that can inspire me to write for this long on just one of its many characters and points, on just a small part of the film, is certainly worth a look. Watch and enjoy.