A Love Story for the Ages...

Rating: 8/10 (3 March 2014)

Winning best picture in 1939, Gone with the Wind takes a huge leap from where movies had been telling stories for years. Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable bring a tale of southern love during the Civil War under the direction of Victor Fleming , who also directed The Wizard of Oz which was nominated for best picture that year as well. As the audience we see a story unfold for a total of four hours where we are never bored. Everything on the screen is beautiful, due mostly to Ernest Heller, the wonderful cinematographer who captured the beauty of the South. The costumes were breathtakingly designed by Walter Plunkett with my personal favorite being the emerald green curtain dress.
Vivian Leigh plays the beautiful Scarlett O'Hara, a true southern belle. She was the envy of every woman and the desire of every man. She is in love with Ashley played by Leslie Howard, who falls for Melanie (his cousin) and chooses to marry her instead of Scarlett. Because Scarlett does not get the man that she believes she deserves, in anger she marries Melanie's brother.
Enter Clark Gable...swoon...who plays Rhett Butler. He is your ""bad boy" with a somewhat shady reputation, making money on the war and favoring no side. We fall in love with Rhett and know he's the man for Scarlett long before she does. Eventually realizing Scarlett is still too in love with her delusion of marrying Ashley to give him a chance, Rhett decides to fight for the South even though the war is almost over.
Scarlett being born into a very prestigious family had everything at her fingertips until the war began and she lost everything. All of the men, including Ashley left for war for a short time but it becomes years. Scarlett must assume responsibilities she never wanted and is even forced to leave her beloved plantation, Tara, in order to survive.
After everything is in ruins from the war Scarlett returns to Tara to keep her family together, while still pining for Ashley and waiting for him to return from war. She makes a vow that she will never be hungry or poor again, which prompts her to marry her sister's beau so she can get the money she needs to save Tara. Soon after becoming a widow for a second time, she is reunited with Rhett who convinces her to marry him. We all keep waiting for her to realize Rhett is her true love and forget wimpy Ashley. How long will Rhett put up with her rejection?
To understand and get the entire story you'll have to watch the film. It is a story of love, loss, war, family, and drama: great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. It has won several awards, been on must see lists, and has the number one quoted line in film history. It is a beautiful story that stands the test of time. I promise you will fall in love with these characters and their story, and if you don't... "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."