Epic Civil War Romantic Drama

Rating: 8/10 (5 November 2013)

Victor Fleming and George Cukor co-directed this extremely popular, Academy Award winning(best picture and direction) story about the Civil War coming to Tara, a plantation in Atlanta run by the O'Hara family. Daughter Scarlett(played by Vivien Leigh) is spoiled but beautiful, and has lots of admirers, but she has eyes on Ashley(played by Leslie Howard) who is in love with Melanie(played by Olivia De Havilland). This frustrates her, but she soon turns her attentions to roguish blockade runner Rhett Butler(played by Clark Gable) who loves her, but has no intention of being bullied by her. When the Civil War finally starts, Tara will be torn apart, as things will never be the same again... Superbly mounted production with a stirring score and fine performances. The two leads are not particularly admirable in character, but this remains compelling storytelling, memorably showing the passing of a whole way of life.