"With enough courage, you can do without a reputation..."

Rating: 7/10 (29 March 2008)

Civil War-era love story, with spoiled Southern belle Scarlett O'Hara sparring with frequently-reluctant Rhett Butler, a blockade runner and smooth-talking charmer. From the sprawling bestseller by Margaret Mitchell, this beautiful-looking M-G-M production is filmed in eye-popping colors and enacted grandly by a well-chosen cast. Still, for modern tastes, this period in history is becoming more uncomfortable to tread through, especially for those with an unobjective eye. Emotions or personal bias may tend to rule out the romantic drama at the heart of the story, leaving the rest of the narrative seeming like ripened balderdash. Even so, it would be difficult to fault the main performances, with Clark Gable's Rhett the quintessential playboy and Vivien Leigh winning the Best Actress Oscar for her nearly-flawless performance as Scarlett (though real Southerners tend to balk at her accent). At nearly four hours, one begins to squirm after awhile, though Victor Fleming's Oscar-winning direction keeps the calamities coming at a spirited pace. Screenwriter Sidney Howard received a statue for his adaptation; Hattie McDaniel was also awarded for her typically rousing supporting turn as Scarlett's all-seeing, all-knowing "Mammy". Second-half, in which Scarlett returns to Tara after the Yankees have scorched the land and raped the property, is the most gripping section of the movie, let down a bit once Leslie Howard's Ashley Wilkes returns from a Yankee prison (Howard's performance is fine, if colorless). The film was named Best Picture of 1939, no small feat as this is generally considered one of the most prolific years for the entertainment industry. *** from ****