The most annoying character in the history of film!

Rating: 8/10 (14 June 2000)

I gave this film an 8 when I voted for it. But that was a difficult decision for me. Do I rate the film based on what it is worth in the scope of film or do I rate it based on what the film accomplished in it's day and age? Because this film is still quite cardboard when it comes to acting and as some other people noted in here, this is really just a four hour episode of The Young and the Restless. But then I also had to realize how the film made me feel. And I did get through all 3 hours and 52 minutes of it, and that is an accomplishment in itself. The first time I saw Citizen Kane, I fell asleep, the second time I saw Citizen Kane I wanted to smash the T.V. But Gone With The Wind is quite good, for this day and age or for the 30's or 40's. I generally don't like older classic films because I just find that they are too one dimensional. They don't have an edge to them and they are very synthetic. Gone With The Wind does fall into that category in some ways, but in other ways it is brilliant.
To think that this film is 61 years old is quite remarkable. It must have been quite the achievement back in the day. The colour in this film was amazing as well as the cinematography, the landscape, the fire and yes even some of the acting. I found Clark Gable to be fascinating to watch and I realized the the film was much more enjoyable when he was in the picture. That is not to say that Vivien Leigh was not good, she was, but I just found Rhett Butler's character to be very charming, engaging and suave. I also liked his carefree attitude. He always bounced back from whatever was troubling him and he never let Scarlett get him down, until the very end.
Scarlett on the other hand was the most annoying character I have ever seen in any film. Vivien Leigh played her brilliantly and if that is what the script called for, a winy bitch that has no idea what life is really about, then Leigh nailed it perfectly. But I must say that she got to me after a while. When she constantly opted for Ashley instead of other men even after her and Melanie became good friends, I wanted her to die. I was hoping the Yankees would capture her and torture her. She was spoiled and nasty and people say that she went on some journey to discover who she was and such but she was the same at the end as she was in the beginning. And that is why the famous line, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" is so appropriate. Someone finally told her off and it was about time. She had been handed everything to her ( except Ashley ) and she didn't appreciate any of it. I do think this was one of the great performances of the era.
Olivia de Havilland and Hattie McDaniel were also great. Melanie was the backbone of the film and Mammie was just a joy to watch. She made me laugh and I think she is one of the few characters from the old films that would still sound real and genuine today. Both were a pleasure to watch.
GWTW has it's place in history and I guess it deserves it. Still I don't think this is one of the best films ever made although it is entertaining. I can only imagine how this must have delighted audiences back in the 30's and 40's though.
I really didn't want to see this film for the longest time. I have been disappointed with some of the other so called classics and I was not looking forward to sitting through another, especially at 4 hours in length. But I was pleasantly surprised. It captivated me and kept me entertained and that is what is missing from many of the 30's 40's and 50's films, entertainment. Gone With The Wind doesn't disappoint.
8 out of 10. A fine effort and a very enjoyable film.