Movie Review - Gone With the Wind (1939)

[Dave Gray]

Gone With the Wind (1939)

Premise: A bratty plantation-owner's daughter manages love and self-reliance through the Civil War.

Rating: Though problematic in its depiction of the South, it is undeniably well-made, well-paced, and entertaining.

I knew what I was getting into, in terms of the racist portrayal of slaves.  I was surprised, however, that it hits you from the jump and wastes no time.  I think the single most difficult thing to grapple with is not the way that the slaves act as one-dimensional stereotypes (though there is that), but the more subtle issue of how the concept of the plantation itself and the life of the whites around it is unapologetically glorified, with no reflection that there was a wronging of a people going on.  Even the blacks seem on-board with their own enslavement.  It's hard to pinpoint one thing, because even as I type this, I imagine that you could have a story of some institutionalization that occurs (I'm thinking Samuel L. Jackson's "Stephen" from Django Unchained), but there is nothing but adoration from the slaves to their masters and no depth as to why.

While I'm sure I'll bring up the racism more, that concept itself could be an essay, so I'll have to let it go at some point.

Even more shocking, maybe because I wasn't expecting it, is the misogyny, even by characters I think we're supposed to like.  Women are threatened, essentially raped by their husbands, slapped around -- Damn...  Such were the depiction of women in the 30s, I guess.

I think what makes this movie so interesting is that the lead really isn't a likable character.  Scarlett O'Hara is an awful, selfish person.  She steps on those that love her, backstabs, robs those close to her of that which they find most dear.  She uses men to get what she wants, she uses slaves, she betrays her friends.  But, I suppose you can say that this cut-throat behavior kept her alive and fighting for the only thing that did matter to her -- the plantation.  I pick up a real Cersei Lannister vibe.  She's terrible, but in a world that is more terrible.

Also interesting is her foil, Rhett Butler, the scoundrel that may only be good for her because despite also being shitty himself, he doesn't fall for her bullshit.  I liked him right away, and you think you're going to get some kind of Han Solo character, but he doesn't really have the heart of gold that I would expect in a modern film -- he doesn't show up to fix Scarlett, which I believe it to the movie's credit.  At first, he comes across like an opportunist who doesn't care for the cause, but sees an opportunity in smuggling to get ahead.  And like Solo, eventually, he realizes the error of his ways and joins the fight.  But in this case, the fight isn't against Empirical oppression, it's for slavery.  And I don't mean to say that lightly -- there is no effort to mask this as "States rights" or any other dog-whistling.  He's quite literally fighting to keep the plantation way of life.

The film-making is exquisite, the use of a pastel palate and silhouette are now legendary icons.  There is one sequence where Scarlett walks out into a sea of injured soldiers, seeking a doctor that is truly remarkable.  It's a pull-out crane shot and the sea of extras is just amazing, especially when considering it's all real.  No CGI, no matte painting.  It's just a big ass crane and brute-force film-making.
 
This move is incredibly long, at 4 hours, and while I can't say it exactly flies by, the pacing does make it palatable and the story is epic and sprawling enough to support the runtime.  The characters, particularly the two leads and Mammy, the slave house-maid are fun to watch, despite making you cringe.  Deep down, this movie does a really good job of showing a Southern Belle who appears soft on the outside, but is as tough as nails in a sea of mealy-mouthed men, a concept that I'm not all that unfamiliar with from the women throughout my life.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I saw it decades ago, so my memory of it is hazy but I vividly recall the review a college history professor gave it, “As a historical representation of the civil war it is absolute rubbish.  But it is a great way to get an insight into the prejudices and myths of the southern mindset of the 1930s and even the thinking of today’s Confederate apologists”   

[CF DolFan]

I saw it decades ago, so my memory of it is hazy but I vividly recall the review a college history professor gave it, “As a historical representation of the civil war it is absolute rubbish.  But it is a great way to get an insight into the prejudices and myths of the southern mindset of the 1930s and even the thinking of today’s Confederate apologists”  

I think it's easy to say things like this in hindsight but people typically aren't watching movies for historical accuracy nor even accuracy. There isn't too many movies you can watch and whomever they are portraying can tear it apart. The popularity of doctor and police themed cinemas are a perfect example. It isn't the real life facts but the overall story line that hook people.  Even when portraying true life events they are extremely exaggerated to make it more compelling.

[Dave Gray]

I think it's easy to say things like this in hindsight but people typically aren't watching movies for historical accuracy nor even accuracy.

Of course there is truth here.  If you're watching James Bond to see how spies worked in the 60s, you're going to have a bad time.

But it can illuminate how office dynamics worked and stuff like that.

I think the thing about Gone With the Wind is that it leads with a very "these great times of a better life are Gone With the Wind".  It's like the thesis.

I didn't expect a realistic master/slave relationship but the whole era is portrayed as the good-old-days until the shitty Yankees came and ruined it all for us.

[stinkfish]

I didn't expect a realistic master/slave relationship but the whole era is portrayed as the good-old-days until the shitty Yankees came and ruined it all for us.

Sorry 

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I think it's easy to say things like this in hindsight but people typically aren't watching movies for historical accuracy nor even accuracy. There isn't too many movies you can watch and whomever they are portraying can tear it apart. The popularity of doctor and police themed cinemas are a perfect example. It isn't the real life facts but the overall story line that hook people.  Even when portraying true life events they are extremely exaggerated to make it more compelling.

There is some truth to that.   However, most people would agree that “Saving Private Ryan”does a better job at portraying WWII than “Hogans Heros”.

Gone with the Wind is best viewed as KKK propaganda rather than as a historical Civil War piece.  Certainly the goal of the movie was to glorify the south and make slavery seem benign.

[Pappy13]

It's good, but a little overrated now I think. Certainly it was a great movie in it's time. It was never meant as a historically accurate depiction of anything, it's a freaking love story. The civil war is just the backdrop. You also completely passed on the real 2 stars of the movie which are Melanie and Ashley. These are the real life counterparts to the movie stars, Rhett and Scarlett. It's Melanie and Ashley who are the real stars of the movie and give the movie it's meat.

[Fau Teixeira]

I watched it a long time ago .. it's easy to say that it was way to long and didn't keep my interest.  .. because it was way to long and didn't keep my interest. The actual cinematography was great .. especially for the 30s but other than that, meh.

The 30s isn't a great time for movies, i think other than wizard of oz, which was revolutionary for the time.

I'm a much bigger fan of the late 50s to early 60s for classic movies, lawrence of arabia and 12 Angry men being standouts.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

The 30s isn't a great time for movies,

Modern Times
Frankenstein
King Kong
Robin Hood
Mr. Smith goes to Washington
Snow White

[Fau Teixeira]

Modern Times
Frankenstein
King Kong
Robin Hood
Mr. Smith goes to Washington
Snow White

i stand by what i said

[stinkfish]

The 30s isn't a great time for movies

Ummmm...... Reefer Madness? Are you high?

[Spider-Dan]

Off-topic, but I watched Citizen Kane a few years back and found it to be quite watchable.  There were some cinematography choices that seem hokey and sitcomish (probably because they were copied by later sitcoms), but overall it was a very good movie with relatable themes.