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Gone with the Wind Overview:

Gone with the Wind (1939) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by Victor Fleming, George Cukor (uncredited) and Sam Wood (uncredited) and produced by David O. Selznick.

The film was based on the novel of the same name written by Margaret Mitchell published in 1936.

SYNOPSIS

One of the great cinematic achievements, technically as well as in enduring appeal, this is a movie that keeps finding an audience with every successive generation (it was restored - somewhat controversially - and re-released theatrically in 1998). The story and characters are familiar to even the most casual moviegoer: an indomitable southern belle (Leigh) loves and loses and loves again a slyly dashing war profiteer as she struggles to protect her family and beloved plantation, Tara, from the ravages of the Civil War. Based on Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel, which at the time of the film's release, had surpassed 1.5 million copies sold. Selznick paid $50,000 for rights to the book and brought in a number of screenwriters in addition to Sidney Howard to help him shape the material. Among them were Edwin Justin Mayer, John Van Druten, Ben Hecht, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Jo Swerling. For the part of Scarlett O'Hara, Selznick conducted a national talent search that has in itself become Hollywood legend and the basis of a movie.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Gone with the Wind was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1989.

Academy Awards 1939 --- Ceremony Number 12 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorClark GableNominated
Best ActressVivien LeighWon
Best Supporting ActressOlivia de HavillandNominated
Best Supporting ActressHattie McDanielWon
Best Art DirectionLyle WheelerWon
Best CinematographyErnest Haller, Ray RennahanWon
Best DirectorVictor FlemingWon
Best Film EditingHal C. Kern, James E. NewcomWon
Best PictureSelznick International PicturesWon
Best WritingSidney HowardWon
Special AwardTo William Cameron Menzies for outstanding achievement in the use of color for the enhancement of dramatic mood in the production of Gone with the Wind.Won
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Gone with the Wind BlogHub Articles:

GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) Temporarily Pulled From HBO Max To Allow For Proper Context–A History

By Lara on Jun 11, 2020 From Backlots

When HBO Max announced that it would temporarily remove Gone With the Wind from its platform, in order to place a statement in front of it putting the film’s content into the proper context, it set off a firestorm of controversy online and in the media. Some decry the decision as censorship. O... Read full article

Ticklish Business: Episode #19 – Gone With the Wind (1939)

on Mar 30, 2017 From Journeys in Classic Film

After several weeks of hype pop culture writer Terence Johnson joins me to talk about Rhett and Scarlett (and how much we hate Leslie Howard as Ashley) in 1939’s Gone With the Wind. Please consider leaving the podcast a rating and review on iTunes, or visit my Patreon page to find out more abo... Read full article

Gone with the Wind: Missed Opportunity

By Franchot Tone Fan on Jan 5, 2017 From Finding Franchot: Exploring the Life and Career of Franchot Tone

Like Old Acquaintance, here's another one of those "what might've been" posts for you. Did you know that Franchot was considered for the two male lead roles in Gone With the Wind?  Clark, Joan, Leslie, and Franchot in one photo. Source: https://inafferrabileleslie.wordpress.com On Novemb... Read full article

Photos from “THE MAKING OF GONE WITH THE WIND” exhibit at the Harry Ransom Center…

By Christy Putnam on Aug 18, 2015 From Christy Putnam

From September 9, 2014, to January 4, 2015, The Making of Gone With The Wind exhibit graced the Harry Ransom Center in Austin Texas. Christy with curator of the vast exhibit, Steve Wilson, and author of the museum exhibit book, The Making of Gone With The Wind. Banners at the entrance… Photo c... Read full article

Just for Fun: Gone with the Wind Screen Tests

By Annmarie Gatti on Jun 6, 2015 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Just for Fun: the Many ‘Potential’ Faces of Scarlett… As many of us know, the casting for Gone with the Wind was quite an endeavor. Many actresses were considered for the much-sought-after role of Scarlett, and about 30 actually screen-tested for it, including Tallulah Bankhead, La... Read full article

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Gone with the Wind Quotes:

Rhett Butler: Would you satisfy my curiosity on a point which has bothered me for some time?
Scarlett: Well, what is it? Be quick!
Rhett Butler: Tell me, Scarlett, do you never shrink from marrying men you don't love?
Scarlett: How did you ever get out of jail? Why didn't they hang you?
Rhett Butler: I'm not in love with you any more than you are with me. Heaven help the man who ever really loves you.
[choked up about Rhett and Scarlett]
Mammy: He went out and shot that poor pony, and, for a minute, I thought he was gonna shoot himself.
Rhett Butler: Why, all we have is cotton and slaves and arrogance.
Gerald O'Hara: Do you mean to tell me, Katie Scarlett O'Hara, that Tara, that land doesn't mean anything to you? Why, land is the only thing in the world worth workin' for, worth fightin' for, worth dyin' for, because it's the only thing that lasts.
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Gone with the Wind Facts
David O. Selznick always wanted Leslie Howard to play Ashley. He was so certain Howard was right for the part that he never auditioned him but only screen tested him solely to see if he would photograph well in color without recording any audio. The footage of this screen test can be seen on the 80th anniversary box set along with copies of memos sent by Selznick throughout the studio advocating Howard for the role.
David O. Selznick bought the rights to the best selling novel for $50,000. Louis B. Mayer, Selznick's father-in-law and head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, was determined to make Gone with the Wind an MGM film. Mayer initially offered to buy Selznick out at a handsome profit. Warner Bros. offered Bette Davis, Errol Flynn and advantageous financing. Selznick's own distributor United Artists showed interest in providing a production financing package. However, none of them had an actor capable of portraying Rhett Butler except MGM, which offered a deal that included Clark Gable. After much vacillating on Selznick's part, a deal was struck with MGM on January 19, 1938 that gave Selznick Clark Gable and $1.25 million toward production costs, in return for giving MGM distribution rights and 50% of the profits, which were further reduced by Loew's Inc.'s 15% interest and a requirement to pay Gable's $4,500 per week salary and one-third of Gable's $50,000 loan-out bonus. "GWTW" was, of course, a box office triumph, grossing over $20 million during its initial release alone. Selznick eventually earned $4 million on
David O. Selznick, in a memo from October 1939, about the movie's writing credits: " You can say frankly that of the comparatively small amount of material in the picture which is not from the book, most is my own personally, and the only original lines of dialog which are not my own are a few from Sidney Howard and a few from Ben Hecht and a couple more from John Van Druten. Offhand I doubt that there are ten original words of Oliver Garrett's in the whole script. As to construction, this is about eighty per cent my own, and the rest divided between Jo Swerling and Sidney Howard, with Hecht having contributed materially to the construction of one sequence."
The character of Ashley Wilkes was based on Margaret Mitchell's cousin by marriage John "Doc" Holliday. Melanie was based on Mitchell's third-cousin, and Doc's first cousin and close friend, Mattie "Sister Melanie" Holliday. Doc moved West and became the gambler and gunfighter we know. Mattie joined a convent and became a nun, but maintained a correspondence with Doc.
This was cinematographer Ernest Haller's first color film.
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