Gone With the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film based on Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel. Victor Fleming directed the movie, which was produced by David O. Selznick of Selznick International Pictures. The film, which is set in the American South during the Civil War and Reconstruction era, centers on the strong-willed daughter of a Georgia plantation owner named Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh). It follows her romantic pursuit of Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), who is married to his cousin Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland), and her eventual marriage to Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).
The movie's production was problematic. Filming was delayed for two years, until January 1939, due to Selznick's desire to get Gable for the character of Rhett, and finished in July. It was challenging to find a suitable actress for the role of Scarlett; 1,400 unidentified women were interviewed. To get Sidney Howard's initial screenplay down to a manageable length, other writers rewrote it numerous times. The original director, George Cukor, was sacked shortly after filming began and replaced by Fleming, who was briefly replaced by Sam Wood while on leave due to weariness. Just one month before its debut, in November 1939, post-production came to an end.
After screenings in Atlanta, New York City and Los Angeles in December 1939, the movie received its wide release in the US in 1940.
When it was released, reviews were largely good. Many people complimented the casting, however the lengthy running time drew criticism. During the 12th Academy Awards, Gone with the Wind was nominated for thirteen awards and won ten (eight competitive, two honorary) including Best Picture, Best Director (Fleming), Best Adapted Screenplay (Sidney Howard, posthumously), Best Actress (Leigh), and Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an Academy Award). At the time, it broke records for the total number of nominations and victories.
When Gone with the Wind was originally published, it became incredibly popular. It broke the record for the highest-grossing movie ever made at that time and kept it for more than 25 years. It remains the highest-grossing movie in history even after accounting for inflation in currency. Throughout the 20th century, it was periodically reissued and solidified in popular culture. The movie is acknowledged for having changed how African Americans were portrayed in movies, despite criticism that it glorifies slavery and the Lost Cause of the Confederacy myth and is a historical negationism. Considered one of the best movies ever made, Gone with the Wind was chosen as one of the first 25 films to be preserved in the United States National Film Registry in 1989.
Cast[]
| Character | Actor | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rhett Butler
|
Clark Gable | |
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Scarlett O'Hara
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Vivien Leigh | |
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Ashley Wilkes
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Leslie Howard | |
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Melanie Hamilton
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Olivia de Havilland | |
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Gerald O'Hara
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Thomas Mitchell | |
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Ellen
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Barbara O'Neill | |
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Suellen
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Evelyn Keyes | |
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Carreen
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Ann Rutherford | |
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Stuart Tarleton
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George Reeves | |
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Brent Tarleton
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Fred Crane | |
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Mammy
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Hattie McDaniel | |
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Pork
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Oscar Polk | |
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Prissy
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Butterfly McQueen | |
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Jonas Wilkerson
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Victor Jory | |
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Big Sam
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Everett Brown | |
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John Wilkes
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Howard Hickman | |
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India
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Alicia Rhett | |
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Charles Hamilton
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Rand Brooks | |
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Frank Kennedy
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Carroll Nye | |
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Aunt „Pittypat“ Hamilton
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Laura Hope Crews | |
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Uncle Peter
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Eddie Anderson | |
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Dr. Meade
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Harry Davenport | |
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Mrs. Meade
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Leona Roberts | |
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Mrs. Merriwether
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Jane Darwell | |
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Belle Watling
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Ona Munson | |
International versions[]
| Language | Title | |
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Azerbaijani | Küləklə Sovrulanlar |
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Bulgarian (BNT 1, 1st version) |
Отнесени от вихъра |
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Bulgarian (BNT 1, 2nd version) |
Отнесени от вихъра |
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Bulgarian (Nova TV) |
Отнесени от вихъра |
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Russian (DVD Magic, 1st voice-over) |
Унесённые ветром |
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Russian (DVD Magic, 2nd voice-over) |
Унесённые ветром |
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Russian (NTV+) |
Унесённые ветром |
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Russian (Varus Video / Domashniy) |
Унесённые ветром |
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Ukrainian (1+1) |
Віднесені вітром |
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Ukrainian (Novyi Kanal) |
Віднесені вітром |
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Vietnamese | Cuốn theo chiều gió |
Notes[]
- In the opening credits, the Tarleton brothers' first names were reversed. George Reeves was credited as Brent Tarleton, although he played Stuart, and Fred Crane as Stuart, although he played Brent.