Gone With the Wind (1939)

Director: Victor Fleming
Cast: Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, George Reeves, Fred Crane
Genre: Drama/Romance/War

PLOT: Not a mere 'love story' with the civil war in backdrop; there is so much more to this all time great classic.

Aah!! Where to begin? If I start writing about it in detail it'll probably be somewhat lengthier than my Lawrence of Arabia review, if some of you remember that!!

Watching 'Mutiny On The Bounty', I felt the ever magnificent Clark Gable was slightly overshadowed by the immortal Captain Bligh, but in 'Gone With The Wind' he has been completely outperformed by a class act from a Goddess-like Vivien Leigh, i.e., until just before the climax scene, of course! The final words used by Gable while walking out on her left his mark on the film like no other!

Before this Joan Fontaine's character in 'Rebecca' as the second Mrs. deWinter was most complete and well researched one for me. What Vivien brought to the screen in 'Gone With the Wind' is yet to be bettered.

She has done it all here. From a bubbly teenager, to a jealous adult, to a treacherous married woman, to a greedy, few-times widow, to a caring family member, to a courageous woman in adversity, and above all a ever-in-love woman who never gives up. Her role-play is a synonymous for the term hope floats.

And the title is aptly justified, no where more than in the just before climax scene where Gable finally holds his own against Vivien for the first time in the movie and is actually "gone with the wind". This is a scene that bears witness to not only the greatness of Clark Gable as an actor but also to the genius and vision of the Director.

It also features one of the best narrative opening scene that bids farewell to the aristocracy of South and welcomes the ever toiling, gritty North.

GWTW is a kind of cinema which can not be limited by a word like Genre. It's not a love story as the misconception goes rather an authentic, thorough composition of art.

Never once--all through the 3 hours 58 minutes--does the movie loses it's grip on you, even for a second.

'Gone With the Wind' basically signifies fading away of British-like noble culture of South (Gentlemen/Noble class and their assistance/servants/slaves who loved their masters but not of fear, and were mostly well treated) and the advent of North in the civil war.

9.5/10