Gone With the Wind

Rating:
Summary: A movie that will live past tomarrow
Review: Gone With the Wind is THE best movie of the 20th century. This depiction of Margaret Mitchell's timeless classic is stunning with an all-star cast that lives up to our expectations.
Vivien Leigh's perfect performance as Scarlett O'Hara was unmatchable, not one of today's actresses could ever live up to her portrayal. Clark Gables rugged performance of the debonair Charleston scoundrel was with out a doubt brilliant. Also Hattie McDaniel's academy award winning performance as Mammy was well deserved. This award winning film was very advanced for the time, and still out shines some of today's blockbusters. The beautiful sets were wonderfully researched, My favourite the set of Tara was an actual Plantation home built on the backlot of selznick international.
People watching this movie should not expect some civil war epic but the story of a herione, Scarlett, who has to lie, steal, cheat, and kill to save her home and family from the hell and famine of defeat.
In the beginning of the film the plantation seem like a utopian paradise but after the destruction of the confederacy by the Yankees it's a fight for your life situation.
The costumes designed by Walter Plunkett were breathtaking and true period pieces that change through the film with the destruction and reconstruction of the South.
Scarlett's determination show that to get what you want you have to go out and earn it but everything comes with consequence as she unwillingly learns. As she chases after what she thinks she wants she loses the things she desperately needs. but the hope of "Tomorrow Is Another Day" still looms in the air.
some of the other reviews refer to the destruction, pain and suffering left to be delt with as petty saying that they would never survive in so called "real" poverty for a day or two. What exactly are these peoples ideas of real poverty anyway I mean if having all your food and money stolen on a "cotton" plantation and having nothing to eat but a few radishes for about ten people for who knows how long and watching your family and friends dying around and you although you may try are powerless to stop it is not real poverty than I don't know what is. Having your complete civilization fall apart and losing what is most dear to you can cause complete destruction to some. and perhaps the critics aren't afraid to contradict with praise given over the years maybe they have opinions of their own and actually liked it.
Also the Africans weren't portrayed as helpless they were basically the minds that ran the plantations. When Scarletts mother falls ill and her father crazy mammy and the other blacks single handedly ran that "farm" and did a fine good job of it.
Granted at the beginning Scarlett is very vain but she is only 16 and hasn't grown to learn life is much more than looks and money. But if some cant feel sympathy for people with money than these people must just be envious because in life you learn all people have feelings rich, poor, Caucasian, and black and if you cant get passed color or wealth you don't deserve sympathy.
The reason the beginning of the movie starts out as a paradise is because is shows a huge contrast to the destruction left by war. This was misinterpreted by some because they don't realize that those people had to work hard to earn that paradise and it wasn't only the south that had slaves most of the United States had prejudice against blacks and even most people in the north, who were so eager to free the slaves, wanted nothing to do with them once they were free. And to those who act simple minded and categorize all groups of people I wish to remind you that everyone is an individual and act of their own accord.

Rating:
Summary: Like a bad episode of Dynasty
Review: One of the worst films ever made, period. I will never, ever, understand the fascination with this film, it is awful in so many ways:
1) It is at least 2 hours too long, it just goes on and on and on and you wish someone would just put these people (and you) out of their misery.
2) Had nothing (repeat, NOTHING) to do with the Cival War. If you want a movie about the Cival War then watch GLORY, the best Cival War movie ever made. It is nothing more than an Episode of Dynasty with nice sets and costumes.
3) So full of stereotypes it makes you cringe. From the southern Belles who act as if lifting a feather is too difficult for them, to the black slaves who do everything but eat watermelon, it is just sickening to watch.
4) The script: I could do better in my sleep "Oh Rhet, Oh Scarlett, Oh Melanie, Yankees in Georgia? Oh Honey Lamb !" Oh give me a break !!!
5) The acting: "Oh Rhet, Oh Scarlett, Oh Melanie"

The list goes on and on, if only this film had burned with Atlanta and saved us all from Ted Turner broadcasting it every other day. I'm tired of people thinking that this is some great american film. Yeh, and "The Jetsons" is the best TV show ever made, jeeez. This film is totally stupid, the only reason I gave it one star is for the lavish sets and costumes.

Rating:
Summary: High Budget Soap Opera
Review: If you look beyond the great acting, the magnificent sets, the sweeping landscapes and breathtaking cinematography, "Gone With the Wind" is little more than a high budget soap opera. Much of the movie is taken up by the very silly and unmoving romance between Scarlett and Rhett, two shallow characters who obviously do not belong together, and the various tragedies which befall them after they enter into a sham of a marriage (although it is often difficult to feel much sympathy for a couple living in lavish mansions). The only thing which sets the film apart from the usual daily soap operas about self-desctructive rich people (besides its budget) is its backdrop of the Civil War. However, if you want to see a historical film which at least partially resembles reality, then do not watch "Gone With the Wind".

The picture the movie draws of the pre-Civil War south is an overly romantic one of beauty and wealth and civility. Sure, a very small elite of rich landowners did live a lovely and leisurely life in the old south, much like the one portrayed in the opening of the movie, but this was done on the backs of slaves. However, this film makes the old south look like an unspoiled paradise in which nobody had to work. The only thing spoiling this film's picture of a perfect society is the spoiled-brat attitude of the egocentric Scarlett O'Hara, but she is clearly portrayed as an anomally as other characters try to put up with her antics.

After the invaders from the north are shown to impose their way of life upon the south (seemingly by merely introducing industrialization, and the concept of work), Scarlett is faced with a total inability to adapt to the new society. However, with her frequent stirring speeches about never going hungry again (yeah, right, try actually living in poverty for a day or two) her inability to adapt is more a condemnation of the changes caused by the Civil War than an exploration of any weakness in Scarlett's character. Gone are the days of dances in large halls and picnics on vast tree-covered lawns (as the blacks toil under the baking sun in the far-off fields). Instead, we get scenes of poor rich people loading up buggies to move off of their plantations and into mansions inside of cities only blocks away from the (choke) working classes.

In case the viewer doesn't quite get the picture of the "injustice" done to the south and thinks "what about the abolition of slavery?", every single black character in the movie is offensively portrayed as lazy, silly, and superstitious caricatures who are devoted to and love their white masters and are lost without them. The fact that "Gone With the Wind" hasn't faced as much widespread condemnation as "Birth of a Nation" with its pro-KKK scenes is rather surprising.

The only reason I can figure out that such a worthless and offensive soap opera is still considered so great is that most critics are afraid to contradict decades of praise given to the movie at the risk of seeming to lack taste. I say stop being blinded by expectations or conformity and actually judge the film for what it is.

Rating:
Summary: It is a great movie!
Review: Where does one start when reviewing this film? For decades, this has been one of America's most popular and beloved movies. It is not exactly perfect. Showing a sentimental, somewhat politically incorrect view of the old south. There are only a few slaves in the film, and all of them are on good terms with their owners and even remain in their employing after the war. The film is also very melodramatic (If I here "The Yankees" shouted once more, I will go nuts) and contains several clichés, though they only become those later. Finally, many viewers can name better ways to spend 4 hours. That said this movie is hard to dislike, what with its enormous ambition, still impressive visuals and very good story. And while indeed lengthy, I loved every minute.

Everything about this movie is big. It's scope, covering events before, during and after the Civil War as adapted from Margaret Mitchell's also epic novel. One has to give credit to the makers for trying to compress the 1,000+ page book into a single film. Today, most would either make a mini-series or film trilogy. This might have been a wiser idea but, having not read the book, I can't say if it would have been more faithful. The production values are also enormous, with incredible, very spacious sets of plantation homes before the war and some great views of some of the buildings destroyed by the ravages of war. There are many images that are still amazing today: As Scarlett searches for a doctor, the camera pulls back to reveal that she is in a wide open area filled with dead and dying soldiers of the confederacy. The destruction of Atlanta is also still a great action scene (The great wall built for "King Kong" was burned down and scenes of its destruction utilized in those fiery shots of Atlanta).

Another big item about this film is the cast and crew. We all know of David Selznick's legendary search for the actress to play Scarlett O'Hara, which resulted in over 1,400 people tested for the role and the selection of Vivian Leigh over such competitors as Bette Davis, Katherine Hepburn and finalists Joan Bennett and Paulette Goddard. This is a difficult but great role, appealing to all sexes. For women, she is strong willed, intelligent, courageous and beautiful, if bratty and spoiled. For men, they will mostly focus on the beauty. While it may not seem like it, she matures during the plot of the film. For the first time in her life, she is on her own and has to use her strength and willpower to make it through. Earlier, she winces at the sight of wounded soldiers in the hospital. Later, when a deserter from the union threatens her, Scarlett shoots him without hesitation. The New York Times remarked that Leigh's Scarlett "Is so beautiful she hardly need be talented, and so talented she need not be beautiful..."

It's been a mass opinion over the years that Clark Gable was a wooden actor who just got lucky being cast in parts made for him. I can't agree with that since the only other of his films I have seen is "It Happened One Night". However, he is very appealing in the role of Rhett Butler to many people, just like Leigh. Most of Gable's performance and legacy has been based on his last line. However, I find that to be just a bit flawed: It's better to first day "Frankly, my dear", take a short pause, then say "I don't give a damn" with more emphasis. It seemed to me that he treated it as a throwaway line (Which in 1939 would have been enough to make the line remembered). The most memorable image of Gable in the movie, for me, is his first scene: As Scarlett and the other girls look down while at Twelve Acres, Butler is looking up from the stairway's bottom, with the camera moving in until it is focused on his grinning face. That appearance ranks as one of the most memorable entrances in film history, alongside Orson Welles in "The Third Man" and Omar Shariff in "Lawrence of Arabia".

The other two top billed stars are Leslie Howard and Olivia De Havilland as Ashley Wilkes and Melanie Hamilton. Scarlett has been in love with Ashley for what I assume is her whole life, yet Ashley marries and is very much in love with Melanie (Which, from our view today, is somewhat demented since they are cousins. But such things must have been common in the old south). Scarlett, being spoiled and selfish, still tries to gain Ashley's love, even after he is married and consummates it (We assume, since they go into their room together and close the door and the light). Too late does she realize she loves Rhett and that Ashley has no interest in her. But Scarlett's mistake is understandable. After all, Ashley is more likable and more of a gentleman than Rhett (Though, when it comes to looks, most women would consider a draw).

I may be considered a rebel for this since I am a male teenager, but I am recommending "Gone With the Wind". It's very melodramatic, rather long and that music score gets occasionally irritating, but it just has some magic about it that all great movies have: A magic that keeps them from dying. I think audiences in 2039 will still be just as awed and excited as people were a century before. The era may be "gone with the wind", but the movie is here to stay.

Rating:
Summary: Gone with the Wind
Review: Hopeless romantic? Then this is the movie for you. Trust me. Rhett Butler is the man every woman dreams of, but knows doesn't really exist. Well, he exists here. Sure, the ending isn't a typical romantic movie ending, but so what?! That's what makes it great. You don't really know for sure what happens. Part of you wants one thing to happen and another part wants something else to happen. So, depending on the mood you're in when you're watching, either side can win.

Granted, some of the characters from the book are missing, but you really don't necessarily notice it. Besides, if all the characters were in it, the movie would be way too long.

I think what I love best about this movie is that is makes the characters come alive. You really end up either rooting for Scarlett in the end, or thinking she got what she deserved.

Take my advice. Watch this movie. You won't regret it.

Oh, one other thing. This is a movie the whole family can enjoy. You just might want to make sure the kids are old enough to understand the whole time period. I was about 6 the first time I watched it with my mother, and I have loved it ever since.

Rating:
Summary: GWTW Rules!
Review: I love GWTW and this seems to be the ultimate Windie's heart's desire! Classic Hollywood just doesn't get any better than this!

Rating:
Summary: Nothing Better
Review: Although made 33 years before I was born, this film is up there with the classics for very good reasons and will be for many years to come. The film has happiness,sadness and every other drama there is.
Despite it's age the colour and sound is of high quality and adds to the atmosphere of the horror of war.
A film every one should see.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome film, awesome book, DVD, eh?
Review: I understand that you probably think that full screen/frame, 4:3, 1:33:1, pan and scan, whatever you call it, is out to get you.I looked at all of these reviews though, and I only saw 2 out of 400 reviews (O.5% complaining). Well, I know that it was shot in full screen. The theatrical exhibition was in full screen. Maybe it was shot in wide, abd croppped, but who cares the filmmakers knew that. It was like shooting it in full. I don't know when widescreen became popular, but it was way after this. If you want to make these widescreen TV owners happy, you could mask, or matte it. It would make them happy until they found out it was matted. They'd get mad, so I don't see why there not accepting it now. Everything is fine. This film does NOTlook like you walked into a theater in the 40's. No matter how finely restored a film is, you can still tell. It does, however, look like an old film that has been restored pretty well. I do notlike the idea of a double sided disk; I prefer a dual layer. It cuts your chances in half of getting a scratch (flipping; putting back in case on side a or b). I have to watch this film in at least two sittings, anyway. The dolby digital is a, well, dated sound where the sounds were more bland than the usual amazing 5.1 films I see, like The Matrix. The recorded sounds,or,in some cases lack of, makes this film sound below par. Its one of my favorites, and I don't need special features. What would thay create?, plus you'd at least have to have a second disk. Also the colorized black-and-white is above average. God Bless America!

Rating:
Summary: The Best Movie of All Times
Review: My favorite movie of all times. Perfect in every way. Deserved all Oscars it got and more. There are no words to desribe how good this movie is. Fantasic, Great, Outstanding are nothing compared to this movie. Everyone in this world should see this movie. Strongly Recommend!

Rating:
Summary: :o\)
Review: He broke her heart, so

To help block Scarlett's tear flow

Rhett could give a dam