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Director:
Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam WoodProducer:
David O. SelznickMusic:
Max SteinerScreenplay:
Sidney HowardGenres:
Drama, Romance, WarCertification:
General audiencesStatus:
CompletedSoundmix:
Mono
Plot Summary
Gone with the Wind
Scarlett is a woman who can deal with a nation at war, Atlanta burning, the Union Army carrying off everything from her beloved Tara, the carpetbaggers who arrive after the war. Scarlett is beautiful. She has vitality. But Ashley, the man she has wanted for so long, is going to marry his placid cousin, Melanie. Mammy warns Scarlett to behave herself at the party at Twelve Oaks. There is a new man there that day, the day the Civil War begins. Rhett Butler. Scarlett does not know he is in the room when she pleads with Ashley to choose her instead of Melanie.
Goofs
Gone with the Wind
- Continuity: After Scarlett visits the makeshift hospital at the church, she closes the door behind her in the close-up. In the long shot that follows, the door swings open again. Back to the close-up as Scarlett moves away from the door, and it is closed again.
- Continuity: When India and Suellen discuss Scarlett's flirtations with their respective suitors, they are standing in front of a large mirror which reflects the central landing (with the window), the full width of the descending stairs and the left-hand railing. Scarlett meets Frank Kennedy coming down the left-hand side and flirts with him midway up from the base to the landing (well within the area reflected by the mirror). However when the sister remarks upon this flirtation, neither Scarlett nor Frank is reflected in the mirror.
- Continuity: When Scarlett meets Frank Kennedy in the hospital, a water pitcher appears out of nowhere.
- Factual errors: Gerald O'Hara comes running into Tara shouting that the war is over because Lee surrendered. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virgina on April 9, 1865, which had no effect on Georgia. In fact, Georgia State Troops didn't surrender until almost a month after Lee. The surrender of Gen. Kirby Smith at Galveston, Texas, on May 26 is considered the end of the Civil War.
- Continuity: When Ashley is leaving to return to the front from his furlough, Scarlett meets him at the bottom of the stairs with his coat, which then disappears.
- Crew or equipment visible: As Scarlett exits the makeshift hospital in the church, the shadow of the camera can be seen on the door to the left as the view pulls back.
- Revealing mistakes: When the horses and wagons are going up the drive at Twelve Oaks, they dissolve into the matte shot.
- Revealing mistakes: When Scarlett and Melanie are nursing the wounded soldier, their shadows don't fit their movements.
- Incorrectly regarded as goofs: During the barbecue at the Wilkes' where she wears a green dress we have not previously seen, Scarlett says to the Tarleton twins, "but I wore this old thing because I thought you liked it." While this could be taken as a reference to an earlier scene (which it was in the novel), she could just as well be referring to a time before the movie started. (In the original script she was seen earlier in the green dress, but the dress was changed to white without changing the line in this scene).
- Revealing mistakes: An obvious stunt player drives the buggy through the burning Atlanta Depot.
Taglines
Gone with the Wind
- Now in 70mm. wide screen and full stereophonic sound!
- For the thousands who remember its unparalleled drama, action and romance! For the new thousands to whom the wonders will be revealed for the first time! Breathtaking spectacle, inspired acting by the
- Winner of Ten Academy Awards
- The most magnificent picture ever!
Trivias
Gone with the Wind
- When Gary Cooper turned down the role for Rhett Butler, he was passionately against it. He is quoted saying both, "Gone with the Wind (1939) is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood history," and, "I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper."
- In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked this as the #6 Greatest Movie of All Time.
- [June 2008] Ranked 4 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the genre "Epic".
- The movie's line "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." was voted as the #1 movie quote by the American Film Institute (out of 100).
- The movie's line "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." was voted as the #2 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.
- The movie's line "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again!" was voted as the #76 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.
- The movie's line "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthing babies!" was voted as the #28 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.
- First color film to win the Best Picture Oscar.
- Of all the many actresses who tested for the part of Scarlett, only Paulette Goddard and Vivien Leigh were filmed in color.
- Although he was dismissed from the production, George Cukor continued to privately coach both Vivien Leigh and Olivia de Havilland at their request on weekends.
Quotes
Gone with the Wind
- Scarlett: No... I'm... NOT.
- Mammy: Yes'm you is, you's gonna eat every mouthful of this.
- Scarlett: You can take it all back to the kitchen; I won't eat a bite.
- Prissy: Mammy, here's Miss Scarlet's vittles.
- Scarlett: You go pack my things like Mother said.
- Mammy: You know what trouble I's talkin' 'bout. I's talking 'bout Mr. Ashley Wilkes. He'll be comin' to Atlanta when he gets his leave, and you sittin' there waitin' for him, just like a spider. He belongs to Miss Melanie...
- Scarlett: What trouble are you talking about?
- Mammy: Savannah would be better for ya. You'd just get in trouble in Atlanta.
- Scarlett: Atlanta!
- Rhett Butler: With enough courage, you can do without a reputation.