Gone With The Wind

By Jonathan Goodsell

Through one of the darkest periods in American history comes the most frustratingly beautiful romance story in Hollywood history. Gone with the Wind is the Academy Award winning Civil War chick-flick that won the hearts of a nation and still holds the overall box office record, if adjusted for inflation of course. Starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, Gone with the Wind tells the emotional and romantic life of Scarlett O’Hara (Leigh) and her love affair with Rhett Butler (Gable) as they live through the Civil War and fight for what they believe in and for what they love. As Scarlett O’Hara famously says, “As God is my witness, I will never go hungry again”.

This film had a very unique and almost charismatic screen play. It’s riddled with humorous phrases and remarks that keep the story flowing. My personal favorites are Scarlett’s use of phrases like “fiddle-dee-dee” and “great balls of fire”. The lighting and use of silhouettes was rather well done. The final shot with Scarlett standing silhouetted against the tree at Terra was, in my opinion, the perfect way to end the film has it set this conclusive mood that everything was complete. 

The charismatic Rhett Butler was rather enjoyable to watch. His carefree look upon life even during the war was what made me really love him. But the thing that really drove the movie was the chemistry between Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. Their romantic tension was perfect. Granted you wanted to slap Scarlett for all her blunders and immature actions, it all worked out. The only problem I had was that when the movie ended, it seemed like something was missing. The story appeared to be going one direction and ended going another, and which direction I’ll leave unsaid so as not to spoil it. But I guess that’s how the story goes and that’s how the director chose to do the film, so I can respect it.

            Overall, this was a very enjoyable film. Filled with humor, drama, romance, and even some action, it’s a film anyone can enjoy. It’s a film that, even though the life and time portrayed has gone with the wind, the story will last for generations to come.