Victor Fleming
Gone With The Wind

I read the other review about the film and, although I believe one should always respect others' tastes, I find that as a review it is absolutely terrible. "Gone with the Wind" is based on the eponymous bestseller by Margaret Mitchell, which I understand, as both a book and a film, might not be appreciated by everyone. I would also add that, given the numbers in terms of sales and awards (always considering both the book and the film), there are only a few who fail to appreciate such works, and judging by the comments on the previous review, they managed to find themselves on DeBaser.

After the initial reflection, which is one hundred percent objective, I can say from my side that "Gone with the Wind" is the greatest film in the history of this genre, with a great cast and settings that were undoubtedly impressive for its time.

The film takes place in Georgia and opens in the plantation of Tara, which will always remain a point of reference for the protagonist, who will learn to love the land like her mother. Scarlett O'Hara is the protagonist of the film and is young, beautiful, spoiled but above all she is Vivien Leigh. At the beginning of the film, she is psychologically a young girl, in love with a young man, Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), and only at the end will she realize she loves only because it consists of something she cannot have. Ashley marries Melanie Hamilton (Olivia De Havilland), and Scarlett then marries the latter's brother out of spite.

However, onto this somewhat surreal rural picture falls the Civil War, which forces the ladies to take refuge in the big cities and the men to fight. During the war, Scarlett, who has become a widow, receives much attention from Captain Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), a man of ill repute but indispensable to the South for the supply of goods; however, Scarlett continues to remain faithful to Ashley.

The city of Atlanta, where everyone had taken refuge believing it to be impregnable, falls under the blows of the Northerners, but Scarlett is prevented from fleeing by Melanie's sudden childbirth. It is Rhett who safely delivers her from the flaming city and sets her on the road to Tara; before leaving her to enlist to aid the soldiers, Rhett kisses Scarlett in a scene that will go down in cinematic history.

Once at the plantation, which has meanwhile been half-destroyed by the Northerners, Scarlett must guide the family and the recovery of the farm's activities (without slaves), facing her mother's death and her father's madness. The murder of a deserter will help Tara economically until taxes become so high that Scarlett is forced to marry her sister Suellen's fiancé after Rhett refuses to help her.

Having moved to Atlanta with her new husband, Scarlett maintains Tara from afar, becoming a skilled businesswoman. Shortly after, they are joined in Atlanta by Melanie, the child, and Ashley. During a business visit, Scarlett is attacked by former slaves turned thieves, leading Southern men to begin an act of retaliation as members of the Ku Klux Klan, during which Scarlett's husband dies.

Widowed but wealthy, Scarlett finally marries Rhett, with whom she has a daughter, "Bonnie." After the birth of the daughter and Rhett's successful attempt to redeem himself socially for her sake, the quarrels with Scarlett become more violent. Things escalate after Bonnie's death in a riding accident.

Even Melanie, weakened by a new pregnancy, falls ill, and at her bedside, Scarlett realizes she loves Rhett, but when she runs to tell him, Rhett rejects her and leaves. Scarlett then decides to return home to Tara.

The film is therefore, besides a classic love story, also a psychological tale with well-rounded characters and a fantastic historical portrait. Ten well-deserved Oscars, and a somewhat long and perhaps heavy review, but nonetheless, it cannot convey anything more than a glimpse of the plot and the richness of the film.