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A three year production, three directors (Victor Fleming dominated proceedings while the other two, George Cukor and Sam Wood, left uncredited), a legendary hero and heroine, an excessive running time, glorious Technicolor, and ten Academy Awards are the foremost credentials associated with the most celebrated film of all-time. David O. Selznick's Gone with the Wind is quite simply the emblem of American filmmaking, mixing both artistic and blockbuster mentalities, the illustrious film has gone on to epitomise the Golden Age of Hollywood. In fact, by adjusting the figures for inflation, the enduring spectacle would have made $1,329,453,600 domestically and $2,699,710,936 worldwide today. Figures such as these are hard to criticise - the film is undoubtedly an indelible classic.
Sidney Howard's script, which was adapted from Margaret Mitchell's 1936 treasured novel about the Old South, is the basis of the hefty 222 minute running time and Selznick's initial then-record huge gamble of paying $50,000 for the book's film rights seems a very distant memory, especially in today's world of filmic extravagance. Granted, 50 speaking roles and 2,400 extras are still gigantic numbers though! Without question the opera-like experience is a very long one, but for the sheer magnetism of the performances and the beloved love-hate romance set against the backdrop of the Civil War, this tale of survival photographed in such an exquisite manner cannot be missed. Indeed, most even welcome the inclusion of an intermission for the simple fact that it adds a genuine theatrical feel - Gone with the Wind would definitely not seem out of place on the stage. Some minorities will state how it is outdated, overlong and racist hokum, but true cineastes will appreciate not only the core plot, which is basically about a selfish Southern belle dealing with her tumultuous love-life and the war on her doorstep, but also the beauty of the sprawling canvas and the numerous cultural and political connotations one could bestow upon the picture.
Max Steiner's score is engrossing, even if occasionally the main riff becomes a little repetitive over the enormous running time. What Steiner does do perfectly however is increase the intensity of the two leads: Clark Gable as Rhett Butler and Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara deserve all the kudos they receive as they cascade emotion wonderfully between the turmoil of the production - "Selznick's Folly" contained constant script rewrites, an astronomical budget and an exhausted crew - and the turmoil of their respective characters.
The finished picture may contain elements of racism, but even those can be read in different ways. Does the film possess overt racism in the way the narrative treats characters such as Scarlett's maid, Mammy? Or, is the film more neutral? Everyone realises Scarlett's family owned slaves but surely the film embodies how far African Americans have come since the Civil War. Whatever the case, the race issue is just one debatable point from the stunning film which is very open to individual interpretation. Selznick and his colleagues may have glorified the Old South but what an outstanding vision we are treated to.
The extras
Firstly the remastered sound (in both Dolby 5.1 and Original Mono for the purists) and picture are incredible. Some film scholars will state how any wannabe viewers will have to clear a whole evening in their diaries to watch this 1939 epic. To watch this incredible edition one urges you to make an entire weekend available. The arsenal of excellent extras are mainly situated on the third and fourth disc as the first two are occupied by the mammoth film. One feature which does pop up to cover the film however is the outstanding commentary track by historian Rudy Behlmer. It may seem like he is simply reading from a prepared thesis, but each point Behlmer makes is incredibly insightful if a little delayed because of the detail he ventures into. Obviously nearly every prominent figure associated with the production is no longer with us and when a film scholar is asked to comment on such a classic they are bound to do a decent job, and Behlmer engages your attention throughout in his unhurried manner.
"The Making of a Legend" (1989) featurette is simply awesome. At just a shade over two hours this documentary is longer than most films but the problems of the production warrant such a long documentary and they are explored in great detail. We are shown some rather cheesy moments such as actors sitting at desks in offices to recreate the studio troubles of the time, but all in all Christopher Plummer does a fine job at narrating and illustrating just how complex this film was to be made. The nostalgic moments from the Oscar ceremony are interesting, in addition to how Riverside, California played host to the film's first ever screening. The screen tests of well-known actresses are also a joy to behold as stars tried seemingly anything to capture the part of Scarlett.
"Restoring a Legend" is relatively concise but the eighteen minutes are all you need to realise how much dedication the restoration team exerted to gain the picture and sound quality, which are utterly immense for such an old film.
The profiles of Leigh and Gable are also first-rate. Jessica Lange introduces the 1990 piece on the former, and the biographical look weighs in at 46 minutes of fascinating insight. We hear about Leigh's career, her marriage to Lawrence Olivier and her later life problems with bipolar disorder. The Gable feature is a similarly absorbing 64 minutes. Even though it was produced in 1975 and we hear nothing about the child he fathered with Loretta Young, the documentary is still very worthwhile, even if the picture and sound are nothing special. The insight into the actors continues with the exclusive 2004 Olivia de Havilland documentary, "Melanie Remembers". At a near 40 minutes it is great to hear from the actress who is famed to hardly ever give interviews. "Supporting Players" looks at the careers of the ensemble cast members and the brief episodes (ranging from one to five minutes) are a delight. Especially when you notice some of the characters the actors have played away from Gone with the Wind.
The trailer gallery looks at the continuously updated trailers over the years from 1939-1989, the "Atlanta Premiere Newsreels" demonstrate how film premieres have not really altered much, the foreign prologue is a decent history lesson for people not familiar with the Civil War, "The Old South" is a good yet biased eleven minute look at slaves from the era, and a few very short dubbed foreign language scenes round off the sensational package. A nice booklet and fold out slipcase are also included to house the packed four discs.
The summary
Like the narrative's historical setting, Gone with the Wind is resolutely entrenched in the public's consciousness. An epic chef d'oeuvre which epitomises 'classic cinema'.
