Of course one of the main features of this film is love. However, it also relates to the torment and destruction of living through a Civil War, moral values, social and political issues, poverty, putting life together again in the aftermath of a War, and exposes those seeking to gain from the misfortune of others.
The film is based on a book written by Margaret Mitchell, which I believe was written in the 1920’s, and published around 1936. In tandem with a lot of movies that have been based on books, there are parts of the book omitted e.g. Scarlett’s first two children, do not feature in the film at all. Having also read most of the book, I do not feel that the omissions made are detrimental to Margaret Mitchell’s story at all – others may disagree of course.
BACKGROUND
The film is set in the ‘Deep South’ (Georgia), in 1860/1861, where undertones of a pending Civil War were prominent. Some of the Southern States of America had begun to secede from the Union, following the election of President Lincoln. The issue was not purely ‘slavery’ there were other issues such as, the fact that the Southerners felt their rights were being threatened and the North was becoming more industrialised. As the industrialisation was evolving, the ‘King of the South’ - cotton - was being demised and therefore putting many livelihoods of those in the South in jeopardy. The majority of the ‘Southerners’ believed they could win the war with their honour.
THE FILM ITSELF
It begins with a musical overture and a textual prologue about a civilisation that was, and can now only be seen in books, as it has ‘Gone with the wind’. The first scene sees one of the main characters Scarlett, as the ‘Belle’ of the surrounding neighbourhood, talking to the ‘Tarleton’ twins (males of course), on her front porch and flirting, as only Scarlett knows how. She is not interested in the impending war, only of herself and gossip. She finds out that Ashley Wilkes, who she believes she is in love with (even though he doesn’t know it) is about to get married, and, as seems customary in the Wilkes’ family, to his cousin Melanie Hamilton. A barbeque at the Wilkes’ sees Scarlett being the focal point of attention from would-be male suitors, and also those who are ‘spoken for’ including Charles Hamilton, Melanie Hamilton’s brother and beau of India Wilkes – Ashley’s sister. It is at the Wilkes’ barbeque Scarlett has her first real encounter with Rhett Butler, who incidentally, although a Southerner, sees the southern beliefs that, as gentlemen they are worth more than ‘ten Yankees’ somewhat arrogant, and not a useful weapon to win the impending war. Rhett overhears (without Scarlett’s knowledge, at first) Scarlett declare to Ashley, her undying love for him. Ashley has feelings for Scarlett, but not in the way she wants. This is the first of many incidences where Ashley should have told Scarlett that the love he felt for her was as a friend and his real love was for Melanie. Perhaps another woman loving him flattered him. He remained, in my opinion, quite a weak character throughout. His weakness had detrimental effects on Scarlett’s life. She continued thinking that his love was really for her, and she kept her superficial love for him, until she realised too late that it was just that, superficial, and that Melanie would always be his true love.
Knowledge of the start of the war begins in the evening at the Wilkes’ barbeque. Scarlett sees Ashley’s farewell to Melanie, and in a moment of haste – to make Ashley jealous - agrees to marry Charles Hamilton. Charles later dies of pneumonia whilst out in the fields of battle, and Scarlett grieves more for the fact that she has to wear black than for her dead husband. Her superfluous grief sees her mother send her to Atlanta to stay with Melanie and her aunt, much to the disgruntlement of Scarlett’s ‘Mammy’. Mammy knew Scarlett inside out, and knew her real intentions – she really wanted to go to Atlanta because Melanie was there, which meant Ashley would come back there. Ashley does return and Melanie becomes pregnant. Ashley asks Scarlett to promise to look after Melanie whilst he is away. A promise she despondently agrees to.
The film proceeds to trace the events of the Civil War and its aftermath. We experience the devastation of the Gettysburg battle (one of the main turning points of the war), where there were over 28,000 Southern casualties. This is the battle that hits home the loss of family, friends, and neighbours. Scarlett accompanies Melanie to look at the long list of deaths; both women looking for Ashley’s name, which thankfully for both wasn’t on the list. Scarlett saw the names of many of the people she knew on the list – the most poignant being the Tarelton twins, whom she had sat out on the porch with at the beginning of the film. Then Sherman marched his Union Army toward the sea and Atlanta was directly in his path. People fled from the city and there were countless wounded who could not flee the city. However, some people such as Rhett Butler seemed to be able to enjoy their pleasures for a little longer. Scarlett became outwardly frightened, but soon resumed her strength and kept her promise to Ashley to look after Melanie, now with a new born baby. She enlisted the help of Rhett Butler to flee Atlanta and go home to Tara.
Devastation and destruction had hit the South, and in eventually fleeing Atlanta with Melanie and her new born baby, Scarlett finds out how hard her home county had suffered. Scarlett arrives home with Melanie and baby in tow to devastating news. Her true strength and character shine through and she takes every negative that is thrown at her and turns it into a positive. She vows, against an amazing backdrop of red sky, that none of her folk will ever go hungry again. The war ends, but for Scarlet it is only just beginning.
The aftermath of the war is, in some ways, harder than the war itself. Scarlett’s determination again shines through, regardless of whether others around think her intentions are right or wrong. Her ‘Mammy’ has mixed feelings about Scarlett’s intentions, but stands by her nonetheless. Scarlett’s biggest ally in everything she does and stands for is Melanie. Scarlett remains unaware of the inner strength that Melanie possesses, and also of the high regard that Melanie has for her. Scarlett stoops as low as it takes to keep her vow of feeding her folk, sometimes straying from moral boundaries to do so. Melanie always stands by her.
Rhett loved Scarlett from the first time that he laid eyes on her, and always wanted to make her his. He was attracted to her feisty nature. He saw himself in Scarlett. He wanted her to love him the way she loved Ashley.
This film is an undisputed classic and is timeless. It portrays characters of tremendous courageous and strength and also exposes the weak. It represents the toil and destruction that a war can impart on people who endure such a war. The film goes on further to illustrate the lengths that people will go to in order to get their lives back together again. Further tragedies were to hit both Rhett and Scarlett, many years after the war had ended.
One of the main tragedies for me is that Scarlett discovers all too late who she really loves. Perhaps a lesson for us all to learn. However, she has an astounding philosophy, in that whenever any negative situation imposes itself upon her that she will not think of it today, she will think about it tomorrow – ‘because tomorrow is just another day’. This is indeed a philosophy that I have used in my own life. Tomorrow is always just another day, and things do sometimes seem clearer tomorrow.
My title begs the question – is this just another love story? My opinion is that it is not. Love stories impose themselves on everyday life, in all semblances. There is so much more to this film, and to enjoy it in its entirety you need to look further than just two people who may or may not end up with one another. Absorb the harrowing experience of people living through a war, and making a life for themselves after. Feel what each character feels, even the weak ones, and try to think how you would cope. You may even find yourself as absorbed as I become each time I see it.
To some I may have concentrated on Scarlett far more than I should have. This is only my opinion, and in my opinion Scarlett’s character deserves the amount of concentration that I have given her – I just hope I have justified her character as much as it deserves. I am not listing the names of who played who, as that is all it is – a list copied from the DVD or a website. This is a review about one of the finest films I have ever seen. Just give a lower rating if you feel that this is an important aspect to writing a film review.
Many films, such as ‘Cold Mountain’ have tried to emulate this magnificent story of an era that has ‘Gone with the Wind’, and although enjoyable, they do not come close to this one.
Thanks for reading – WOW I’ve done my first ever film review!!
FOOTNOTE
Why do I love ‘Gone with the Wind’ and now have an interest in the American Civil War? I actually did it all backwards!! I read ‘Scarlett’ (the sequel to Gone with the Wind’), and then decided that perhaps I should see ‘Gone with the Wind’ to find out what had happened previously. I got hooked – perhaps you will too.
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Outstanding
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Outstanding
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