Review of Gone with the Wind (1939) by Micah F — 07 Apr 2013

While other fantastic works of historical fiction such as The Patriot or The Last Samurai have divided critics in more modern times, Gone With The Wind was almost universally lauded regardless of its fabricated cast of overly-colorful characters living in a very real time in American history. One viewing of this masterpiece should be enough to explain why. It somehow doesn't matter to even the shrewdest of angry writers that the film depicts fictitious people experiencing actual past events. One reason may be obvious: because the source material was an already acclaimed, best-selling book. But perhaps the deeper reason behind the universal love of Scarlett O'Hara and her beau Rhett Butler is simply because it is virtually impossible not to fall in love with them.

Every single member of this film's cast is on the top of their game. Nobody can be caught acting or even over-acting, as was common in this era of films. Being perfectly on the mark across the board was a major feat in and of itself, but when one considers just how difficult and arduous it was to get this film made, it goes beyond the bounds of mere superbness and int the realm of perfection.

I challenge anybody to watch this movie and not come away from it feeling somehow more complete than they did when they first sat down. This one is for the ages, and I daresay will never grow old.