Gable and Leigh Torridly Pair in Selznick's Sweeping Wind

                As any movie buff can tell you, 1939 proved to be a banner year for Hollywood, with the studio system releasing a huge number of classic films, including Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Jesse James, Midnight, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Stagecoach, The Wizard of Oz and The Women. However, one film stood tall among the most anticipated offerings, as filmgoers mused over producer Davis O. Selznick’s adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 bestseller, Gone with the Wind. Much publicity surrounded the making of the movie, particularly concerning casting of the book’s fascinating anti-heroine, the beautiful, scheming, courageous Scarlett O’Hara. Upon release in December of 1939, all doubts relating to Selznick’s vision and the lengthy shooting process were cast aside, in favor of rave reviews and record-breaking box-office. Although some modern-day critics have pointed to the film’s outdated stereotypes as dragging the merits of the movie down to the level wherein it doesn’t even warrant a viewing, Wind still remains one of the top entertainments produced during the Classic Hollywood era, providing some of the most enthralling sequences and performances to be found in movies, as the epic tale involving Southern belle Scarlett O’Hara and her complicated-but-riveting romance with the dashing Rhett Butler hypnotically unfolds against the backdrop of the Civil War.

                Entering the family business in the mid-1920s after a tenure at Columbia University, David Selznick worked at several studios, including MGM, Paramount and RKO, eventually finding success as a producer in the 1930’s with such MGM hits as Dinner at Eight, David Copperfield and A Tale of Two Cities, before creating Selznick International Pictures to independently produce his films. With its famous opening shot of the Selznick Building (which can still be seen in Culver City, looking much the same), the young movie maverick released a string of classics, including The Garden of Allah, A Star is Born and Nothing Sacred, gearing him up to undertake what became his passion project. The book Memo from David O. Selznick and David Hinton’s excellent making-of documentary on Wind are just two reference points illustrating the focus, drive and maddening attention to detail Selznick employed to ensure Wind would exceed all audience expectations and be one of Hollywood’s biggest triumphs. Although Selznick maintained a firm grip on the production, after initial work by George Cukor and later contributions by others (including Sam Wood), Victor Fleming largely took over the helm with a flourish, thereby possibly achieving the biggest one-two directorial punch ever (he had just finished The Wizard of Oz). Aided invaluably by Sidney Howard’s prodigious adaptation of the book, Fleming’s strong, sure hand allows Wind to artfully represent the multitude of storylines and characters, while wisely keeping the riveting Leigh front-and-center as the film’s most consistent, unifying element. Although Selznick would continue as a top producer for the rest of his career with varying degrees of success, including the following year’s Rebecca, Wind would remain the project most closely associated with him, guaranteeing his status as one of Classic Hollywood’s greatest showmen.

                The fortuitous casting of Vivien Leigh as Scarlett is one of the most perfect fusions of performer and role ever seen on screen. A last-minute contender when Paulette Goddard appeared to have the part sewn up, viewing Leigh’s screen test justifies her casting as the ideal Scarlett. With passion and precision, Leigh makes Scarlett come wholly alive in a manner unmatched by her competition, and her focused, powerful work illustrates she possessed the talent, charisma and drive needed to pull off the dynamic assignment. Invaluably giving her all in Wind, Leigh offers one of the most indelible, spellbinding examples of acting ever put on film. Importantly, not only does she fearlessly portray Scarlett’s worst traits with no plea for audience sympathy, Leigh appears to thrive on each opportunity to emphasize Scarlett’s unashamed nature as she goes about getting whatever she wants at any cost. However, Leigh also gains a viewer to her side as the movie progresses and Scarlett bravely faces one traumatic situation after another, making one believe Scarlett has the fortitude to survive and “Never go hungry again.” Leigh also slyly and colorfully demonstrates the vixen’s impish nature and hypocrisy, specifically in her scenes with the frequently bemused Rhett.

                With confidence and focus, Leigh vibrantly enacts Scarlett, making every motive and action crystal clear with the finesse of a veteran performer. Making a 1935 debut, both in film and on stage, wherein she met Laurence Olivier and become his frequent costar (mainly on stage) and eventual wife, Leigh was little-known in America before Wind, having only appeared in MGM’s A Yank at Oxford in 1938. A trip to the U.S. while accompanying Olivier for the filming of Wuthering Heights led to Selznick’s brother Myron presenting Leigh to David at the burning of Atlanta sequence and the rest was history, to the gratitude of movie-lovers everywhere held in awestruck admiration by the imposing feat Leigh, who must have felt immense pressure to fulfill the challenges of the demanding role, pulls off in Wind, creating an honest, pitch-perfect depiction of Scarlett when the public sought nothing less from the British “outsider,” after winning the part over so many American-based female stars and starlets. Establishing her rightful place in movie history via Wind, Leigh limited her film output for the rest of her career, but nevertheless contributed much to the screen prior to her passing in 1967, including beautiful work the following year in Waterloo Bridge, and then offering another one of the greatest performances with her shattering Blanche DuBois in the sanitized-but-overwhelming 1951 screen adaptation of Tennessee William’s landmark play.

                Unlike the prolonged search for Scarlett, from the time of the book’s release the public made it clear only one star was ideally suited to play Rhett onscreen, and the reigning King of Hollywood, Clark Gable, was indeed penciled in for the role after a few other names (Errol Flynn chief among them) were bandied about. Gable was then at the peak of popularity at the tail end of a decade that saw Gable’s swift rise to the top after a breakthrough 1931 (with A Free Soul gaining Gable particularly strong notice), followed by a string of critical and commercial hits, including Red Dust, Dancing Lady, his Oscar-winner, It Happened One Night, Mutiny on the Bounty and San Francisco. Wind appeared to be the perfect vehicle to top off a decade of astounding successes but Gable, understanding the phenomenally high profile of the material, recognized anything less than a faultless match with Rhett would bring public scorn, and possibly irreparable damage to his image.

Viewing his performance, Gable need have suffered no qualms as to his ability to fulfill the demands of the role as, similar to the case of Leigh as Scarlett, in look and temperament seldom has an actor fit a part so flawlessly. Gable utilities his trademark virility and sly good humor to make an immediately impact after a terrific intro shot of Rhett suggesting an impish, handsome rouge has just entered the movie from directly out of the novel. His scenes with Leigh are both funny and exciting, laced with a great sexual chemistry as Rhett and Scarlett’s relationship develops, then alternately rises and falls over the course of many eventful incidents befitting a grandiose entertainment. However, in perhaps the richest, most indelible work of his career, in addition to his familiar charm and masculinity, Gable pushes his acting talents far as Rhett is faced with a series of trials and regrets, imbuing the role with a sensitivity and complexity not often found in the macho mode that’s an essential part of many signature Gable characters. During the later stages of the film wherein tragedy strikes, the star handles the vulnerable, melancholy aspects of Rhett’s nature with a fine dexterity and a dedication to the role that assures a fully rounded portrait of Rhett is translated from page to the screen. Gable would remain a leading figure in film until ending his career with beautiful work in 1961’s posthumously released The Misfits, but for most Rhett Butler would remain his most identifiable accomplishment.

Olivia de Havilland’s turn as Melaine Hamilton, the gracious, benevolent counter to Scarlett, provided the young but already-established star a chance to increase her acting reputation considerably. Debuting in films in 1935, de Havilland had immediately success as an ingenue of beauty and charm, specifically opposite Flynn after their first teaming, Captain Blood, then reaching their apex in 1938’s The Adventures of Robin Hood, still the definitive screen rendering of the Robin Hood legend. Unlike many of her contemporaries, de Havilland felt the less-sought-after role of Melanie was a plum, granting an opportunity for her to add depth and individuality to what could have come across as a one-dimensional, fey role. de Havilland does a remarkable job of highlighting Melaine’s high moral character, without ever appearing to pander in schmaltz- she handles the part with a full belief in Melaine’s basic goodness and modesty, making Melanie worthy of Rhett’s (and others) high estimation of her. The young, talented star would build on her sublime Wind contribution to attain one of the most rewarding screen careers, specifically during the next decade, wherein de Havilland gained an Oscar for 1946’s To Each His Own and closed out the decade with perhaps her finest work in The Heiress, leading to Oscar number two in early 1950 while, with each hit revival of Wind, her meticulous portrayal of Melanie served as a reminder of the mature skill and ability she displayed so impressively early in her career.

As Ashley Wilkes, Leslie Howard has often been deemed the last and least of the four major players. The dimensions of the role are certainly less colorful when compared to those of the other three leads, with the virtuous, self-possessed Ashley placing first in Scarlett’s affections for the majority of the movie, but a distance second for most viewers in judging the merits of Rhett/Gable in comparison to Howard’s work. Howard was indeed reluctant to take the part, understanding the somewhat wane tenor of Ashley’s make-up, but he brings a great deal of professionalism and a dreamy affection in his scenes with de Havilland that fortifies Ashley and Melanie’s romance and loyalty to each other. He also does well opposite Leigh, displaying Ashley’s compassion and tolerance in regard to Scarlett’s forthright attempts to seduce him away from the altruistic Melaine. Wind did provide Howard with his most enduring screen assignment for the mass public, a few years before his death in 1943 while doing work in support of the British war effort, but to see him at his best, one need look no further than his Oscar-nominated, masterful depiction of Henry Higgins in the previous year’s Pygmalion, a superior screen adaptation of the George Bernard Shaw play, which Howard co-directed with Anthony Asquith.

After debuting in 1932 and becoming a mainstay in films, standing out in such classics as I’m No Angel and Alice Adams, Hattie McDaniel reached her career apex with her funny, vivid and very moving work of subscene in Gone with the Wind. Although her portrayal of Mammy has been a starting point for much of the later-day criticism of the racial stereotypes found in Wind, McDaniel’s superior performance rises above the standard, tired depiction of a dimwitted servant used for comic relief. In McDaniel’s skillful hands, Mammy becomes one of the strongest, wisest and most compassionate characters in the film. She’s the only one who understands Scarlett’s every deception and makes no bones in telling her exactly what she thinks, leading to some of Wind’s most amusing moments. She also directly lets Rhett know how much she does or doesn’t care for him, before displaying an aptitude for top-tier dramatic playing in one of the most emotionally impactful scenes, wherein a bereft Mammy explains to Melaine the dire state of affairs that have befallen Rhett and Scarlett. In this tour-de-force sequence, McDaniel unforgettably illustrates Mammy’s tormented state with hypnotic conviction, making her later historic Best Supporting Actress Oscar win seem a foregone conclusion. McDaniel would continue to shine in movies throughout the 1940’s (albeit often in domestic roles- she once stated she would rather play a maid than be one) such as In This Our Life and Since You Went Away, and also achieve success on radio and television in Beulah before her passing in 1952. Her rich, marvelous rendering of one of the most substantial, independent-minded figures in Gone with the Wind assures Hattie McDaniel her eminent place among Classic Hollywood’s best players.

Among the truly imposing list of supporting players Thomas Mitchell, in the midst of a career year on film rarely matched, with an Oscar to come for Stagecoach and plum roles in The Hunchback of Norte Dame, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Only Angels Have Wings also among his 1939 filmography, has the right bombastic touch as Scarlett’s fiery father, Gerald, allowing a viewer to believe Scarlett strongly takes after the family’s patriarch. In contrast, as Mrs. O’Hara Barbara O’Neil lends grace and dignity to her role, while Evelyn Keyes and Ann Rutherford ideally fit the bill as Scarlett’s sisters, the spirited Suellen and the younger, more naïve Carreen, with Keyes in particular adding nice comic flair to Suellen’s (ultimately justifiable) indignant attitude towards Scarlett. Butterfly McQueen’s florid playing as Prissy has also faced criticism but McQueen, while clearly generating some of the biggest laughs in the film as the overwrought Prissy runs amok during the siege of Atlanta, also indicates Prissy’s strong sense of self-regard and confidence in calmer moments, allowing audiences to admire the character and laugh with McQueen, not at her in Prissy’s more amusing moments. Laura Hope Crews is also all-aflutter and comical as Aunt Pitty-Pat, while Henry Davenport adds both humor and empathy to his fine, sage work as Dr. Meade. As Belle Watling, the “Hostess” who frequently entertains Rhett, Ona Munson brings a great deal of warmth and wisdom to the screen and does a great job conveying her unrequited love for Rhett, and how well Belle understands the situation regarding his love/hate relationship with Scarlett. In smaller roles, such names as George Reeves, Eddie Anderson, Jane Darwell, Victor Jory and Isabel Jewell also make maximum impacts in brief but choice assignments.

The unprecedented success of Wind after its December 15, 1939 Atlanta premiere found the monumental hit playing its first run for several years, ending up at the top of the Variety list of “All-Time Top Grossers” until finally being displaced by 1965’s The Sound of Music. Viewing the Variety lists are intriguing, as it makes clear just how successful the film was in several re-releases, with the January 5, 1949 list showing $22,000,000 in U.S./Canada rentals, the 1954 list showing a $26,000,000 total, the 1955 list witnessing a jump to $33,500,000 and (after a 1961 reissue that has Wind placing sixth for the year with $6,000,000) the 1963 and 1965 lists showing $41,200,000 in rentals. A big 1968 reissue had Wind placing third for the year, amassing $23,000,000 more in rentals according to the January 8, 1969 issue of Variety. On the 1977 Variety list, Wind was still in the top ten films of all time (at #9), with a $76,700,000 total. Currently, Box Office Mojo shows a gross of $200,882,193 for Wind, and an adjusted for inflation amount of $1,850,581,586, placing Wind back on top as the biggest hit of all time. Wind also conquered television with its two-part network premiere in November of 1976, with the 1980 edition of Film Facts by Cobbett Steinberg showing Part 1 in first place among the most popular films ever shown on television, with a 47.7 rating and a 65 share, and Part 2 in second with a 47.4 rating and a 64 share.

Wind also fared importantly in the 1940 award season, taking home eight competitive awards from 13 nominations (a record at the time) and two special awards, which included Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Score (for Max Steiner most famous orchestrations) and one of the most richly deserved Best Actress wins ever. Leigh also won the New York Film Critics Bets Actress prize, and also placed among the Best Acting for the 1940 (due to a later release of Wind in some areas) National Board of Review awards, wherein Wind also placed in the top ten films of the year. The film’s ongoing status as one of Hollywood’s most enduring productions found it placing at #4 on the American Film Institute’s 1998 list of the 100 best American movies, and at #6 on the 2007 updated list. The film also placed among the 25 films included for preservation in the Library of Congress’ first selection of National Film Registry titles in 1989. Wind has also gained large audiences and profits through various physical media formats over the years, as well as the occasional re-release. Today, reassessments of Wind, specifically concerning its racial stereotypes, have caused some to take a pass on viewing the film or rating it alongside other, less controversial classics. Those willing to grant immunity to Wind based on the period it was made will be treated to a rare Hollywood blockbuster that offers stellar work in each department and provides a consistently enthralling watch over its nearly four-hour running time, making it difficult by the final frame to not give a damn about Selznick’s greatest achievement.