Gone with the Wind

Cover of the movie "Gone with the Wind"

Honest Opinion

We just watched gone with the Wind, and I’ll be honest it was boring. It was a tough watch with slow pacing and sweeping music felt more like watching paint dry. That said, I’m glad I watched it. Through that time, there were moments and characters that stood out and made me think. 

The film’s setting Civil War-era Georgia is grand and romanticized, but the story itself often felt like it was winding. There were long stretches where I wasn’t sure what the point was, and some scenes seemed to go on forever. Still, every now and then, something would snap me back into attention. One of those moments was Mammy. She’s easily the most compelling character in the film. Mammy sees everyone’s nonsense and isn’t afraid to say what needs to be said. 

Scarlett O'Hara

The center of it all is Scarlett O’Hara. Scarlett is vain, manipulative, or cruel. I remember the early scenes where she fixates Ashley Wilkes, angry that he’s marrying Melanie, and determined to have her way. Her impulsive marriage, strategically as it may have been, feels like a tantrum. Even her immaturity there is something deeper, an instinct for survival that, as the unfolding of the war shows, will become much more pronounced. 

Malanie Hamilton

Another character who slowly unveils her strength is Melanie Hamilton. On the surface, she appears too gentle and too passive. But as the war begins to affect their lives more directly, Melanie’s quiet courage begins to reveal itself. Her kindness is not weakness, it is intentional, and it becomes a pillar of strength to those around her. I admired her more in this part than any other, particularly in contrast to Scarlett’s passionate defiance. 

Some of the most compelling scenes in the first part of the series occur in Atlanta. Scarlett has become a widow, is living with Melanie, and must deal with the war's consequences. The scene in which she helps Melanie give birth to a child while the city is burning is unforgettable. It is intimate, chaotic, and terrifying. This is the beginning of Scarlett’s transformation. She is no longer passive—she is making important decisions and doing what has to be done. 

Rhett Butler

The arrival of Rhett Butler changes things around a little bit. He is charming and he is hands on. He is not considered a noble person and does not romanticize war. He is in a class of his own. I think the relationship with Scarlett is charged with electricity and tension. Rhett understands Scarlett’s true nature, and he does not agree with her most of the time, yet he respects her for it. 

Final Reaction

Watching the first half again sets a reason, among many, that this film is endlessly disregarded. It is doubly stylized, lost in the romance of the narrative, and the harsh reality of slavery is simply set aside, as if it is of no importance. But even in that layer of cliche and sad ideology of slavery, there are more cliche points of nailed frustration on women. I might watch the second half say I finished it and see how it works out. 

Summary I used to refresh my mind.