Gone with the Wind (1939) (2024)

Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from the 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell. The film was produced by David O. Selznick of Selznick International Pictures and directed by Victor Fleming. Set in the American South against the backdrop of the Civil War and the Reconstruction era, the film tells the story of Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), the strong-willed daughter of a Georgia plantation owner, following her romantic pursuit of Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), who is married to his cousin, Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland), and her subsequent marriage to Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).

It received generally positive reviews upon its release on December 15, 1939. While the casting was widely praised, the long running time received criticism. At the 12th Academy Awards, Gone with the Wind received ten Academy Awards (eight competitive, two honorary) from thirteen nominations, including wins for Best Picture, Best Director (Fleming), Best Adapted Screenplay (posthumously awarded to Sidney Howard), Best Actress (Leigh), and Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel, becoming the first African American to win an Academy Award). It set records for the total number of wins and nominations at the time.

Gone with the Wind was immensely popular when first released. It became the highest-earning film made up to that point and held the record for over a quarter of a century. When adjusted for monetary inflation, it is still the highest-grossing film in history. It was re-released periodically throughout the 20th century and became ingrained in popular culture. Although the film has been criticized as historical negationism, glorifying slavery and the Lost Cause of the Confederacy myth, it has been credited with triggering changes in the way in which African Americans were depicted cinematically. Gone with the Wind is regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, and in 1989, became one of the twenty-five inaugural films selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

Shooting[]

• The film had a troubled production. The start of filming was delayed for two years until January of 1939 because Selznick was determined to secure Gable for the role of Rhett, and filming concluded in July. The role of Scarlett was challenging to cast, and 1,400 unknown women were interviewed for the part. Sidney Howard's original screenplay underwent many revisions by several writers to reduce it to a suitable length. The original director, George Cukor, was fired shortly after filming began and was replaced by Fleming, who in turn was briefly replaced by Sam Wood while taking some time off due to exhaustion. Post-production concluded in November 1939, just a month before its premiere.

Cast[]

• Thomas Mitchell - Gerald O'Hara
• Barbara O'Neil - Ellen O'Hara (as Barbara O'Neill)
• Vivien Leigh - Scarlett O'Hara
• Evelyn Keyes - Suellen O'Hara
• Ann Rutherford - Carreen O'Hara
• George Reeves - Brent Tarleton
• Fred Crane - Stuart Tarleton
• Hattie McDaniel - House Servant Mammy
• Oscar Polk - House Servant Pork
• Butterfly McQueen - House Servant Prissy
• Victor Jory - Field Overseer Jonas Wilkerson
• Everett Brown - Field Foreman 'Big' Sam
• Howard Hickman - John Wilkes
• Alicia Rhett - India Wilkes
• Leslie Howard - Ashley Wilkes
• Olivia de Havilland - Melanie Hamilton
• Rand Brooks - Charles Hamilton
• Carroll Nye - Frank Kennedy
• Clark Gable - Rhett Butler
• Laura Hope Crews - Aunt 'Pittypat' Hamilton
• Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson - Aunt Pittypat's Coachman 'Uncle' Peter (as Eddie Anderson)
• Harry Davenport - Dr. Meade
• Leona Roberts - Mrs. Meade
• Jane Darwell - Mrs. Merriwether
• Ona Munson - Belle Watling
• Paul Hurst - Yankee Deserter
• Isabel Jewell - Emmy Slattery
• Cammie King Conlon - Bonnie Blue Butler (as Cammie King)
• Eric Linden - Amputation Case
• J.M. Kerrigan - Johnny Gallagher
• Ward Bond - Yankee Captain Tom
• Jackie Moran - Phil Meade
• Cliff Edwards - Reminiscent Soldier
• Lillian Kemble-Cooper - Bonnie's Nurse in London (as L. Kemble-Cooper)
• Yakima Canutt - Renegade
• Marcella Martin - Cathleen Calvert
• Louis Jean Heydt - Hungry Soldier Holding Beau Wilkes
• Mickey Kuhn - Beau Wilkes
• Olin Howland - Carpetbagger Businessman
• Irving Bacon - Corporal
• Robert Elliott - Yankee Major
• William Bakewell - Mounted Officer
• Mary Anderson - Maybelle Merriwether

Rest of cast listed alphabetically:

• John Albright - Wounded Soldier (uncredited)
• Eric Alden - Rafe Calvert (uncredited)
• John Arledge - Dying Soldier (uncredited)
• Roscoe Ates - Convalescent Soldier (uncredited)
• Trevor Bardette
• Dorothy Barrett - Girl (uncredited)
• Janet Barrett - Cancan Girl (uncredited)
• Lennie Bluett - Yankee Soldier in Shantytown / Townsman (uncredited)
• John Breen - Townsman (uncredited)
• Ralph Brooks - Gentleman at Twelve Oaks Barbecue (uncredited)
• Morgan Brown - Party Guest (uncredited)
• Daisy Bufford - Housemaid at Evening Prayers (uncredited)
• Ann Bupp
• James Bush - Gentleman (uncredited)
• Ruth Byers - Housemaid at Evening Prayers (uncredited)
• Gary Carlson - Beau Wilkes (uncredited)
• Horace B. Carpenter - Atlanta Citizen (uncredited)
• Louise Carter - Bandleader's Wife (uncredited)
• Shirley Chambers - Belle's Girl (uncredited)
• Eddy Chandler - Sergeant at Hospital (uncredited)
• Silver Chief - Thomas Mitchell's White Horse (uncredited)
• Wallis Clark - Poker-Playing Captain (uncredited)
• Richard Clucas
• Frank Coghlan Jr. - Collapsing Soldier (uncredited)
• Billy Cook - Boy with Tears When Death Rolls Are Read (uncredited)
• Jim Corey - Lumber Mill Convict (uncredited)
• Gino Corrado
• Martina Cortina - Housemaid at Twelve Oaks (uncredited)
• Luke Cosgrave - Bandleader (uncredited)
• Kernan Cripps - Yankee Soldier in Shantytown (uncredited)
• Patrick Curtis - Melanie's Baby (uncredited)
• Russell Custer - Party Guest (uncredited)
• Yola d'Avril - Belle's Girl (uncredited)
• Ned Davenport - Jewel Collector at Bazaar (uncredited)
• Marvin Davis
• Dolores Dean
• Dawn Dodd
• Lester Dorr
• Phyllis Douglas - Bonnie Blue Butler (Age 2) (uncredited)
• Joan Drake - Hospital Nurse (uncredited)
• F. Driver - Housemaid at Evening Prayers (uncredited)
• Edythe Elliott - General's Wife (uncredited)
• Susan Falligant
• Richard Farnsworth - Soldier (uncredited)
• Frank Faylen - Soldier Aiding Dr. Meade (uncredited)
• Geraldine Fissette - Cancan Girl (uncredited)
• Charline Flanders
• Bess Flowers - Hospital Nurse (uncredited)
• Greg Giese - Bonnie Blue Butler (Newborn) / Beau Wilkes (Newborn) (uncredited)
• Kelly Griffin - Bonnie Blue Butler (Newborn) (uncredited)
• George Hackathorne - Wounded Soldier in Pain (uncredited)
• Chuck Hamilton - Yankee Soldier in Shantytown (uncredited)
• Evelyn Harding - Cancan Girl (uncredited)
• Lucille Harding - Guest at Twelve Oaks Party / Dancer at Atlanta Ball (uncredited)
• Inez Hatchett - Housemaid at Twelve Oaks (uncredited)
• Jean Heker - Hospital Nurse (uncredited)
• Ricky Holt - Melanie's Son (uncredited)
• Shep Houghton - Southern Dandy (uncredited)
• George Huggins - Soldier (uncredited)
• Peaches Jackson - Cancan Girl (uncredited)
• Claire James - Girl (uncredited)
• Jerry James - Atlanta Bazaar Dancer (uncredited)
• Si Jenks - Yankee on Street (uncredited)
• Harvey Karels - Party Guest (uncredited)
• Tommy Kelly - Boy in Band (uncredited)
• Emmett King - Party Guest (uncredited)
• W. Kirby - Yankee Soldier in Shantytown (uncredited)
• Al Kunde - Townsman (uncredited)
• Paula Lane
• Carl M. Leviness - Party Guest (uncredited)
• Timothy J. Lonergan - Party Guest (uncredited)
• John Long
• Robert Locke Lorraine - Party Guest (uncredited)
• Barbara Lynn - Cancan Girl (uncredited)
• Margaret Mann - Woman Writing Letter at Atlanta Church Hospital (uncredited)
• Caren Marsh - BBQ Guest / Girl at Bazaar (uncredited)
• William McClain - Old Levi (uncredited)
• Leona McDowell
• Dock McGill - Singer (uncredited)
• Peggy McIntyre
• George Meeker - Poker-Playing Captain (uncredited)
• Charles Middleton - Man with Stove Pipe Hat in Charge of Convict Workers (uncredited)
• Lola Milliorn
• Hans Moebus - Party Guest (uncredited)
• Alberto Morin - Rene Picard (uncredited)
• Adrian Morris - Carpetbagger Orator (uncredited)
• Lee Murray - Drummer Boy (uncredited)
• H. Nellman - Yankee Soldier in Shantytown (uncredited)
• David Newell - Cade Calvert (uncredited)
• Jeanette Noeson
• Artie Ortego - Soldier (uncredited)
• Dorothy Ann Pailliot
• Naomi Pharr - Housemaid at Evening Prayers (uncredited)
• Lee Phelps - Bartender (uncredited)
• Spencer Quinn
• Jolane Reynolds - Cancan Girl (uncredited)
• Marjorie Reynolds - Guest at Twelve Oaks (uncredited)
• Suzanne Ridgway - Cancan Girl (uncredited)
• Louisa Robert
• Azarene Rogers - Housemaid at Twelve Oaks (uncredited)
• Scott Seaton - Guest at Birthday Party (uncredited)
• Tom Seidel - Tony Fontaine (uncredited)
• Terry Shero - Fanny Elsing (uncredited)
• William Stack - Minister (uncredited)
• William Stelling - Returning Veteran (uncredited)
• Harry Strang - Tom's Aide (uncredited)
• Dirk Wayne Summers - Youngest Boy in Band (uncredited)
• Stephanie Toler
• Emerson Treacy
• Phillip Trent - Gentleman / Bearded Confederate on Steps of Tara (uncredited)
• Julia Ann Tuck - Bonnie at Six Months (uncredited)
• Tom Tyler - Commanding Officer during Evacuation (uncredited)
• Dale Van Sickel - Gentleman at Twelve Oaks Barbecue (uncredited)
• E. Alyn Warren - Frank Kennedy's Clerk (uncredited)
• Blue Washington - Renegade's Companion (uncredited)
• Rita Waterhouse - Girl in Blue Dress (uncredited)
• John Joseph Waterman Jr. - Newborn Baby Boy (uncredited)
• Dan White
• Sarah Whitley - Housemaid at Twelve Oaks (uncredited)
• Ernest Whitman - Carpetbagger's Friend (uncredited)
• Guy Wilkerson - Wounded Card Player (uncredited)
• Zack Williams - Elijah (uncredited)
• Phyllis Woodward
• John Wray - Prison Gang Overseer (uncredited)