32 New Things: Watch ‘Gone With The Wind’

I’m usually patently uninterested in
a) historical epics
b) movies about war

(I actively tried to walk out of Troy but my boyfriend at the time kept bribing me with Nerds and gallons of Diet Coke).Β  So I was obviously hesitant to undertake the four hour time commitment that Gone With The Wind requires.Β  And truth be told – I watched it in two parts.But you know what?Β  It is really, actually good! And enjoyable!Β  Sure, the character of Prissy is so damn annoying you want to shake her and yes, Scarlett’s constant man-slapping get a bit old, but the chemistry between Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable?Β  And the character development in Scarlett?Β  There’s a reason this movie won 10 Academy Awards.

Spoiler alert: Rhett Butler isn’t the bad guy!Β  If you, like me, were only familiar with the scene in which Rhett walks out on Scarlett while telling her he doesn’t give a damn … well, you’ll be interested to see what Scarlett did that engenders such a reaction.

Some of the best bits?

Rhett: I love you. Because we’re alike. Bad lots, both of us. Selfish and shrewd. But able to look things in the eyes as we call them by their right names.

Mammy: I is told ya and told ya that you can always tell a lady by the way she eat in front of folks like a bird. And I ain’t aimin’ for you to go to Mr. John Wilkenson’s and eat like a field hand and gobble like a hog!
Scarlett: Fiddle-dee-dee! Ashley told me he likes to see a girl with a healthy appetite!
Mammy: What gentlemen says and what they thinks is two different things, and I ain’t noticed Mr. Ashley askin’ for to marry you.
Scarlett: stuffs food into her mouth
Mammy: Now don’t eat too fast. Ain’t no need for it come right back up again!
Scarlett: [With her mouth full] Why does a girl have to be so silly to catch a husband?

Rhett: I can’t go all my life waiting to catch you between husbands.

Scarlett: Sir, you are no gentleman.
Rhett Butler: And you, Miss, are no lady. Don’t think I hold that against you. Ladies have never held any appeal for me

Scarlett:
As God is my witness, as God is my witness they’re not going to lick me. I’m going to live through this and when it’s all over, I’ll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again.

What classic movies do you love?Β  Which ones do you think are over-rated?
Β  I love One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and Harold and Maude.Β  Sunset Boulevard and Citizen Cane didn’t do much for me, though – and Stanley Kubrick films kill my soul.

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32 Comments

  1. Lorra Fae

    a clockwork orange – forever and ever! i've seen it about 45 times.

    harold and maude is great.

  2. Chelsea

    Ya know, I grew up watching this movie with my Dad (it is his absolute favorite) and so I couldn't help but feel nostalgic just seeing images from the movie in this post! And the lines! So good. I think I need to re-watch as an adult, though, since I'm sure some of it went over my head as a kid.

    Can I recommend you watch the spoof of Gone with the Wind next? Done on the Carol Burnett Show, entitled Went with the Wind. Hilarious!

    And my favorite classic is To Kill a Mockingbird. So so good. My first dog was named Scout as a result of that flick/book.

  3. Emmi

    Harold and Maude! My absolute favorite movie of all time. And I totally agree about Kubrick films, just can't get through 'em. I am definitely going to watch Gone with the Wind now on your recommendation, thanks for it πŸ™‚

    My other favorite movie is Hedwig and the Angry Inch. It is amazing.

  4. citygirl

    My favorite movie is Auntie Mame. It makes me feel good every time I see it.

    But, I think The Godfather is overrated. It's clearly well-made, but I don't think the spark that made people call it a classic lasted through the years.

  5. Yael

    i will go to my death spouting my love for "one flew over the cuckoo's nest". another is "on the waterfront". apparently i love me some classic marlon brando, because i also have mad love for "a streetcar named desire". "twelve angry men" is also pretty damn good.

    can't say i feel the love for "citizen kane" either.

  6. Roxanne

    Oh oh oh oh! I just rewatched Gone with the Wind recently for the first time since I was maybe twelve or thirteen, and this time around I ADORED it. All I want in my life is to foof around for an afternoon in Scarlett's barbecue dress from near the beginning of the movie – that green one? Zomg so much FLOUNCING.

  7. Roxanne

    Yael –

    That is because classic Marlon Brando is second only to classic Paul Newman in "SWOONTHEFUCKOVERANDDIETOOHOTTOHANDLE"-ness.

    Nom.

  8. Jeanni

    I LOVE Gone With The Wind. It's wonderful. The first time I saw it I was 8 and not only was I Scarlett O'Hara for Halloween that year, but I named our house Tara.

  9. Shannon

    I love One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The play version is extremely powerful as well, if it has a good cast. I enjoyed Citizen Kane, but then journalism is a great love of mine and that movie was weirdly heartbreaking for me in that way. I felt similarly about the newspaper scenes in the last season of The Wire.

  10. Samantha

    When I was young one of my favorite teachers was in love with Gone With The Wind so I forced myself to sit down and watch it. Ever since than I've loved it and quote it from time to time, but no one seems to ever catch the references. Thinking about adding reading the book to my to do list.

  11. eemusings

    Oh, I LOVE Gone with the Wind! Uncomfortable racist undertones aside, it's a bit of a comfort movie for me.

  12. Laura

    My grandparents saw Gone With the Wind on their first date πŸ™‚ Of course I love it! My mom and I quote from it all the time, it's one of our favorite movies.

  13. Jess P

    A big resounding "YES!!!" to 12 Angry Men. And yes to Cat on a Hot tin Roof. You know the one classic I hate (because I am dead on the inside): It's a Wonderful Life. I know.

  14. Anastasia

    For some reason I got it into my head that One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was a comedy. So you can imagine how much sadder that movie was when I was expecting something funny.

  15. Alicia

    Harold and Maude!β™₯

  16. RhettDidntGiveADamn

    Oh.. I MUST comment on this! I run a little Etsy shop and guess what I named it? RhettDidntGiveADamn. Lol. I get a ton of compliments on the the name – and some scowls as most people do believe Rhett was the "bad guy". But you know, he loved Scarlet and I know they ended up together. Fave quote:

    Rhett to Scarlet: "No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how."

  17. Kim

    Gone With the Wind is one of my favorite movies ever. I can't even lie. I'm not the type to watch sappy girly love stories but this is different and so much better.
    I also absolutely love old, cheesy horror movies. Oh my gosh, and Troma films.

  18. Midnight Cowgirl

    I love Rhett Butler! He has got to be one of the best male movie characters of all time.

  19. MP

    I heart Gone With the Wind so hard. My mom and I always watched it if we were the only two in the house (a rarity) and for many summers I read the book. It's a great beach read and much more scandalous than the movie! Maybe I should subject the Mr. to it this weekend…

  20. Tornado Ali

    It took me three tries to watch Gone with the Wind–I always gave up at the half-way part, because 4 hours is a LONG time.

    I loved it when I finally got through it, but I was genuinely shocked by how it ended–and also not, because Scarlett was so much more of a bitch than I expected her to be. It's one of those movies I think I'll have to watch again in order to fully appreciate the conclusion.

  21. Nessbow

    I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! It's one of my favorite films of all time. I actually liked the film a lot more than the book, which is quite rare for me. The book drags on and on, whereas I thought the movie kept up a good pace.

    I totally agree with you about Prissy though, that girl really gave me the shits.

  22. Davinia

    Oh I HAVE to watch Gone with the Wind. And Casablanca!

    As for classic films I love: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Deerhunter, A Clockwork Orange and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, of course πŸ™‚

  23. laco

    check out Blythe Spirit and Double Indemnity. awesome classics! oh, and of course, Roman Holiday.

  24. Han

    It's actually kinda sad when you realise why he walks out (in that iconic scene)

    I watched it earlier this year and now have it on DVD πŸ™‚

  25. Kelsi

    Another Clark Gable gem: "It Happened One Night." The witty banter and chemistry in that film is superb.

    I made a goal for myself to watch each film on the AFI Top 100 Films of all-time list before my next birthday. I have about 30 films to go, and my birthday is in two months. Eep! It's been a wonderful challenge though.

  26. Pooja

    Did you know, there is a sequel to "Gone With the Wind"? That one is called "Scarlett" and is written by Alexandra Ripley. I must say I enjoyed reading the books, mainly for such clear-cut descriptions of not-so-perfect characters in both the books. Ripley did a good job taking off from where Margaret Mitchell stopped.

    The movie "Gone With the Wind" was quite nice and comparable to the book. I especially liked the lead characters. I like the unusual romance in the book, around the war theme.

    Then there were miniseries for the sequel, which was down right weird!

  27. flora

    Gone with the wind is my fave movie of all time! This post makes me want to watch it again!

  28. Kimberly M

    I love Gone With The Wind!!! I watched it like 6 times already.. and of course with modern technology..I always fast forward during the intermission haha..
    No one says Fiddly dee better than Scarlett O'hara

  29. charlotteannette

    O.M.G. You are the only other person I have ever *met* (ok we havent met but if you ever come to Richmond VA you have a crash pad) who doesnt like war movies or hisorical epics!! I always tell people the only exceptions to that in my book are ones that contain elves and/or Harrison Ford.

  30. Laura

    scarlett o'hara is one of my top five "ladies both real and fictional that I want to be like" this list also includes Marie Antoinette, Cleopatra, Phylis Dillar, & Eliza Dolittle.

    My Fair Lady is right up there in awesomeness for me as Gone With the Wind

  31. Anonymous

    I like gone with the wind the book better than the movie

  32. Ally

    Reading Gone With The Wind was one of my New Year's Resolution last year (my birthday happens to be on January 1st so I guess you could say it was also my "new things to do" list). Not only did I read it but I also watched the movie. I was very disappointed when the book just ended. We didn't get to find out what happened to them. Then I watched the movie and, surprisingly, it changed my mind about the ending. I love the ending. I've seen the movie at least 5-6 times since then and always notice something new each time I watch it. It has become my new favorite book (before Gone With The Wind it was On The Road by Jack Kerouac – which I still adore).

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