Gone With the Wind

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The Book

Gone with the Wind is a novel by Margaret Mitchell. Published in 1936, the book was an international hit almost immediately. A story detailing the trials of southern belle Scarlett O'Hara during the American Civil War and the Reconstruction, Gone With the Wind is an enormously long historical romance which has spawned an Academy Award-winning film and several authorized sequels. A devoted fan base exists as well. The book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1937.

The copyright holders attempted to suppress publication of a book, The Wind Done Gone, which told the story from the point of view of the slaves, but the federal appeals court turned them down in 2001. The successful defence was based on the court's acceptance of the book as parody.

The Film

In 1938, film producer David O. Selznick decided that he wanted to create a movie based on Gone With the Wind. He bought the rights for $50,000, a record amount at the time. A well-publicized casting search for an actress to play Scarlett resulted in the hire of young British actress Vivien Leigh, although many other famous actresses had been tested, including Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Crawford, Lana Turner, Tallulah Bankhead, and Lucille Ball.

The film premiered on December 15, 1939 with estimated production costs of four million dollars. It was a smash hit and is still regarded by many as one of the greatest films ever made; the film has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

Credits

(A full list can be found at The Internet Movie Database: Gone With the Wind (1939) (http://us.imdb.com/Credits?0031381)

Directed by
- George Cukor (uncredited)
- Victor Fleming
- Sam Wood (uncredited)
Writing credits
- Margaret Mitchell (I) (novel)
- Sidney Howard
- Ben Hecht (uncredited) and
- David O. Selznick (uncredited) and
- Jo Swerling (uncredited) &
- John Van Druten (uncredited)
Cast (in credits order)
- Clark Gable .... Rhett Butler
- Vivien Leigh .... Scarlett O'Hara
- Leslie Howard .... Ashley Wilkes
- Olivia de Havilland .... Melanie Hamilton
- Hattie McDaniel .... Mammy
- Thomas Mitchell[?] (I) .... Gerald O'Hara
- Barbara O'Neil .... Ellen O'Hara (as Barbara O'Neill)
- Evelyn Keyes .... Suellen O'Hara
- Ann Rutherford .... Carreen O'Hara
- George Reeves .... Stuart Tarleton
- Fred Crane .... Brent Tarleton
- Oscar Polk .... Pork
- Butterfly McQueen[?] .... Prissy
- Victor Jory (I) .... Jonas Wilkerson, The Overseer
- Everett Brown (I) .... Big Sam, the foreman
- Howard C. Hickman .... John Wilkes (as Howard Hickman)
- Alicia Rhett .... India Wilkes
- Rand Brooks .... Charles Hamilton
- Carroll Nye .... Frank Kennedy, a guest
- Laura Hope Crews .... Aunt Pittypat Hamilton
- Ona Munson .... Belle Watling
Produced by
- David O. Selznick
Oscar Record
- Best Picture - David O. Seznick[?], producer
- Best Actress in a Leading Role - Vivien Leigh
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Hattie McDaniel
- Best Art Direction - Lyle R. Wheeler[?]
- Best Cinematography, Color - Ernest Haller[?], and Ray Rennahan[?]
- Best Director - Victor Fleming
- Best Film Editing - Hal C. Kern[?], and James E. Newcom[?]
- Best Writing, Screenplay - Sidney Howard[?]
- Honorary Award - William Cameron Menzies[?] - "For outstanding achievement in the use of color for the enhancement of dramatic mood in the production of Gone with the Wind." (plaque).
- Technical Achievement Award - Don Musgrave[?] - "For pioneering in the use of coordinated equipment in the production Gone with the Wind."

Nominated

- Best Actor in a Leading Role - Clark Gable
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Olivia de Havilland
- Best Effects, Special Effects - Fred Albin[?] (sound), Jack Cosgrove[?] (photographic), and Arthur Johns[?] (sound)
- Best Music, Original Score - Max Steiner
- Best Sound, Recording - Thomas T. Moulton[?] (Samuel Goldwyn SSD)

External Links

Filmsite.org: Gone With the Wind (1939) (http://www.filmsite.org/gone.html)