Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn! – Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind

When I first watched the movie version of one of my most favorite books of all time, ‘Gone with the Wind’, I thought how in the world people liked this movie, since according to me it is nothing but the tip of iceberg of the tome.

But the movie grew on me.

You know how it is when you read a book and you paint a mental image of the characters and the places, this is brought to life before your eyes on the screen.

No one would have done more justice to the scheming yet attractive, trademark Scarlett O Hara traits than Vivien Leigh.
The naughty glint in her eyes, the manipulative looks or the sweet romance brings Scarlett out of the pages of the book.

The tale of how the American civil war alters a small town in the South and how the Southern belle, Scarlett manages to come out of it stronger than before, is well captured.
Scarlett loves Ashley, who marries Melanie, a sweet and innocent cousin of Scarlett. Enter Rhett, the flashy rich suitor of Scarlett. He is the only one who can match her passion to live life, although Scarlett never really realizes her love for him.

Clark Gable is both dignified at the same time brings out the cynical smile of Rhett Butler very well. He matches the energy of Vivien Leigh and both make a handsome couple.

The film also works because it does not try and just stick to Scarlett and Rhett but also focuses on the numerous other characters like Scarlett’s nanny, Mammy.
The image where Mammy wears the taffeta dress gifted by Rhett and is embarrassed when Rhett notices it, is priceless and Hattie McDaniel, won the best supporting actress for her role as Mammy.

The technicolor images of the old South, the ball room dances, the dresses at the parties, Atlanta burning are very vibrant with color. One might think that it is slightly over the top with the drama but the setting is also the American Civil war of the 1860s, so it is well within the limits of a well made epic saga.