"Gone With the Wind" - What is it about that movie?

We, as a family, had a great experience today - ALL of us, INCLUDING GILL (who hates going to movies), went to see "Gone With the Wind". This was a special showing in the local theater by the Franklin County Parks and Rec Department and the Civil War 150 Committee. 2012 is the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. There were people dressed in period costumes and information about upcoming Civil War remembrance events. It was really nice! For only $6, you received a ticket for the movie AND a small popcorn and drink. Since there's no way you can usually get in the movies for that price, much less afford food, that was a great deal!

So anyway, there we are at the theater...Gill, me, Carrie, and her best friend, Joanna. We sat with my mother and saw a lot of her friends there as well. The movie was on a DVD (you could tell because at the bottom of the beginning you had choices to make regarding whether to play Part I, see special scenes, etc.). I think a little of the picture was lost as a result, but not enough to make a difference. Gill had seen the movie a long time ago, I've seen it enough times I could (almost) quote the dialogue, my mother was familiar with it, and the girls not at all! Every time someone would die, Carrie would lean over and go "Really, Mom?? SHE (or HE)'s gonna die too?" I think she and Joanna liked it, though - they said they did, so I'm taking their word for it!

Now for the movie - for those of you who've seen it, you know that you either love it or hate it - no in between! I've loved it for as long as I can remember! When I got married the first time (to my boys' dad), he gave me the book, which I had never read, as a wedding present. I'm sure we saw it a few times on the big screen since we were both such fans of the movie and probably saw it on TV as well. Later on, the guy I was dating at the time gave the VHS movie to me for either my birthday or Christmas (can't remember which). We watched it and I remember he didn't like it that much. Oh well!

I don't know what it is about the movie...half the lead actors are British and I'm sure there are historical inaccuracies in the film (one of which Gill has already pointed out to me - HA! Like I would know!!) although it's pretty true to the book. It's just - GWTW!!! The legend!! The romantic Clark Gable, the beautiful-but-nasty Vivien Leigh, the so-pure-and-nice-you-want-to-smack-her Olivia deHavilland, the namby-pamby Leslie Howard...you gotta love 'em all! Oh, and who could forget "Mammy" and her priceless looks at Scarlett - she provided most of the humorous moments in the film and deservedly won an Oscar (first black woman to do so) for her role. Or Prissy, who "didn't know anything about birthing babies"!! I'll have to admit, during the part where Scarlett tears down the curtains for a new dress, I couldn't help remember Carol Burnett's take on that scene...

While we spent most of our day in the theater...it's a 3 1/2 hour movie, after all...it was well worth it! I would like to thank my husband and my daughter who generously indulged me by going to see something they'd never have gone to see on their own. I'll always remember this day!