I was in the right mood to see this movie, and it's not often that I'm in the mood for 4-hour-long epics. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, after a late Saturday night: the perfect opportunity to sink into the couch and let some artisanal storytelling wash over you. I think that goes a long way towards my appreciation of this movie; I was pretty forgiving of its weaknesses and glad to accept the film's presentation of its story on its own terms. Also, I think my willingness to accept the movie is a result of the experience of having seen a number, at this point, of "older" films. There are so many conventions in today's filmmaking that we take for granted, and it's easy to forget that there are other ways of expressing emotion and telling a story, and they're perfectly valid and effective even if they're not in style today.
Gone with the Wind tells a story. It is an epic story, and largely manages to stick to a handful (four, I guess) of primary characters, although as with any epic it goes through a number of books and chapters, with side characters and side stories. I can't comment on the novel, but I don't have any real problems with the story that drives the film. One could take offense, perhaps, at the portrayal of black characters, but they play a relatively minor role (and I guess you could take offense at that, too).
The story, broadly, follows the struggles of Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), daughter of an Irish immigrant plantation owner in pre-war Georiga. As a teenager she seeks, and wins, the attention of all the high-society boys in town, and that's pretty much all she thinks about. She's obsessed with Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), but he marries Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland). Scarlett remains in love with Ashley as she develops a relationship with the free-spirited scumbag / profiteer Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).
There are ups and downs for all of the characters, and that's really what the movie is all about. But for a four-hour film, the screenplay is extremely economical. B stepped outside for a cigarette during the opening overture, thinking that not much could possibly happen in the the first few minutes. Big mistake. Every scene, it seems, has a specific point to make, and it makes it effectively and efficiently. Trying to extract an ideology from this film seems impossible, because while every scene makes a point, there's another scene somewhere else in the movie that makes a contradictory point. (I'd love to put a list of those points and counter-points here, but it's been a couple weeks since I saw the movie, plus I probably forgot most of my mental notes before the film even ended.) The acting can seem a bit over the top (I think this style of this movie must have become the basis of daytime soap operas decades later), but the emotional situations and soliloquies had me on the verge of tears multiple times during the movie. I refused to cry, but I easily could have.
Gone with the Wind might be noteworthy as an early example of a film with a strong female heroine, but I found myself wondering who the real protagonist of this movie is. Scarlett O'Hara is so immature, self-centered, and heartless throughout the movie (although she has her share of admirable moments) that it's hard to really look up to her. The same goes for Rhett Butler (minus the immaturity). Ashely is mostly pathetic throughout the film. Out of the four on my list of main characters, that leaves Melanie, who is easily the most morally virtuous character in the film. If we look at the film, we see that it begins with Melanie's engagement, and ends shortly after her death, which means that in a number of ways we could say that she's the real protagonist and the central character of the film. While that works from an analytical perspective, she just doesn't really feel like a main character. Also, Scarlett is hot. Melanie not.
I'm not sure if I could re-watch this movie, although I would love to. It is very well divided into two parts, with an intermission, so I think it would be acceptable (but not preferable, if you have the option) to watch it in two sittings. If I ever get a chance to see it in a theater, I'll jump at it. Whatever you do, if you're watching this movie do your part as a viewer and really try to commit yourself to the characters and the story. If you give it a chance, Gone with the Wind will reward you with an satisfying emotional ride, which what we're after in the movies after all, isn't it?
Miscellaneous things I meant to mention but didn't:
- The gun scene with the Union soldier on the staircase -- why isn't this one of the iconic moments in film? I can't believe I hadn't heard of this scene before I saw the movie.
- The name of the the O'Hara plantation is Tara, which I kept hearing as terra, the Latin word for "earth," which would fit perfectly with a major theme of this movie (when all else is lost, you'll always have your land).
- Vivien Leigh in this movie reminds me of Allison Brie.
No comments:
Post a Comment