Gone with the Wind was already a legend even before it hit the movie theaters
The film had everything to succeed and the expectations did not disappoint. So much so, that the day of its premiere was declared a holiday in Atlanta. On February 29, 1940, the film made history and swept the Oscars, winning eight of the 13 nominations and taking two special awards.
The project began with the novel of the same name written by journalist Margaret Mitchell. The book was such a phenomenon that the rights were sold even before it was published. Kay Brown, a talent scout for producer David O. Selznick, convinced her boss to pay $50,000, a huge amount at the time, despite her initial reluctance.
David O. Selznick, one of the most important producers in the history of cinema, needed two years to launch the project and it was even rumored that he had hired 12 of the best Hollywood scriptwriters to shape the final text. Meanwhile, the book saw the light of day in June 1936 and became a bestseller thanks to the fact that Americans, amid the Great Depression, saw themselves identified with characters who fell in love, were ruined, loved, and hated, dragged by the effects of the Civil War.
A sales success that Selznick decided to take advantage of with the search for the actress who would play Scarlett O'Hara. The process became a myth by itself. The producer preferred an unknown actress for the role, who could not be previously identified. To do this, he launched a massive casting -the first in history- that cost a whopping more than 100,000 dollars and lasted two years. 1,400 anonymous women and also great Hollywood stars came to it in search of the most important role in the history of cinema.
Finding the right person to play this charming 16-year-old Southerner was quite a challenge. So much so that it even began to be recorded without Scarlet. Along the way, actresses of the stature of Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, and Paulette Goddard stayed, who was about to get the role. However, this one ultimately went to Vivian Leigh.
Legend has it that, during the filming with doubles of the scenes of the Atlanta fire, the producer's brother arrived with the interpreter. "I present to you Scarlet", he affirmed, while the glow of the flames illuminated the young woman. The reception of her by the North American society was not so welcoming. David Selznick was blamed for spending two years looking for the perfect Southern woman, and not only was she, not a Southerner, but she also wasn't even an American. A main cast that was completed with Olivia de Havilland, who played Melanie; Rhett Butler as Clark Gable; and Leslie Howard as Ashley Wilker.
After director changes
After the casting problems, the director's problems arrived. George Cukor lasted only 18 days of shooting due to disagreements with the producer about the film's script and the pace of shooting. This was succeeded by Victor Fleming, who was not without its drawbacks. Especially important was the nervous breakdown he suffered while working on the film, for which he had to take two weeks off. A time when Sam Wood replaced him. In the end, both came to work in parallel, with two different teams.
The relationship between Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable was not easy either. Despite the harmony they shared in front of the cameras, the truth is that the actors did not get along at all in reality. Proof of this is that she came to say that it was unpleasant to kiss her partner because of her bad breath. The latter also charged five times more than his partner for half the days of filming.
The highest grossing in history
The film ended up costing $4.35 million, the highest budget of its time. Nothing compared to what it collected, since it became the highest-grossing film in film history, if its collection is adjusted with current inflation. Its premiere was so anticipated that even that day was declared a holiday. At its premiere, on November 15, 1939, neither Butterfly Moqueen nor Hattie McDaniel attended, who played the servants of the O'Hara family, due to the racial segregation laws of the time.
A problem that the second also had to face during the Oscars gala. The interpreter became the first African-American person to win an Oscar, but she could not sit at the same table as the rest of the cast.
Gone With Time has been criticized for its racism and machismo, but it has ended up becoming an iconic film worldwide. In Spain, we had to wait until 1950 to hear the mythical phrase: "I testify to God that I will never go hungry again." A moment that, 80 years after sweeping the Oscars, continues to form part of the common imagination.
