Gone with the Wind - Ok, who knew this movie was 4 hours long, and why didn't you tell me? Had I known this, I would've never undertaken this undertaking. Seriously, 4 hours? Of course, 14 minutes of that was overture, intermission, and exit music. I believe the people responsible for those things were the original art fags. It takes a truly pretentious fucknut to think that his work is so important that it requires the same score we hear throughout the movie to play over a stationary title card for a 5 minute chunk. Fuck that guy AND his stenographer.
Anyway, the movie.
I always resisted this movie growing up. I just never appealed to me. It looked boring as hell. It was also considered THE greatest movie ever when I was a kid. When a discussion of the all-time greats took place anywhere, GWTW was the standard by which all others were measured. Sounded like faggotry to me. Funnily, when the Internet assimilated us all, we started talking about different movies. Now there was a place to discuss and celebrate cult films (without having to put on fishnets or throw toast) and talk of GWTW faded into the background. Still highly regarded, it was no longer the #1 movie to jerk off to, and it exists now as a classic from a long time ago that our moms and grandmothers loved.
So it's got that going for it, which is nice. It's still a big impressive epic, the cinematography is amazing even for today, and people in 1939 were rightfully thrilled by what they saw on screen. Of course, it had several re-releases over the years, and people still went to see it again and again, so it wasn't just the prettiness of the pictures that captured everyone's imaginations. There's also that whole romance angle that women ate up. This was my mother's favorite movie. She saw it like 4 times during the re-releases and who knows how many times on TV, cable, and video. I never bothered to ask why she loved it so much, but I'm guessing it's the epic romance. Maybe the feminist angle too, I suppose. Scarlett O'Hara was a cunt, for sure, but she was also crafty and manipulative. For a society portrayed as traditional, where reputation was everything, she sure as hell played with hearts and trampled on others to get what she wanted. The movie is really about this spoiled brat getting her comeuppance, which, of course, comes from the hands of Legendary Badass Clark Gable. Forget the romance stuff. My boner popped whenever he was on screen because the dude is just that awesome. He sees through everyone's bullshit, including yours. I can only dream of reaching his level of cool smarm. But seriously, even though the movie is about Scarlett, Rhett controls the story. He knows what she's up to and plays his own game until it's time to make his move on her. He does all he can, but she's never appreciative of him, and ultimately he denies her what she finally realizes she wants most: him. When he finally tells her he doesn't give a damn, it's an amazing moment. We should all have such balls in front of a hot chick.
I enjoyed the movie overall. After an annoying first hour (yeah we get it, the South is the greatest place on Earth), I really got into it as her world fell apart and she started to rebuild. But then, closer to end it started to drag for me some more. The happy slaves haven't aged so well either. Precious, er, I mean Mammy was a complete, realistic character, but Prissy was an embarrassing cartoon. What I don't understand is the unending love for this movie. Yes, it's good. Very good, even. And I'm still thinking about it after it has finished, but I don't get why this movie is at the top of the list among the greatest films of all time. Was it the epic scope? The effects? The story? The color cinematography? It's a combination, of course. I'm glad I finally sat through it, though, even if it didn't live up to the hype.
Did it deserve to win?: This is gonna take a full discussion. 1939 is known as perhaps the greatest year in film history. There are probably a half dozen films that would've been good winners including The Wizard of Oz and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and those are just among the popular ones. It's too tough to call. I admired a lot about this film, even if I wasn't whole-heartedly humping this hog by the end. I'll open this up to the forum and let the popular decision dictate.
(out of 5)
Longest. post. ever. Fuckin' ponderous, man.