What's this about?

Lately, it seems like many of the movies/shows are just a rehash or reboot of things that have already been done. And so I started to dive into the past. It's been fun, but I find myself losing track of which ones I’ve seen and whether or not I enjoyed them. Sometimes the titles themselves just don't tell me enough to remember.

I wouldn’t have voluntarily watched a lot of these movies when I was younger. It’s strange how interests change. That goes for what I read, too. I have another blog that explores books. I’m mostly reading older fiction and memoirs, and some of the books have led me to movies/shows and vice versa. In those cases, I may post the book review over here as well.

There will be spoilers, which is different than my book reviews. That’s mostly because I want to have enough information to help me remember what I’ve seen. I’m getting older. The brain doesn’t cooperate like it used to. What can I say? The gray hairs are catching up with me!

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Gone with the Wind - 1939

I've been watching a lot of movies lately to try and free up some space on my hard drive. I'm hoping this four-hour epic will make a difference.

This is a bit of a cheater, since I have seen it before. It was many years ago, but there are a lot of scenes that stick with you. Scarlett is a spoiled brat who wants Ashley Wilkes. She is peeved that he's going to marry Melanie and does her best to break that up. Ashley is something of a weak-willed man, so he can't just push Scarlett away. Also, she's manipulative and persistent so you'd have to be pretty strong to go up against her and have a chance.

Enter Rhett Butler. He understands her and sees right through her. Scarlett doesn't like that, but every time she's in real trouble, she asks Rhett for help. For some reason, the man falls in love with her, but she just can't let go of Ashley, even though he's married and has a child.

Eventually, Rhett gets what he wants, but marrying Scarlett isn't good for either of them. Mostly it's bad for Rhett. Dang Scarlett just wants something she can't have (Ashley), and when she finally realizes she loves Rhett, it's too late. Rhett's famous line of, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." is appropriate and what she deserves. Scarlett isn't ready to give up and heads back to Tara. After all, tomorrow is another day.

This was still the epic I remember. It is really long at four hours, and I feel like some of it wasn't necessary. Scarlett is still frustrating to watch, but not because the actress is awful. It's the character. Rhett isn't a perfect person, but he at least grows during the movie. By the time Scarlett accomplishes any growth, it's just too late. Both Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable do a great job in this movie, and they're easy to watch. The four hours flew by for me, and it was a great rewatch experience. Good Movie!



No comments:

Post a Comment