Flick Pick: Gone With The Wind

Gone With The Wind
(MGM, 1939)

The first certifiable screen epic, then-longest film ever made, and celebrated multiple screen firsts: first Best Picture made in color, greatest number of Oscar nominations, and wins, first posthumous Oscar winner, first award to an African American, biggest chick-flick ever, and best walk-out line in cinematic history. Re-released theatrically ten times, premiered on cable and broadcast TV, setting viewing records each time, and launched two of Turner's cable networks all by itself. The lead actors were phenomenal (after screening only 1400 actresses before finding Vivien Leigh) and gave performances for the ages. It has been copied, tributed, and parodied times without number, not least of which was The Carol Burnett Show's memorable scene featuring Starlett's drapery dress in "Went With The Wind", one of the favorite television moments ever recorded.
Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress (Leigh), Best Supporting Actress (McDaniel),Best Art Direction, Best Color Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and two special Oscars for Best Use of Color, and Technical Achievement for use of co-ordinated equipment, and producer David O. Selznick was also awarded the Academy's Thalberg Award for lifetime achievement

{It should also be noted that in Class of 1939, Gone With The Wind was competing against nine other movies for Best Picture:
Dark Victory
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Love Affair
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
Ninotchka
Of Mice And Men
Stagecoach
The Wizard Of Oz
Wuthering Heights

Nowadays, we're lucky if even one or two of the usually-limited-to-five choices even belongs on the list.}