Gone with the Wind: The Beloved Epic Makes Its Long-Awaited 4K Debut (4K)

The Film:

1939 has long been considered one of the single greatest, if not THE greatest, year in the history of cinema. It was a year that saw the release of a multitude of classics that includes "The Wizard of Oz," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "Stagecoach," "Wuthering Heights," and "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," but the one that often outshines them all is Victor Fleming's classic adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind." A towering achievement from a production standpoint, the film was an immediate critical & box office success that went on to receive a stunning 13 Oscar nominations, winning eight (plus two honorary awards), including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, and Actress, making for a record that would stand for 20 years.

87 years later, the film is still highly-regarded as being one of the finest productions ever made, with many continuing to name it as one of their absolute favorites. At long last, Warner Bros. has decided to give this gorgeous classic its long-awaited 4K upgrade, while also throwing in a handful of new extras that explore the film's influence, its restoration, and Miss Scarlett herself, so now it's time to give it another look to see if this immense epic truly holds the same power nearly nine decades later.

Starting in 1861, we are introduced to Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), who lives at Tara, her family's cotton plantation, with her father (Thomas Mitchell), mother (Barbara O'Neil), and her sisters Suellen (Evelyn Keyes) and Carreen (Ann Rutherford). Scarlett is quite attracted to a young man named Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), making her devastated when she learns that he is to marry his cousin Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland). During a party at the Wilkes estate, she tries to express her feelings to him, but is ultimately rejected, though this does bring her to the attention of the notorious Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), a man with a spotty reputation who had just caused a further bit of controversy by stating his view of the coming war, which is ironically declared during the same party.

The men of the South are quick to enlist, while Scarlett accepts a hasty proposal from Melanie's brother Charles (Rand Brooks), hoping to make Ashley jealous before he leaves to fight. However, Charles ends up dying of pneumonia, leading Scarlett's mother to send her to stay at the Hamilton estate in Atlanta, where she once again crosses paths with Rhett, who is now a blockade runner for the Confederacy. As the war continues to go badly for the South, conditions in Atlanta only become worse as the Union Army approaches. Scarlett had promised Ashley to take care of Melanie, who is now pregnant, but will they be able to withstand the onslaught of the Yankees that have besieged the town?

"Gone with the Wind" does indeed have quite the reputation as being a beloved epic, one that is often noted as being an influential piece of cinema with its scale and use of Technicolor. As mentioned, from a production standpoint, there's certainly no denying that it's a beautifully-made film, combining stunning production design, costumes, cinematography, makeup, and Fleming's skilled direction to give it an epic grandeur that makes it stand out as an incredible feast for the eyes. This makes it no surprise that three of these elements (Director, Art Direction, and Cinematography) won Oscars, while another was thrown in for the editing of this four-hour behemoth (with additional nominations for its score, visual effects, and sound recording).

Having seen the film four or five times at this point, I can fairly say that I've enjoyed it over the years, though I've personally felt that its reputation is perhaps exaggerated just a little, at least as far as its narrative goes. Don't get me wrong, it's a fine film, and the story is enough to carry it through its grand length, but as far as a main character, Scarlett O'Hara has always come off as a rather detestable person, making it more than a little difficult to form any kind of emotional attachment to her, or feel any pity for all of the hardships that she endures throughout the film.

Naturally, you don't always have to like the lead character of any film, but if you're going to be following them through one of this size, through a number of difficulties, you should at least be able to feel something for them. However, when you have a woman continually lusting after a man who's spoken for, jumping into three marriages that she full-well knows aren't going to work (including one that splits up another couple just for money), and treating many people rather crudely, it's pretty hard to have any sympathy for her. Her selfishness is so apparent throughout that by the time we get to Rhett finally storming out on her with his classic line, all you can really say is, "Well, it's about time."

Again, "Gone with the Wind" is a film that I've liked, admired, and respected over the years, one that's absolutely stunning in its visual elements, it just seemed a rather odd choice to make its main character so distinctly unlikable. That said, that certainly doesn't take away anything from Vivien Leigh's wonderful, Oscar-winning performance, or any of the other members of its magnificent ensemble (including Hattie McDaniel's history-making, Oscar-winning turn as Mammy), all of whom do outstanding work in helping to bring this vast melodrama to life.

In the end, regardless of its peculiar anti-heroine, it all comes together to make a fine epic that, despite its highly-outdated & controversial views, has clearly stood the test of time, and now that it's coming to 4K at last, its fans can be dazzled by its beauty all over again in stunning UHD quality. Ultimately, it may not be fully-worthy of the immense praise that some heap on it, but there's simply no denying its important place in the history of cinema, and with its new upgrade, it's easily worth the time to have another look at it.

Video/Audio:

"Gone with the Wind" comes to 4K in a 1.33:1, 2160p Ultra High Definition transfer of magnificent quality. The new UHD restoration looks absolutely stunning, giving you a beautifully sharp picture throughout its entire 233-minute runtime that perfectly highlights its gorgeous visual elements, including its dazzling Technicolor. Likewise, the 5.1 & 2.0 DTS-HD MA soundtracks are spectacular, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and Max Steiner's unforgettable Oscar-nominated score in outstanding quality. Overall, Warner Bros. has done a phenomenal job in both areas for the film's long-awaited upgrade.

Special Features:

TCM Intro for Gone with the Wind hosted by Jacqueline Stewart (5 Minutes)

Gone with the Wind: The Influence That Endures (8 Minutes) (New)

Scarlett O'Hara: A Woman Ahead of Her Time (8 Minutes) (New)

Gone with the Wind: Restoring and Preserving an Epic (7 Minutes) (New)

The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind (123 Minutes)

Gone with the Wind: The Legend Lives On (33 Minutes)

Melanie Remembers: Reflections by Olivia de Havilland (39 Minutes)

The Supporting Players (29 Minutes)

Dixie Hails Gone with the Wind (4 Minutes)

Atlanta Civil War Centennial (4 Minutes)

International Prologue (1 Minute)

Foreign Language Versions (3 Minutes)

Gone with the Wind: Hollywood Comes to Atlanta (13 Minutes)

TCM Presents the Complicated Legacy of Gone with the Wind (56 Minutes)

TCM Presents a Conversation about Slavery in Film (7 Minutes)

As far as bonus material goes, Warner Bros. did not hold back in the least, not only providing the aforementioned three new featurettes, but also tons of previously-released material that includes a feature-length making-of documentary, featurettes about the film's legacy, newsreels from the film's premiere & re-release, and much more, totaling over five and a half hours.Without a doubt, every fan of the film will be extremely satisfied with the wide selection of fascinating extras included here.

Conclusion:

Victor Fleming's "Gone with the Wind" is a beautifully-constructed epic, featuring marvelous visuals that perfectly complement its impressively-grand scope. It may be held back a bit by its curiously unlikable, selfish, and manipulative lead character (the notorious Scarlett O'Hara), but with its wonderful ensemble, magnificent technical elements, and an intriguing story that's surprisingly enough to carry it through a nearly four-hour runtime, it stands as a rather remarkable achievement, one that's very much worth revisiting as it makes its stunning 4K debut.

Score: 3.5/5

Available on 4K starting tomorrow.

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