Gone with the Wind (1939)

Director: Victor Flemming
Screenplay: Sidney Howard (Based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell)
Cast: Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard, Hattie McDaniel, Butterfly McQueen, Thomas Mitchell, Barbra O'Neil, Evelyn Keyes, Ann Rutherford, Oscar Polk, Alicia Rhett, Rand Brooks, Carroll Nye, Laura Hope Crews, Harry Davenport & Ona Munson

Oscars wins (8): Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Vivien Leigh), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Hattie McDaniel), Best Editing, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography & Best Art Direction

This is by far my favorite movie of all time. It has all the elements I want in a movie: good acting, a great story, its a sight for sore eyes, music's fantastic, it's inspirational. It's a masterpiece. Vivien Leigh head's the powerhouse cast into movie with that Old South tale which is Gone with the Wind. From its technicolor shots to the details on the costume, the film is perfect in every way and a feast for a movie goers sight and soul.

In a story of survival, we follow the life of Scarlet O'Hara (Vivien Leigh in her Oscar winning role), a rich spoiled Southern Belle, living in their enormous plantation in Georgia. As Scarlet stays hopelessly in love with her childhood friend Ashley (Leslie Howard), who is to be married to Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland), the Civil War breaks loose and Scarlet must now face the new harsh realities of life.

As the men go off to war, Scarlet has a love-hate relationship with the unreceived and arrogant Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) who doesn't believe in the Southern "Cause". And as her riches turn into rags, Scarlet does everything she can (even if it means she has to life, cheat, steal or kill...or marry 3 times) in order to survive the horrible war.

Vivien Leigh gives a powerhouse performance as Scarlet O'Hara. In a dream role for any film actress, Vivien Leigh fills in Margaret Mitchell's immortal character so perfectly that this is hands down my favorite performance of all time. She is strong, emotional and you can really feel the eagerness and desperation from her, popping right out of the screen into you. Her screen presence is stronger then anyone, even stronger then any modern day actors.

Leigh's chemistry with male lead Clark Gable is interesting and irresistible. They couldn't have chosen a better choice to play the disgraced Captain Butler. Gable's performance matches Leigh perfectly. He is clever, witty and charming in his own way. De Havilland and McDaniel give splendid supporting performances too.

Victor Flemming and David O. Selznick has a mastermind partnership of a director and producer. They do not miss out a single detail and they create a picture that is actually way before their time. The Art Direction is beautifully presented and its costumes are amazing. So amazing that its snub from the Costume Design category that year is a major crime.

The film's cinematography (presented in glorious technicolor) is breathtaking to watch. Flemming's version of the Old South brings out so much beauty that even though you are not a Southerner yourself, you will appreciate the vast country sides and luminous cotton fields very, very much.

As music plays in the background, we hear magic that is Gone with the Wind's score. It's score is another gem in a film filled with them. Led by the theme "Tara's Theme", the score builds up the story and gives it a perfect to touch to reach its top emotional level. Max Steiner is a genius. Sadly, The Wizard of Oz (1939) was created in the same year.

When the movie wraps up, you feel so many things. You'll feel inspired, breath taken or maybe even sad. But there's one thing that no one can take away from this picture. And that is that it really is beautiful. So beautiful that I can say that this is the best movie of all time. It's really is the best of all gems.

Picture: Scarlet (Vivien Leigh) stares with spite as her precious Ashley walks hand in hand with Melanie Hamilton.