At a February 2020 political rally, Donald Trump addressed a crucial issue that should be on the top of every President’s agenda. He criticized an organization that gives out little gold-plated statues of a naked man holding a sword. "How bad were the Academy Awards?” he asked. “And the winner is a movie from South Korea. What the hell was that all about?...Can we get Gone with the Wind back, please?"
Trump's remarks came after the South Korean film Parasite won the Best Picture honor at the Academy Awards, becoming the first non-English language movie to receive the prize. The criticism of the foreign film was in tune with his Nationalist rhetoric, if not outright xenophobia. But the praise of the 1939 American film is perhaps more disturbing.
Adjusted for inflation, Gone with the Wind is the highest-grossing film ever. But the historical drama, set during the Civil War and the Reconstruction, has not aged gracefully. Based on the 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell, the narrative glorifies the Antebellum South as it portrays slaves as content simpletons. And the film serves as a reminder that many Americans have yet to reconcile with the outcome of the Civil War. As legions of white supremacists carrying confederate flags to Charlottesville prove, the sentiments of the 1939 movie are alive and well.
The film begins with pastoral scenes from a southern plantation, where slaves happily work the fields. The dramatic score sets the mood for an epic tale, as the introductory words scroll on the screen: "There was a land of Cavaliers and Cotton Fields called the Old South...Here in this pretty world, Gallantry took its last bow… Here was the last ever to be seen of Knights and their Ladies Fair, of Master and of Slave...Look for it only in books, for it is no more than a dream remembered. A Civilization gone with the wind…"
From Gone with the Wind (1939)
Slavery is a great economic model. It's even better than exploiting immigrants. Cheaper the labor, more profits for the master. Unless, of course, the oppressors have any sense of decency. But there is a cure for morality-induced shame. The white supremacy ideology asserts that God created inferior beings suitable for servitude. There is no need for guilt because God created blacks for slavery, as he created cows for hamburgers. And this despicable rationale is at the center of Gone with the Wind.
If the "Old South" came with "Cavaliers," "Gallantry," "Knights," and "Ladies Fair," who can blame Charlottesville protestors for wanting to "Make America Great Again?" When individuals try to restore a "Civilization gone with the wind," any attempts to erase the "dream remembered" should be squashed. At least, that's the belief of those who long for the days when Americans thrived on the backs of slave labor.
Salzburg is about 40 miles from Hitler's birthplace. The two most popular tours in the Austrian city involve Mozart and the 1965 film The Sound of Music. The 18th-century composer was born in Salzburg, and tourists can visit his birthplace and residence. And the historical city served as the locale for the famous American movie, with countless buses taking crowds of visitors to the sites of numerous iconic scenes. But The Sound of Music tours cater almost exclusively to Americans. Surprisingly, the locals know very little about the third highest-grossing film ever (adjusted for inflation).
My family and I visited Salzberg in 2016 and went on The Sound of Music tour. Our guide said that Austrians are ignorant of their place in cinematic history because local TV seldom airs the iconic musical. When they do, the film ends with the marriage scene between the singing nun and the dashing Austrian naval captain. For those who have never seen the movie, this is when the whole Nazi thing really takes shape. The story takes place during World War 2, following the peaceful annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany. After the marriage, the newlywed captain resists serving in the German military and escapes to Switzerland.
Austrians, as well as the Germans, are very sensitive of their Nazi past. Both countries have strict laws banning Nazi-related symbols and propaganda. Similarly, Americans should condemn its shameful history of slavery. However, "patriots" can proudly march in support of confederate symbols. It's uncertain whether European anti-Nazi laws have deterred neo-Nazi sentiments. It's also questionable whether removing confederate symbols or statues will weaken or embolden the American white supremacy movement. But a President promoting a blatantly racist movie certainly won't help erase America's original sin of slavery.
Charlottesville, Virginia on August 12, 2017 (wikipedia.org)
Gone with the Wind is littered with numerous cringe-worthy scenes that can be very upsetting to 21st-century sensibilities. Trying to absorb the plot while ignoring the unapologetic racist depiction of secondary characters is a herculean task. But there are good parts to the film.
The acting in Gone with the Wind is outstanding, especially from Hattie McDaniel, who plays the slave Mammie. And for her efforts, McDaniel won the Best Supporting Actress prize at the Academy Awards. She was the first African American to win an Oscar, a worthy accomplishment for the film. The cinematography is also remarkable, especially considering that movies were rarely shot in color in 1939. But the narrative induces repeated episodes of eye-rolling, especially in the second half, when characters die off in rapid succession to support the melodrama. Furthermore, there is another offensive theme that keeps racism company; the film proudly promotes misogyny.
Vivien Leigh and Hattie McDaniel in Gone with the Wind
During the 2016 Presidential campaign, recorded comments made by Donald Trump on the set of the TV show Access Hollywood exploded on the news. He said, "you know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful...I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait." Maybe Trump learned his despicable moves from Gone with the Wind because the protagonist Rhett (Clark Gable) forcibly kisses the heroine Scarlett (Vivien Leigh). And as Trump would expect, Scarlett loves it. On the recording, Trump continued by boasting that he "can do anything. Grab 'em by the p***y." The 1939 movie also echoes Trump’s abhorrent bravado, as Rhett dramatically rapes Scarlett. And, of course, Scarlett loves it.
Gone with the Wind is a nostalgic classic for those who miss the days when sexual assault was an acceptable courtship ritual. And for racists longing for the Old South, the 1939 film is a testament to what life could have been. But for everyone else, Gone with the Wind serves as a historical document that exposes America’s shameful past. Moreover, anyone who thinks the movie is the epitome of cinematic excellence should be gone with the wind.
Andrew’s Grade: C
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