Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

For those who missed the discussion of this, you missed out.  It was fun.

Michelle led with some interesting discussion questions.  One of which would be lots of fun to follow up with on here.  If you were casting a remake, who would you cast?

I've only come up with a few so far but I'll share them at the end.

Growing up this was one of my mother's favorite books.  I grew up watching this movie.  I haven't read the whole thing but so far it's VERY interesting.  You do get more depth to ALL the characters, even seemingly minor ones like the Tarleton Twins, plus lots of others who didn't make it into the movie by name.  It seems that everyone is a bit darker or weaker than they appeared.  As a child I never understood Belle's role in things and even when I did realize what she was I wanted to believe that her role in Rhett's life became more limited once he was married.  Something I gather was not so much the case.  And Melanie being capable of anger was news to me.  And that Ashley really was just as cowardly as he'd always claimed.  I think Ashley is the one who diminished the most on further inspection.  Scarlett was just stupid to think she loved him, but you have to cut her some slack because of the way she was raised.  Ashley has no such excuse that I could see.  Humph.

I have always loved the detail that when Melanie is in labor and Scarlett goes to look for Doctor Meade she puts her hat on upside down--see the first panel in the depot scenes below and the photo to the right.  It just shows her desperation and how times and Scarlett have changed.  Can you imagine the Scarlett at the beginning of the story going out in public without looking her BEST, let alone with her hat upside down!?


Somehow it seems that every man has their favorite war. For my husband it was the Revolutionary War.  For his dad, it's World War II.  For my dad, it was the Civil War.  And I trust him when he says that Margaret Mitchell did a great job with the historical aspect of things.  Michelle mentioned that she had double checked a few facts as well and agreed.  (My son, reading over my shoulder, says he thinks his is World War II).
I grew up on the Southern border of "the North" and there is a lot of Southern influence there in food and culture, however we were not defeated and you can feel the difference even today.  The South, as a whole, I don't think has even forgotten or forgiven.  And while I haven't reached this part of the book, it was discussed ( and you see some of it in the movie) how wretched everything was for the South and how the North came in and made it worse so you can sort of understand it.

In rummaging through websites I came across this memoir written by the actress who plays Bonnie about her time working on Gone with the Wind:

Also, if anyone is interested, there's a movie starring Clark Gable that also deals with the issue of slavery.  Band of Angels, which you can watch on Amazon for cheap.   It also stars Sidney Poitier, but he didn't make it onto the poster.  Homes like the O'Hara's and the Wilkes' where slaves were treated well and in some cases as good or better than family (look at the way Scarlett treats Pork and Mammy over Suellen) made it seem like maybe it wasn't the worst thing in the world and this movie deals with that.  That it's actually worse because it lulls you into thinking that it is ok, when of course it's not.

One last thing.  Tara.  Scarlett is awful in so many ways.  But Tara is one of her redeeming qualities.  And it is where she gets her strength.  And I think these days people move and travel so much that they are deprived of true roots to draw strength from. I think some people have adapted and draw strength either from other things or from their home in other ways.

Now just because I had so much fun looking through these photos and can't wait until I can find 4 hours to watch  the movie again, here are some glimpses into the world of Gone with the Wind.

Don't forget to post you think could play these characters.

  

  

 

 Now just a moment to say that I think Leslie Howard does a great job as Ashley.  And I think his perfomance is maybe part of what makes Ashley more likable in the movie.  If you'd like to see him in a role where is is both WAY more noble, but does a great job acting the fop as well, he is marvelous in, The Scarlet Pimpernel.

     One of my picks is James McAvoy as Ashley.  

I'd forgotten and haven't seen it but he was in a Civil War era movie, the Conspirator.  So here's a photo to help you picture him in that time.

If you give up the idea of Mammy as rotund I could see Alfre Woodard in that role.  She's got an air of pride and the ability to fuss.  Any woman to can tell off Captain Picard has some nerve. 

 I don't get how this picture has come to be so iconic since it's not in the movie, but I wanted to include it.  We had a gone with the wind puzzle of which this image was a part.  

And I know what you're all wondering, "What's any of this have to do with Twilight?"  Well, I'll repeat what I said when we met for book group.  There is that moment at the Bazaar when Rhett takes a moment to really look at Melanie.  It says it's almost as if he could read her mind and of course I thought of Edward.  Rhett does seem to sort of have that gift of knowing what people are really thinking.  Of course, the real take away from this is that in that moment Rhett sees Melanie for the first time and she seems to be the only person in that whole book that he has any respect for because she is genuine.  

Now, just for sillies I'll include this ridiculous photo I found.

Ok.  Now seriously.  Post some comments about the book or who you would cast in a remake.