In 1861, on the eve of the American Civil War, Scarlett O'Hara lives at Tara, her family's cotton plantation in Georgia, with her parents, two sisters, and their black slaves. Scarlett is deeply … 展开

Before the publication of the novel, several Hollywood executives and studios declined to create a film based on it, including Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg at 展开

Preview, premiere, and initial release
On September 9, 1939, Selznick, his wife, Irene, investor John "Jock" Whitney, and film editor Hal Kern drove out to Riverside, California to … 展开

Historical portrayal
Gone with the Wind has been criticized as having perpetuated Civil War myths and black stereotypes. David Reynolds wrote that "The white women are elegant, their menfolk are noble or at least dashing. And, in the background, … 展开

• Thomas Mitchell as Gerald O'Hara
• Barbara O'Neil as Ellen Robillard (his wife)
• Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara
• Evelyn Keyes as … 展开

Critical response
Upon its release, consumer magazines and newspapers generally gave Gone with the Wind excellent … 展开

In popular culture
Gone with the Wind and its production have been explicitly referenced, satirized, dramatized, and analyzed … 展开