On this date in 1939, one of the most iconic moments in cinematic history was captured—Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara’s farewell in Gone with the Wind. Director Victor Fleming also filmed an alternative line, “Frankly, my dear, I just don’t care,” as a backup in case the censors took issue with the term “damn.” Although the censors approved the film, they imposed a $5,000 fine on producer David O. Selznick for including the expletive.
The production of this renowned epic was indeed an epic endeavor, taking two and a half years from Selznick’s acquisition of the rights to Margaret Mitchell’s novel until the film premiered in Atlanta in December 1939. Selznick hesitated at the prospect of paying an unprecedented $50,000 for the rights to a debut novel, yet Mitchell remained firm on her price, leading Selznick to agree in July 1937. He promptly hired director George Cukor, and the casting process commenced in the fall. A national talent search was initiated by Selznick, who aimed to discover a fresh actress to embody the role of Scarlett. Simultaneously, he had writers begin crafting the screenplay.
By a year later, Selznick had yet to find an actress or receive a suitable script. In May 1938, with his funds dwindling, Selznick reached an agreement with MGM. He sold the global distribution rights for the movie to the studio for $1.5 million, while MGM consented to lend Clark Gable to Selznick.
On December 10, 1938, filming finally commenced with the Atlanta burning sequence, although Scarlett was still uncast. British actress Vivien Leigh, who had just arrived from London, visited the set to see her agent, Myron Selznick, who was also the producer’s brother. David O. Selznick invited her to audition for the role of Scarlett. By January, Leigh was officially cast as Scarlett, alongside Leslie Howard as Ashley Wilkes, and principal filming finally got underway. However, by February, tensions arose on set. Gable had disagreements with the director, leading to Victor Fleming taking over from George Cukor on February 14. Principal filming concluded on June 27, 1939.
The film premiered in Atlanta on December 15, 1939, quickly achieving instant success and shattering box office records. It received over a dozen Oscar nominations and won nine, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress, awarded to Hattie McDaniel, marking her as the first African American actress to receive the accolade. For its re-release in 1998 by New Line Pictures, the film underwent digital restoration and sound remastering.
