The clock was turned back in Atlanta, Georgia for the World Premiere of Gone with the Wind at the Loews Grand Theater on Peachtree Street. The beautiful theater was sadly destroyed by fire in 1978 but many folks still remember when Hollywood came to Atlanta to celebrate that wonderful movie and Atlanta’s own author Margaret Mitchell whose book about Scarlett O’Hara, the Southern people and the War Between the States would be read by millions around the world and be made into this exciting motion picture that has become a classic.
Do you remember when a movie premiere was a red carpet affair of excitement when you could take your family to the picture show without worrying about the language or sexual content of the film?
Gone with the Wind had its grand premiere during the Christmas Season of 1939, just 74 years after the end of the “War Between the States” and Sunday December 15, 2013 marks the 74th anniversary of that wonderful-classic movie that opens with:
“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.”
Gone with the Wind won 8 Oscars for 1939, including Best Picture, and;
Hattie McDaniel, the first Black American to win an Academy Award, expressed her heart-felt pride with tears of joy, upon receiving the 1939 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her memorable role as “Mammy.” Victor Fleming won the Academy Award for Best Director and even though Max Steiner did not receive an award for his excellent music score, the “Gone with the Wind” theme song has become the most recognized and played tune in the world.
Vivien Leigh, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a leading role, humbly and eloquently summed her appreciation by thanking Producer David O. Selznick. And, who can forget Olivia De Havilland as the pure-sweet Melanie Hamilton, Leslie Howard as Ashley Wilkes and Clark Gable as Rhett Butler who told Scarlett:
“Take a good look my dear. It's an historic moment you can tell your grandchildren about - how you watched the Old South fall one night.”
The Old South rose again!
Friday, December 15, 1939, was an icy-cold day in Atlanta but people warmed to the excitement of the world premiere of “Gone with the Wind”--The Selznick International Pictures “Technicolor” Production of the Metro Goldwyn Mayer Release of Margaret Mitchell’s novel about the Old South at the Loews Grand Theater. We remember Thomas Mitchell who played (Gerald O’Hara) telling daughter Scarlett:
“Do you mean to tell me, Katie Scarlett O'Hara, that Tara, that land doesn't mean anything to you? Why, land is the only thing in the world worth working for, worth fighting for, worth dying for, because it's the only thing that lasts.”
And, we cried when Bonnie Blue Butler, the daughter of Rhett and Scarlett—played by Cammie King, was killed in a pony accident.
The cast of Gone with the Wind stayed at the historic Georgian-Terrace Hotel.
Anne Rutherford, who played Scarlett’s sister Carreen, took time to visit the Confederate Veterans at the soldier’s home and the stars toured the famous “Cyclorama” at Grant Park.
The festivities surrounding the premiere of Gone with the Wind included a parade down Peachtree Street with over three hundred thousand folks cheering the playing of “Dixie”, waving Confederate flags and shouting Rebel Yells.
And, many witnessed the lighting of the “Eternal Flame of the Confederacy”, an 1855 gas lamp that survived the 1864 Battle of Atlanta. The lamp remained for many years on the northeast corner of Whitehall and Alabama Streets. Mrs. Thomas J. Ripley, President of Atlanta Chapter No. 18 United Daughters of the Confederacy, re-lit the great light with Mr. T. Guy Woolford, Commandant of the Old Guard by her side.
Time Magazine wrote:
“The film has almost everything the book has in the way of spectacle, drama, practically endless story and the means to make them bigger and better. The burning of Atlanta, the great "boom" shots of the Confederate wounded lying in the streets and the hospital after the Battle of Atlanta are spectacle enough for any picture, and unequaled.”
Read entire article at:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,952044,00.html#ixzz0XFQVmsTD
The Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans joins the nation in Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the War Between the States. Read more at: www.150wbts.org Also, read more about the National Sons of Confederate Veterans at:
http://www.scv.org/ Ya’ll come back now, you here!
As a young teen, I have been to Lowe’s Grand Theater in Atlanta multiple times. I used to take the bus downtown all the time and go everywhere, even at night. But that was before Maynard Jackson was elected.
I wouldn’t do anything like that now, even with my 45 carry.
It is amazing to think that a person who was 16 in 1865 would have been 90 in 1939 and would have personal living memory of the Civil War and been able to have seen ‘Gone With the Wind’ at it’s premier.
What a time of change and advancement.
This movie occupies a prominent place on the shelf.
Definitely a SHTF review.
That movie could not be made today.
The slaves portrayed were not beaten enough in the movie.
No Black actress of today would ever play the part of Mammy.
There was no hatred in the slaves. We couldn’t have that today. And for Butterfly McQueen to play an idiot Prissy???? They would never get away with that. Today she would have to be a genious prodigy.
****And, we cried when Bonnie Blue Butler,.......... was killed in a pony accident. ****
And I have read that the theater went WILD with cheers when Scarlet shot down the YANKEE soldier!
I’ve always believed that creative people only have so much in them. Obviously some more than others. But Margaret Mitchell and Harper Lee were two creative people who didn’t need anymore in them. Their lone works were enough.
As for going to the movie and not worrying about language, “Brett’s” “I don’t give a damn” was very shocking at the time. And it opened the flood gates.
One of my nieces is a big fan of GWTW. Some years back, in the late 90’s I went with her and her husband to a screening of a restored print of GWTW complete with HD Dolby surround sound at the beautiful old historic Senator Theater in Baltimore. I’d seen the movie many times on TV but never on the big screen.
As we were taking our seats, I noticed a black couple was sitting right behind us. As far as I noticed, they were the only blacks in the entire theater.
I wondered why they were there. Were they there because the wanted to make a statement or make some sort of scene? Or where they, like my niece and I, there because we all love old classic movies at a great venue?
I have to admit that during the showing, during some of the scenes depicting the slaves and slavery, knowing that a black couple was seated right behind us, I felt a bit uncomfortable.
But I didn’t need to. When the movie ended and we were leaving the theater, the black couple exited in front of us. They were holding hands and smiling. I overheard them talking about how beautiful the restored print was and where they might go to catch a late dinner. I tapped the man on his shoulder and told him that I knew of a few very good restaurants nearby and asked if they liked Thai food. They both smiled and said “Yes, we do.” So I told them about this really great Thai place that I had been to before that was only a block away. They both smiled and thanked me for the recommendation. But the woman then asked me, “Is this area really safe to walk around in? The theater is very nice but we are sort of in a “ghetto” area and I don’t want to get mugged.”
We chatted a bit more and I learned that the wife was a history professor at a small college near Gettysburg PA and that her husband was an MD and that they were both big old classic film buffs and were that they were Republicans and that living in rural PA, that they hated going into Baltimore City because of the high crime rate. They cordially invited my niece and her husband and I to join them for dinner but unfortunately we had eaten dinner before the movie and my niece and her husband had to get home as they had a baby sitter for the evening who needed to get home before 10:00 because it was a school night. I sort of wish we could have joined them. They were a very lovely couple.
Olivia DeHavilland is still kicking at age 97. I admit I didn’t like her character, Melanie, very much....she was too sappy and overly sweet.
I remain surprised that “Gone With The Wind” is still shown in this politically correct insane world.
Read GWTW in high school...many moons ago...and have always enjoyed the film. One minor note, there was a secret viewing of GWTW, sort of a trial viewing, at a theatre in Riverside CA. Viewers were told prior to the film starting no one would be seated or allowed to leave after the movie started. Little did the audience know they would be seeing the biggest movie to come out of hollywood in years at this sneak preview in this theatre in this small town 80 miles outside of LA.
The entire sentence wouldn’t fit, but this much of it, at least, makes a good tagline. Thanks.