‘Gone with the Wind’ should be ‘consigned to museums,’ N.Y. Post film critic says

The Washington Times ^ | June 25, 2015 | Douglas Ernst -

[Clintonfatigued]

The national debate over the Confederate flag has now turned toward Scarlett O’Hara.

New York Post film critic Lou Lumenick said Wednesday that Americans should think about relegating the 1939 classic “Gone with Wind” to a museum.

“If the Confederate flag is finally going to be consigned to museums as an ugly symbol of racism, what about the beloved film offering the most iconic glimpse of that flag in American culture?” Mr. Lumenick asked. “I’m talking, of course, about ‘Gone with the Wind,’ which won a then-record eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1939, and still ranks as the all-time North American box-office champ with $1.6 billion worth of tickets sold here when adjusted for inflation.”

The movie, which starred Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, sends the wrong cultural message because it “stands for many of the same things as the Confederate flag” waving before the movie’s intermission, Mr. Lumenick said.

[fhayek]

How much longer before they start talking about banning Sergeant York or The Battle of the Bulge or The Green Berets (or all John Wayne movies, for that matter), or Patton ? God, would they love to ban Patton.

'Consigning to a museum' is just a euphemism for banning.

[GingisK]

Imagine the horror of having to watch “Gone With The Wind” immediately followed by “Doctor Zhivago”.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Mr. Lunatic will end up as less than a footnote in the movie critics pantheon while “Gone With the Wind” will be shown long after he is gone.

“Stupid, ignorant and liberal is now way to go through life, son”.

[Mears]

“As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again. “

—

“Frankly my dear,I don’t give a damn.”

:-)

.

[PAR35]

Fine. We can all watch ‘Birth of a Nation’ instead.

[Walrus]

What’s happening to this country?

While the rest of us were chasing bread and circuses, the Alinskyites were working their asses off and they finally took control.

We never refreshed the Tree of Liberty.

[jocon307]

This is soooooooo stupid. GWTW is basically a soap opera, I love it, it’s a GREAT movie (Olivia DeHavilland give a GENIUS performance and everyone else is great too) but the book was not some serious book and the movie is not a serious movie. It certainly can’t be considered any kind of a brief for slavery or white supremacy. Anyone who would think that is really over freighting it.

And, HELLO ignorant “social justice warriors” and stupid film critics (who really SHOULD know better) Hattie McDaniel, an African-American woman, WON AN OSCAR as Best Supporting Actress ..... in 1940 people, in 1940.

So, yeah, shut that film up, makes sure nobody sees that woman’s oscar winning performance, more progress for Blacks from the Left.

I am a yankee through and through and I’m ready to start flying the stars and bars, I swear I am!

[jocon307]

“Clark Gable as Rhett Butler.”

OMG I do love him, I don’t know why but he’s always been my ideal man!

And let us not forget Leslie Howard as Ashley Wilkes. Howard was a true patriot who died for his country in WWII and a fine actor.

I tell you, Rush Limbaugh really ticked me off a few years back when he was referring to some military guy, whom he considered a wuss, as “Ashley Wilkes” clearly another ignoramus who never read the book and probably never even saw the movie. A disgrace to the character and to Howard.

[EvilCapitalist]

Today is Olivia de Havilland’s Birthday. She 99 and the last surviving member of the cast of Gone with the Wind.

[RobbyS]

I have also heard that the Arab slave trade was greater in volume than the Atlantic slave trade. Yet how many blacks survive in the Middle East, at least outside Egypt?

[RobbyS]

Howard underplayed the role because despite the makeup, he could not act like a man in his mid-twenties. Which is why he at first declined the role. He was just right for Henry Higgins in “Pygmalion” Rex Harrison was too old for my Fair Lady.

[windsorknot]

The NYT should be consigned to fishwrap and bird cages.

[dhs12345]

Yup. Brutal. Apparently there were more Irish living in the US than in Ireland after the massive emigration.

And the Irish were also called names and considered second class citizens until they assimilated. And the Swedes and the Italians and the Latinos and...

Just about every ethic group has gone through it until they have assimilated.

Unfortunately Latinos have fought assimilation by refusing or resisting learning English. And blacks for whatever reason have not completely assimilated. It is considered being an Oreo cookie (black on the outside, white on the inside) if you work hard and are successful in business. There is a lot of pressure blacks to NOT follow the proven path to success because it is considered being “white.”

A lot can be learned. Unfortunately, a lot of people refuse to open their eyes and learn.

[RobbyS]

Mo the ago, I saw a movie on netflix about a family caught up in the famine. Something Iearned, I had not known before. The impoverished Irish were forced to go into work houses, and required to work to justify their being supported. Finally, in many places. the British government decided it was cheaper just to pay for their passage to the United States, to Argentina, to Australia. Anywhere. So the British were literally dumping these people on us, and we were taking them because, after all, there was always a shortage of labor in this country. EXCEPT in the cities, where the influx forced native Americans to compete with the Irish for available jobs. This included the blacks, who were also low down on the totem poll, and so here we have the downtrodden Irish Competing fiercely with one and all. No wonder the Irish hated the blacks. Why the Irish hated the Yankee abolitionists who wants to free the slaves and create even more competition.

[dhs12345]

Wow. So goes human history. And rarely (maybe never) has the opportunity to become wealthy been as great as it is in the United States. It requires hard work, dedication, determination and a little luck.

And yes, I include the blacks and other minorities in the opportunities to succeed. Sadly, this great country is only temporary and there will come a time when people wish it were like it is now. Unfortunately, it will be too late to do anything.

[RobbyS]

The Pre-war United States was the only place in the world at that time where MILLIONS of people could govern themselves and take part in the creation of an economy that generated enormous amounts of wealth divided with some equity among its citizens. This was the republic which Tocqueville captured in his Democracy in America. Not “pure” by any means, but one of the few places where liberty and equality could coexist. Look at England, where a few hundred families held all the wealth. In Jane Austen books and films, we get a totally tame version of a world where a few thousand families literally lorded it over the mass of the people. The evangelical reformation of manners, which was accomplished by 1850, meant that this was a much softer tyranny that we can the Fielding’s “Tom Jones,” where white servants occupied a place only slightly higher than that of black slaves in America. But the grandees of Charleston such as Butler, shared many sympathies with the English nobles of the time.

[IrishBrigade]

Everyone is a victim... except white Christian males. You can disparage them all day long.

Only if they’re also straight...

[IrishBrigade]

Imagine the horror of having to watch “Gone With The Wind” immediately followed by “Doctor Zhivago”.

Yes...five minutes of decent footage and 7 hours and 55 minutes of chick flick...

[GingisK]

...7 hours and 55 minutes of chick flick...

It is just wonderful to be understood!

[dhs12345]

Exactly. Probably the primary reason why my ancestors left Europe — famine and oppression. The journey to the US was not trivial with the likelihood of returning nil. It was a one way trip.

Also, why the first amendment exists — freedom of and freedom from religion.