Because of its four-hour length, this is only the second time I’ve fit a screening of Gone with the Wind in my life. It had already established itself as an acclaimed and popular classic long before my lifetime. Now it’s one of those movies you just have to see, and it is a lavish epic with impressive production values.
Because the protagonists live in the South during the Civil War, the film requires a lot of context, as it always should have since it was made in the 20th century. Margaret Mitchell also wrote it in the 20th century. In the ’30s there may have been viewers who still remembered living through this, so would have applied their own experience regardless of the story’s leanings.
So it’s one thing to empathize with people caught on the wrong side of history, although it’s not like the O’Haras were secret abolitionists. It’s a bit harder to give the O’Haras the benefit of the doubt in 2026 when people are actually trying to bring back the Confederacy.
A TCM introduction by Jacqueline Stewart helps a lot with the context. She speaks to the film as a document of inaccurate and problematic portrayals by Hollywood, including the treatment of Black actors at the Premiere. She also confirms producers were already addressing it during pre-production, though perhaps not in as much depth as we do now.
Also, Rhett Butler may have invented negging.
Gone with the Wind looks great in 4K, bringing out the Technicolor glory and authentic film grain.
When the camera pulls back over the plantation, Scarlett and her father cut a deep silhouette under the tree. Scarlett returns home to a dark manor after fleeing the Atlanta fire. Her “I’ll never be hungry again” speech is delivered in a sunset silhouette. Even her black dress sets a stark contrast to her red velvet steps.
Parties, battlefields, the crowded Gettysburg streets and the medic church all capture the depth of locations full of extras. Those locations also provide more deep shadow in the Atlanta church, and when Wilkes and Watley meet in Watley’s carriage. Matte paintings and studio backdrops also show all their beauty in 4K.
The 4K is split across two discs at the Intermission. That’s how DVDs used to be for epic movies. Blu-rays could hold them but to get all of this in 4K takes two.
Three new featurettes cover the influence of Gone with the Wind, Scarlett O’Hara as a landmark female character, and restoring the film. Film historians and scholars find the gold in a modern context.