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Sep 20, 2016SaraLovesBooks rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This movie is on the top of my list of all-time favorites. It is a classic, epic story of a woman's life on the eve of, during, and after the Civil War. The cinematography, costume design, scope, and settings of the film are amazing, and stand the test of time. The characters are incredibly flawed, and hard to like, but easy to relate to. The one major flaw in this film was the casting choice of Leslie Howard as Ashley Wilkes. Ashley was based on the dashing Doc Holliday, and was supposed to be closer to Scarlett's age, as the two of them grew up together. Leslie Howard was too old for the role, and did not portray a character that made any sense for the fiery Scarlett to be in love with and stay in love with. For me, this is the only major flaw in an otherwise wonderful film. Modern audiences may have a little trouble with the film. For one thing, it's about four hours long, which can be difficult to sit through. For another, while they excised as much of the racism from book to movie as they could, a lot still remains. And here I have to put in my two cents about this film: It. Is. Not. A. Romance! It has romantic elements to it, since Scarlett focused much of her life and attention on her relationships with the opposite sex, but if all those elements were removed, there would still be a story. The movie is about Scarlett's struggle to survive and find a place for herself as the world she grew up in completely explodes around her.