The idea of the canon is ambivalent for many fans, since there is no shortage of those who will classify as overrated those works that do not suit them personally. At the same time, when trying to reassess the inclusions and what led them there, there also seems to be some resistance, as if it were an atrocity to remove things that should be sealed in stone.
But it is absurd to think that the criteria cannot be questioned, moved by a certain sensitivity and cultural moment in the same way that the works in question do. Nothing is immovable, perspectives evolveand remarkable things can still be found in a film even if other more debatable elements can be seen, as may be the case with ‘Gone with the Wind’.
Romance, hunger and war
The imposing and epic blockbuster that remains one of the most viewed films in cinema history It is now 85 years since its premiere. A work as ambitious as it is controversial, starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable and, despite the fears of many, available for streaming through Max (also on Filmin).
In a southern mansion in Georgia, during the time of slavery, lives the beautiful and impulsive Scarlett O’Hara. She longs to find love, but it comes to her through the freewheeling, arrogant and unpleasant Rhett Butler, who tries to seduce her by all means. His life, however, is highly peaceful until the Civil War begins to break out in the United States.
It is difficult to argue with the amazing craftsmanship with which this ancient South is portrayed, with several of the best craftsmen of the time working on it such as Victor Fleming or George Cukor. The impressive production values The constructions and photography are truly incredible, but they are not the aspects that have made it a controversial work.
‘Gone with the Wind’: nostalgia and epic
There is a lot of talk about how ‘Gone with the Wind’ couldn’t be released now, but the truth is that already at its premiere it was a work that caused discomfort for his way of entering into topics such as slavery and the reasons for the American Civil War. The filmmakers do nothing to avoid that romanticism of a time that was especially comfortable for people who were like Scarlett O’Hara, white and wealthy.
Of course, a great work can be done even if its ideas can be disputed. In the case of ‘Gone with the Wind’ it is more difficult to defend it because of those unfathomable dimensionswhich end up making a dent in the narrative, in the relationships between characters.
It is a very demanding viewing, although it provides rewards in its visual finish or in certain dramatic points that are well remembered. Whether she is worthy of canonization is a matter of debate, but it is one of the important films of its time.
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