1939 - Gone With the Wind: "With enough courage, you can do without a reputation"

1939 Best Picture Winner

Premiered December 15, 1939 in Atlanta.

Budget:  $3.85 million

Gross:  $400 million

If  you asked the average person to name the first Oscar winning best picture that came to mind, I would suspect that 3 movies would rise to the top: Casablanca, Titanic and Gone With The Wind. Unfortunately, I don't think this movie should have even won best picture. I would have awarded that honor to Wizard of Oz. There are many positives and negatives to the film which will be discussed below.

Joel

Favorite: I liked the fact that this movie moved the art form of film making forward: The color, the use of shadow, the big sets; film making seemed to progress 10 years with 1938 and 1939.

Least Favorite: I did not like the story. None of the characters had any redeeming qualities about them, only Melanie did but even she decided to ignore the facts and only see good in others. I especially disliked Scarlett, a spoiled brat who was a highly annoying character.

Callie

Favorite: I really enjoyed the soundtrack and the fact that the music moved the story forward. It was the first movie to have an identifiable soundtrack.

Least Favorite:  It felt like a soap opera. It never really ended and it was hard to find a protagonist. Melanie was the closest thing to a protagonist but you are confused because you don't know if you should praise her for her character or slap her for her ignorance.