Gerard O'Hara (Thomas Mitchell), an Irish immigrant, settles in North Georgia and becomes a prosperous plantation owner
By great luck he marries young Ellen Robillard (Barbara O'Neill) of Savannah, the daughter of one of the noblest Georgian families and becomes accepted by his aristocratic neighbors
They are blessed with three daughters, Scarlett (Vivien Leigh), Suellen (Evelyn Keyes), and Carreen (Ann Rutherford).
Scarlett, the eldest, worships her mother
Yet, under her beauty and Southern coquetry, she is charming, but proud, willful and vain
She believes she is in love with Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard), a good-hearted young army captain
But Ashley loves his cousin, Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland), a delicate, selfless woman
He is frightened by Scarlett's energy and animation
And although he admits his feelings for her, he is afraid to marry her and decides to take Melanie for his bride
When Scarlett loses Ashley she is more certain than ever that she must have him
On their wedding day, she meets Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), a wealthy adventurer from an old Charleston family
Rhett, a gamblerwho believes that self-interest is the motive of all human conductis attracted by Scarlett's beauty and realizes that they are equally merciless and conscienceless
Vivien Leigh is magnificent as the spoiled, selfish southern belle... She carries the picture, and controls it... She reproduces the spirited character of Scarlett in all its fluent complexity...
Clark Gablewith a smile and great light in his eyesis fascinating as the elegant, heroic gentleman ... He is perfect as the ladies man... His dramatic high point is his scene crying in Melanie's presence... His love scenes with Scarlett give the picture a vibrancy that is one of its great attractions... The film begins with their first stormy meeting in the library at Twelve Oaks and intensifies at the Atlanta bazaar, when he shocks the confederacy by bidding $l00 "in gold," to dance with the newly widowed Mrs. Hamilton who cares for nothing but herself
Hattie McDaniel gives a rich characterization as Mammy, Scarlett's shrewd black servant who was never fooled by Scarlett's airs and tears...
With a memorable music score by Max Steiner, the film was an instant classic, winner of eight Academy Awards...
