Scarlett, Rhett and a Cast of Thousands

This is a highly readable and richly illustrated (in b/w) making-of account of the production of one of the most successful movies of all time, Gone with the Wind. Untypical for a movie studio production, its producer David O. Selznick involved himself in every nook and cranny of its production. If ever there was a controlling and demanding executive producer, one has to look no further than David O Selznick. On the receiving end of this involvement were the script writers, the directors, camera men and actors - who defied to play their role of puppets on a string at their own peril.

From a project management point of view, it is amazing that production started even though the script wasn't finished, the main actress was new and show more unfamiliar with Hollywood practices. The film being one of the first major Technicolor productions increased its riskiness as well as its brilliance further. The high level of improvisation resulted in a lot of wasted resources both financially and artistically. Out of 150.000 meters of film, 68.000 meters went into the final 6.000 meters of film for its epic length of 230 minutes. The most remarkable fact about the movie was how perfectly it matched the Zeitgeist of isolationist, angsty and defiant America sensing the gathering storm. show less