“Cinematic Masterpiece!” “National treasure!” This is how “Gone with the Wind” has been described by critics. It won 10 well-deserved Academy Awards in 1939, including Best Picture. Best Supporting Actress was awarded to Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Oscar.

This 3-hour, 53-minute film is a rich telling of a complex love triangle set amidst the backdrop of the Civil War. The peaceful beauty and luxurious lifestyles of the Southern aristocracy are destroyed by the realities of the war between the states. This epic story has it all; love, hatred, loyalty, betrayal, forgiveness, destruction and the rebuilding of a new civilization. The principal characters in this well-known drama are the young, impetuous Southern beauty Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Lee) and her love-hate relationship with wealthy industrial tycoon, blockade runner and gadabout Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).

Their fiery romance is punctuated by the uncertainty and devastation of war. Scarlett is in love with Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) who has strong feelings for Scarlett, but is in love with Melanie Hamilton (Olivia de Havilland). Scarlett marries twice out of spite and selfishness, but both husbands die tragically. She eventually finds a soul-mate in Rhett, and they marry out of convenience. Their stormy relationship has its ups and downs through a series of successes and tragedies, but in the end hope springs eternal.

There are several scenes in the film that underscore the suffering associated with war, including bodies of dead and wounded. However, none of these are graphic or explicit. We award this full-bodied film with breathtaking cinematography and riveting storyline the Dove Family Approved Seal for ages 12 and over.