Gone with the Wind

1. Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class, we talked about how Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and after watching the movie I see why. McDaniel's role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind was a very intricate part of the film. Her being the house slave and therefore always watching over Scarlett played a huge role. McDaniel would constantly scold Scarlett for the way she was acting, for the things she was doing. If it wasn't for Mammy, I think the film would've went in a totally different direction.

2. Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content.

The article, A Man's Man off the Screen Too, written by Joe Hyams is about how down to earth Clark Gable was. "...Clark Gable, the original macho man of movies.." was not only loved by women, but admired by men as well. According to Hyams, Gable made all of his roles believable and that's what was so good about him.

Hyams then tells the story of when he met Clark Gable. They met in the Fall of 1951 in New York while Gable was promoting his latest film, "Across the Wide Missouri." They met at the hotel that Gable was staying at. Gable had an errand to run and asked if Hyams would accompany him and they would talk on the way. Instead of taking a limo like the big movie star he was, Gable chose to walk down Manhattan's streets like a normal individual.

On their little adventure, fans immediately recognized Clark Gable and began to follow him. It went from a small crowd to almost a parade of people following behind them. However, Gable was unconcerned by the amount of fans. When they got to their destination, Gable had obviously ordered a gun that he had to go pick up. He tests the gun out for a few, compliments the man for being a good gunsmith and they leave.

On their way back to the hotel, they took a cab. At a stop light, a woman screamed his name because she recognized who he was. Immediately, a crowd of hysterical women crowded around the cab, trying to open the doors. Gable simply locked them and waited for the police to clear the crowd. All while he smiled and waved to the women.

http://articles.latimes.com/2001/jan/28/entertainment/ca-17918

3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.

The article showed me how Clark Gable was known for being a man's man. He was confident in himself and the most masculine man anyone's ever seen. Rhett Butler was also a confident man. Rhett Butler had dark, good lucks and a wild behavior that made people talk. Clark Gable was born for the part. He is naturally, tall, dark and handsome with an I don't care attitude. Life just sort of happened and he went with the flow of things. The same way I feel like Rhett Butler was.

4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

The film, Gone with the Wind is an all around great movie. The actors individually made their roles significant. Hattie McDaniel was the first black American to win an Oscar. She made the role, her role. There was a long, grueling process when trying to cast the role of Mammy and McDaniel got it. I believe she got it for a reason. Clark Gable was already a known actor, but his career was definitely heightened by Gone with the Wind. In my opinion, he was made for the role of Rhett Butler. Gone with the Wind made great actors, but without those great actors it would not have been as successful.