Synopsis

Set against the American Civil War and Reconstruction, the film follows Scarlett O'Hara, a determined Georgia plantation owner's daughter whose privileged life is shattered by war. As the South collapses and Tara struggles to survive, Scarlett pursues the elusive Ashley Wilkes while navigating a turbulent relationship with the charismatic Rhett Butler. Her ambition and resilience carry her through profound personal and social upheaval.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film was adapted from Margaret Mitchell's bestselling 1936 novel. Its world premiere took place in Atlanta on December 15, 1939, followed by a national release on January 17, 1940.

• It became the first color film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. At the 12th Academy Awards, it won eight competitive Oscars and received two honorary awards.

• Screenwriter Sidney Howard became the first posthumous winner in a competitive Academy category. He had died in a farm accident before the film's release.

• Hattie McDaniel became the first Black performer to win an Academy Award for her supporting performance. The film's romanticized treatment of the antebellum South and its racial stereotypes have made it an enduring subject of criticism and historical discussion.

• The spectacular burning-of-Atlanta sequence used sets that were being dismantled, turning production waste into some of the film's most memorable imagery.

• The Library of Congress selected the film for the inaugural National Film Registry in 1989, recognizing its lasting cultural and historical importance.