Vintage

Just in time for the 70th anniversary of Gone With the Wind, author Molly Haskell has written a refreshing introspection on this cultural phenomenon in her new book Frankly, My Dear: Gone With the Wind Revisited. Widely regarded by many as "America's Bible", Gone With the Wind has become indispensable and Haskell manages to capture the feelings of the American public- not only in the South, but in the North- in fact, the world over.

This magnum opus began in 1926, when the one-hit-wonder author, Margaret Mitchell, decided to write a novel while in recoup from a riding accident. Over the course of a decade, Mitchell drew upon her recollections of the war stories she'd heard from the local veterans and from her own personal life experiences. The book was handled in a highly secretive manner while in progress and eventually developed into a type of local lore, until the day a Macmillan scout came to Atlanta.

Enter Hollywood: mid 1930's. By the time Gone With the Wind reached the offices of Selznick International, it had become a runaway best seller. All the major studios wanted a piece of the pie, but none of the headache that would accompany the transition from novel to screen. To many actors and actresses, it was the chance to prove themselves if approached to do a screen test. David O. Selznick realized this, as well as the potential acclaim for any and all involved- as long as it could be independently done. During the making of the film, there were many ups and downs- conflicts with the crew, the cast, finances- just about anything that could go wrong- did go wrong. But the end result was Gone With the Wind in all its glory.

In its lifetime, Gone With the Wind has managed to inspire as well as repulse many of us at one point or another in our lives. Haskell delves into the subject, offering fresh insight as well as the opinions that have risen through the ages concerning Gone With the Wind. Her research includes in depth views on the naysayers, worshippers and the very history of the story that has managed to embed itself into our national psyche.

The questions that one must ask themselves while reading this book: "How has Gone With the Wind influenced today's entertainment- or has it lost its hold?” and “Does it still remain part of our lives?" Haskell deftly handles these questions and more. Frankly My Dear... you will give a damn about this book and all it has to say.