By Jagmohan Singh Barhok

Eighty- Four- Years have passed since 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from the 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell featuring Clarke Gable & India born beauty Vivien Leigh playing Rhett & Scarlett was premiered at Atlanta amidst fanfare. Leslie Howard & Olivia de Havilland also played important roles.

The film though won 8 Academy Awards, one of the key players- Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Academy Award (Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy) fell victim of racism & was not allowed to sit along with the cast of the film. She was to sit alone at the back of the room.

“Gone With The Wind” remains the highest earning film collecting 100 times its budgeted cost & is regarded as one of the greatest films of all time.

“Gone with the Wind” set a record for Academy Award wins and nominations, winning in eight of the competitive categories it was nominated in, from a total of thirteen nominations. It won for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Editing, and received two further honorary awards for its use of equipment and color (it also became the first color film to win Best Picture).

The film’s record of eight Oscars stood until “Gigi” (1958) won nine, and its overall record of ten was broken by “Ben-Hur” (1959) which won eleven. Gone with the Wind also held the record for most nominations until the release of “All About Eve” (1950)starring Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders & Celeste Holm. It won 14 nominations.