GWTW The Making of Gone With The Wind

by Gavin Lambert

book about the behind the scenes/making of "gone with the wind"

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Media Tie In

Hardcover

First published October 1, 1973

About the author

Gavin Lambert was a British-born screenwriter, novelist and biographer who lived for part of his life in Hollywood. His writing was mainly fiction and nonfiction about the film industry.

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the first making of a moive book I had read (Picture by Lillian Ross was the first) and I was pleased to find it again. It's a fun chatty read that tells you all you need to know about GWTW. At times it almost tells you too much, especially if you have not seen the picture because it does contain many spoilers. However, it does have one incredible howler. The book came out in the early seventies and at one point it compares GWTW to a then current movie enjoying incredible critical and popular acclaim. Lambert however wonders if that film is only a flash in the pan and doesn't think it will have the same impact thirty years on that GWTW has. The movie he compares to GWTW: The Godfather.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I disagree with some of his opinions on the film, I found this to be a very interesting read. My only reason to pause is that I found what could be percieved as an inaccuracy in the book. The author says that Scarlett goes to visit her grandmother after the war is over, and the grandmother delivers to Scarlett one of the best lines of the story. In fact, it wasn't Scarletts grandmother, it was Grandma Fontaine, another character entirely. I wonder why that detail, which is actually probably pretty easy to fact check, especially when it's in a book about the making of the film and to an extent the novel, was not accurate?

[Mike Tadlock-Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gone with the Wind is one of my favorite movies--blemishes and all--and I'm always interested in the production of this mammoth movie of its time. This account of the making of the film is not only informative, it's endlessly entertaining. I love the way Lambert goes into Selznick's psyche, Mitchell's vision, and the actors and the revolving door of directors.

I've read bits of this movie book several times over the years, but this was my first time reading it from beginning to end.

[Rayrumtum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this shortly after reading a novel based on the making of Gone with the Wind. Really it was less about that topic and probably would be titled, "The Dysfunction of David O'Selznik, the Producer." Hence it was mostly about the travails of his micro-management style and putting together the script and casting rather than the actual shooting of the movie and working with the actors.

For example, I would be more interested in hearing about how race affected the making. I have heard rumors that Clark Gable made a stink when he found rest facilities would be segregated and insisted they be integrated. Is that true? I also have heard Hattie MacDaniel and Butterfly McQueen couldn't come to Atlanta for the opening. I don't believe race has to be treated in every book, but this is a sad omission for a movie of this nature.

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty cute. Mine's a softcover, though.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting, well worth the trouble.

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best historical novels.

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure I learned anything new about Gone with the Wind, but this was still an interesting book.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable quick read with lots of old Hollywood trivia