Gone With the Wind: 80 Years and Still Blowing!
Some viewers half-expected BlacKkKlansman to sound the death knell for theatrical visits to Tara. Nope! When Kris Kristofferson’s character in Blume in Love is asked why he feels the need for eleven viewings of Gone With the Wind, he replies, “Because each time I see it, I know it will be good.” This reporter has logged six screenings, each presentation in one variation or another of dye-transfer Technicolor. Back in my young-and-stupid days, I even went so far as to take in the 70mm roadshow edition. (The blowup caused Pauline Kael to refer to the film as “Torsos.”) What’s great about the film? William Cameron Menzies’ production design. And the real badness doesn’t set in until the final hour, when audiences become trapped in a revolving door of death. Frankly, my dears, in light of how often this title is revived, if you haven’t experienced it on the big screen by now, chances are you don’t give a damn. For those who do, and for fans eternally on the lookout for something good, you’ll have four chances to see it between February 28 and March 18. Click here for a complete list of theatres and showtimes. — Scott Marks