HBO Max Pulls ‘Gone With the Wind’ — But It Will Be Back, With Changes
HBO Max has removed the 1939 film Gone with the Wind from its library following backlash over the Civil War-set drama starring Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Hattie McDaniel, and Olivia de Havilland.
The four-hour epic depicting the love story between Leigh’s Scarlett O’Hara and Gable’s Rhett Butler is based on the 1936 best-selling book by Margaret Mitchell and has become a cinematic classic. Despite its icon status, Gone with the Wind has been called out for its portrayal of the American South and life on a plantation.
The film sees Black actors playing former slaves who, despite the abolition of cruel institution, remain complacent and subservient. Hattie McDaniel starred as servant Mammy, which earned her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, making her the first Black person to win the coveted statue. The film directed by Victor Fleming won eight Oscars following its release and has become one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
As Black Lives Matter protests continue, the movie’s racially insensitive portrayals and association to Confederate storytelling has caused Gone with the Wind to come under scrutiny for obvious reasons. In answer to this, HBO Max released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: about plans to reformat the content to include “an explanation and a denouncement” of the “racist depictions” presented in the film.
Hattie McDaniel and Clark Gable in Gone with the Wind (Credit: Courtesy of the Everett Collection)
HBO Max plans to reinstate the film to its library once these changes are made. Below, read the full response from the streamer:
“Gone With The Wind is a product of its time and depicts some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that have, unfortunately, been commonplace in American society. These racist depictions were wrong then and are wrong today, and we felt that to keep this title up without an explanation and a denouncement of those depictions would be irresponsible. These depictions are certainly counter to WarnerMedia’s values, so when we return the film to HBO Max, it will return with a discussion of its historical context and a denouncement of those very depictions, but will be presented as it was originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed. If we are to create a more just, equitable and inclusive future, we must first acknowledge and understand our history.”
Gone with the Wind, Returning Soon, HBO Max
Clark Gable
Vivien Leigh
Leslie Howard
Olivia de Havilland
Thomas Mitchell
Barbara O'Neil
Victor Jory
Laura Hope Crews
Hattie McDaniel
Ona Munson
Harry Davenport
Ann Rutherford
Evelyn Keyes
Carroll Nye
Paul Hurst
Isabel Jewell
Cliff Edwards
Ward Bond
Butterfly McQueen
Rand Brooks
Eddie Anderson
Oscar Polk
Jane Darwell
William Bakewell
Lillian Kemble-Cooper
Eric Linden
George Reeves
Fred Crane
Cammie King
⨁Full Cast & Crew
Conversation10 Comments
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Comments are closed on this story.
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O
I think this is so stupid. You can't erase history, and if anyone watching Gone with the Wind doesn't know slavery is wrong, a disclaimer is not going to fix the problem. I read the book at 11, I own the book, audiobook, and movie, and I'm African-American. You can treat each other as equal human beings without trying to erase our history. One has nothing to do with the other!
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O
I don't think they are trying to erase history. They're pulling it to add the disclaimer and then will put it back up. They even said in their statement that the movie will be, "presented as it was originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed. If we are to create a more just, equitable and inclusive future, we must first acknowledge and understand our history." I think it's reasonable that they want to at least put a statement out about the time the movie was created.
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I was quite upset when I read the headline; I thought they were going to try and change the movie. But, as you stated, they are not going to change the movie. Apparently they will insert some sort of disclaimer. I just think it is not necessary, I knew it was wrong to have slaves when I first saw the movie when I was a preteen, and it helped reinforce my feelings against racism.
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O
We're adults. We don't need that kind of coddling.
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B
Do they realize they pulled it on Hattie McDaniel's birthday? You know, the first African-American to win an Oscar? For this film? What a stunning tribute to her talent and legacy.
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She was immensely proud of this film. You can't fix current issues by trying to erase the past.
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G
So proud to know that you understand history. Slavery was wrong but what is going on now is also wrong. History can not be erased but knowledge, understanding and change of heart would change a lot.. I am a human with white skin and many of my friends are blessed with darker skin.
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When she was criticized for portraying a maid in that film, she had the perfect comeback: "I would much rather play a maid than be one."
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C
This is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard of! This movie is a classic! History is exactly that, history! The past is past and as soon as people stop living in it and start living in the present and start building toward a better, united future, the better off we, as a nation of people, regardless of race, creed, or sexual orientation, will be!
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I think it’s going to far now they want our classic movies gone and our historic statues and aunt Jemima uncle hens what’s next.
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