What is the greatest love story ever put to film? My answer, personally, is Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
, the silent classic by German director F.W. Murnau (
Nosferatu
). Many of you, however, might answer with
– that epic story of love between debutante Scarlett O'Hara and the rascally gentleman Rhett Butler. Wrong! Have you seen this movie?? Clearly not. It is a great film – a masterpiece of cinema's glory days – but a love story, it is not. Let's break it down:
The country is on the brink of Civil War, but the uber-desirable young Scarlett (Vivien Leigh) couldn't care less – she is too consumed with love for her cousin Ashley, who is, unfortunately, betrothed to another. In a pouty hissyfit, she proposes to literally the first young man she grabs. Thus begins her series of spiteful and unhappy marriages out of protest that she can't have what she wants: Ashley. Along comes Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), about whom Scarlett cannot be bothered to give a damn – until she finds out he's rich. Ashley still unavailable, she decides he will do. And then... well, I won't spoil it, although the last lines are famous. Let's just say it's a very satisfying conclusion.
See for yourself tomorrow (Wednesday) at Cinemark Tinseltown, which will be screening
Gone With the Wind
twice – at 2:00 and 7:00 – as part of their Classics Series, bringing the best movies from Hollywood's past to the big screen for the ultimate viewing experience for us, the lovers of the cinema.
Tinseltown is located at 4400 Towne Center Drive, in the Springhurst Shopping Center. Further theater information can be found at the Tinseltown website [5].
Image: Internet Movie Database