Gone with the Wind 1939 Origin Story

The origin story of the movie “Gone with the Wind“ begins with the publication of Margaret Mitchell's novel of the same name in 1936. The book quickly became a sensation, selling millions of copies and winning the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937. The compelling narrative, set against the backdrop of the Civil War and Reconstruction era, captured the imagination of readers across the United States. Recognizing the novel's enormous popularity and potential for adaptation, producer David O. Selznick purchased the film rights to “Gone with the Wind“ for a record-breaking sum of $50,000. Selznick, known for his ambitious and meticulous approach to filmmaking, was determined to create a cinematic masterpiece that would do justice to Mitchell's sprawling saga. Selznick faced numerous challenges in bringing the story to the big screen. He assembled a team of screenwriters, including Sidney Howard, to adapt the novel into a screenplay. After several revisions, the