The Hollywood Classic Gone With The Wind has been removed from the HBO Max streaming platform. The company says it would be irresponsible to keep the film there due to its “racist depictions“.
Gone With The Wind broke recieved critical acclaim when released in 1939. It smashed box office records and and still remains the highest grossing film of all time when inflation is taken into account.
However, HBO Max has pulled the movie from its platform. Film critic Gordon Heyden explains why: ”….that it glorifies the confederate soldiers by showing the war (War of Independence) more from their side. It’s come back into a focus, the treatment of African-Americans in the film.”
HBO says the “ethnic and racial prejudices” that featured in the film “were wrong then and are wrong today”.
It says the film will return when its historical context is discussed further and the racist depictions filmed are denounced.
However many feel the film should be celebrated because of the achievements of Hattie McDaniel …”You’ve been brave for so long Ms. Scarlet (Scarlet O’Hara played by Vivienne Leigh), you just gotta go on being brave.”
Her protrayal of domestic servant Mammy led to her becoming the first black actress to be nominated for, and win, an Academy Award
Another black actress would not win the award again for another 50 years.
