for tragic, melodramatic, bittersweet, all-consuming, heart-wrenching love stories. You see, tonight I have insomnia again . . . but what luck! Gone With the Wind is on. I have probably seen this movie over thirty times, and that is a very conservative estimate. I can honestly tell you, the emotional journey I take throughout the 4-plus hours of cinematic magic never decreases. Ahhhhh, Rhett and Scarlett. I wanted to BE Scarlett O'Hara after seeing this movie the first time. The passion! The angst! The determination! Oh, yes, and the charm and beauty.
There is a moment, when Rhett and Bonnie arrive home after their extended Europe vacation, and Mammy and Scarlett go running to meet them. Bonnie runs in first, and Mammy and Scarlett smother her with hugs and kisses, squealing like little children themselves. Then, Rhett walks in, and Scarlett looks at him. The camera closes in on her face, she looks like a little girl. Her face lights up with joy at seeing him walk in the door, and she looks so hopeful and expectant. When he stiffly bows at the bottom of the stairs - not the greeting she was hoping for - her face falls, her lip quivers just slightly. Then, in true Scarlett style, it transforms to bitter resolve. Vivien Leigh should have been awarded an oscar for those few seconds alone. Her face is perfection.
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