Scarlett O Hara

In 1939, David O. Selznick produced Margaret Mitchell’s award winning novel, Gone with the Wind. The film won a total of 10 Academy Awards and still holds records for its box office numbers. Its magnificent portrayal of the Old South is overlooked for its historical inaccuracies but more towards what American culture wishes to remember of the Old South. The film’s extravagant depiction brought out one of the strongest female leads known to this date: Scarlett O’Hara. Her metamorphosis through the film, along with other characters, is what allows this film to pass the Bechdel test. It was one of the earliest films to do so and to have such strong female leads doing it. As we go through this film the main character of Scarlett O’Hara goes through

She is talking to Mammy about making her a dress to go and try to collect the money needed to pay. Even though throughout the conversation Scarlett does not mention Rhett Butler we aussume that she is planning on seeing him. Scarlett makes the statement, “I’m going to Atlanta for that three hundred dollars and I’ve got to go looking like a queen!” This is a tale as old as time, a woman is going to use her looks to get what she wants out of a man. Scarlett is the master of this trick and she knows that her gift of manipulation has to be used to save Tara. This notion that Scarlett is willing to put herself out there to Butler explains the love and pride she has over Tara. She is willing to do whatever it takes to get the money she needs. This plan of action is something women have used since the beginning of time. Women still use it today to get things that they want at times and even though some women may find this to be offensive towards women. But other ask why not use something for a time of need that a man is always taking advantage of anyway? In Scarlett doing this a new idea is put into place, women can have just as much pride in their land as men do. Throughout history it is always men who fight over land, die for their land and defend their land. Women, however, are found to have no sort of connection to it and only seem to care about

Melanie wants to thank Ms. Walting for taking care of her husband the night before and say how much she appreciates it. Ms. Walting on the other hand finds it no big deal and keeps making sure Melanie knows that she does not have to associate with her for fear it could impede her reputation. Belle Walting is what today would be considered somewhat of a “prostitute.” She “entertains” men and has no husband to make her a decent member of society. Her behavior is shunned by Scarlett and the rest of the women just as women like Belle are today by parts of society. Melanie and Scarlett represent the two sides of feminism today who believe that they should either look down upon what these women do or not judge them simply on a reputation but on their actions. The actions of Belle Walting go greatly against what the other women think of her, she gives money to the poor and helps out the men from getting captured by the Yankee guard. All of these things are ignored by the women and we again see the contrast of Melanie and Scarlett being put before us. When Belle talks badly about Scarlett and Melanie defends her we again find sympathies for Melanie and continue to question if Scarlett is a good or bad character in the film. The roles have been switched when it comes to “going against the crowd” in Melanie and Scarlett. Melanie was considered to be