关于《飘》的英文论文(2)

There are a number of noteworthy supporting players. The two with the most screen time (aside from Gable and Leigh) are Leslie Howard and Olivia De Havilland. Both portray low-key characters, but do it so well that we develop a deep sympathy for them and their plight. When it comes to the games of the heart engaged in by Scarlett and Rhett, Ashley and Melanie are out of their league. Another standout is Hattie McDaniel, whose brilliant Mammy (the housekeeper at Tara) steals scenes from the more prominent characters. McDaniel brings Mammy to life, and, while she's not three-dimensional, she's real. Mammy is also evidence that Gone with the Wind was capable of transcending (at least in part) the too-easy black stereotypes that were in evidence during the 1930s.

When discussing the creative forces behind Gone with the Wind, one rarely hears the name of Victor Fleming (The Wizard of Oz), the credited director. (He was actually one of four men to helm the project.) Instead, Gone with the Wind is referred to as "a David O. Selznick Production," because Selznick was the driving force behind the movie's development. As Producer or Executive Producer, Selznick was instrumental in making over 50 films, including titles like King Kong, A Tale of Two Cities, A Star Is Born, Rebecca, Spellbound, and The Third Man. With four directors, over a dozen uncredited screenwriters, and several cinematographers, Selznick proved to be the creative glue that held Gone with the Wind together. This was his child -- an obsession that consumed him for years.

To date, no film has sold more box-office tickets than Gone with the Wind. Domestically, the tally almost doubles that for the phenomenally-popular Titanic. Of course, when the movie was first released, it wasn't just another motion picture -- it was a spectacle, an event. Even though the habits of movie- goers have changed over the years, it's easy to see why this film provoked such an outpouring of praise and adulation during its initial release, and why its stature has grown with the passage of decades. Gone with the Wind has flaws, but it's still undeniably a classic and a legend.