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It’s ultimately a programmer’s job to manage and interpret art. And some pieces of art require more management and interpretation than others. Which brings us to Gone With the Wind. It’s one of the most enduringly popular films of all time. But its derogatory slave stereotypes and romantic view of the Antebellum South are uncomfortable. For some, even painful. But to edit or deny access on the basis of that discomfort whitewashes what the film represents as a historical and cultural document.
HBO Max’s removal of Gone With the Wind in June was not an attempt to re-write history. Quite the opposite. Time Warner removed the film with the intention of returning it to its library with added historical context. That context took the shape of a supplementary video recording of a panel discussion moderated by author and historian Donald Bogle and an introductory video, which now plays before the movie starts. The film itself is unaltered because in Time Warner’s words: “To do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed.”
In the intro, linked below, Turner Classic Movies host and film scholar Jacqueline Stewart sets the stage for Gone With the Wind. Stewart describes the film’s cultural significance and controversies, advocating for the importance of preserving Old Hollywood films for viewing and discussion.
You can watch “What to Know When Watching Gone With the Wind” here:
Who made this?
This clip comes courtesy of the fine folks at Turner Classic Movies. TCM is a two-time Peabody award-winning network and trusted source for all things Golden Age. You can follow them on their YouTube account here.
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- Here’s Carol Burnett’s parody of Gone With the Wind, “Went With the Wind”
- Here’s a lucid breakdown of why content warnings matter (in academic spaces) from PBS Idea Channel
- If you are only familiar with Hattie McDaniel’s work in Gone With the Wind, here’s a short clip of McDaniel looking regal as hell in 1943’s Thank Your Lucky Stars
Related Topics: Gone With the Wind, HBO Max, The Queue
