LIFE Gone with the Wind

Book excerpt: Seventy-five years after America fell in love with the cinematic classic Gone with the Wind, LIFE revisits the making of the award-winning movie and gives readers a rare look into the film's captivating, behind-the-scenes drama. This richly illustrated book is a must-have collector's item for old fans and new. At age 75, Gone with the Wind endures magnificently and is often considered one of the best films of all time. The travails of getting the movie made in the 1930s were chronicled in the pages of LIFE (1,400 actresses interviewed before Vivien Leigh chosen; Selznick waited two years for Clark Gable to sign on to the project), as was the frenzy of its premiere. All of this coverage is revisited in this lavish coffee-table edition, which also includes behind-the-scenes photography from the set, stunning pictures of the famed burning of Atlanta scene, as well as all of the fascinating, intimate photography from the making of the movie. Furthermore, LIFE partnered with renowned southern authors to bring readers insight into the influence of the book and film on American culture and presents a side-by-side chronicle of what Gone with the Wind claims, and what really happened during the Civil War. This book is as informative and intriguing as it is beautifully illustrated.