Gone With The Wind (1939)

Based on the best selling 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell, this film adaptation is nothing short of an American cinema classic. Since its release in 1939, it has remained one of and if not the greatest film ever. It also just happens to be the highest-grossing film of all-time with inflation. This Civil War epic is a perfect picture of the tumultuous time period and is crafted utterly elegantly. With it being one of the longest films ever made, it packs in a ton. Despite its controversial reception from today's modern era of film audiences, it still is an iconic film unlike anything in the history of cinema. It is a timeless cinematic gem. 

Director Victor Fleming & Producer David O. Selznick's masterpiece of cinema is a true treasure of the cinematic arts. This film paints the biggest picture of the "Civil War" and its utter beauty is a sight to behold. The film is massively crafted. With its stunning sets and scenery, this film takes viewers into the era of the "Civil War" in such grace and utter flawlessness. 

What makes this film brilliant is the story itself, but also the incredible cast. Leads Clark Gable & Vivien Leigh are utterly fantastic in this film. Their chemistry is perhaps the greatest of any film duo to date. This cast broke lots of barriers too. Costarring as "Mammy", a black house servant, is Hattie McDaniel (who later won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the role, and the first black actor to win an Oscar.) Leslie Howard & Olivia de Havilland also star in the film. This cast is remarkable in every sense of the word. It's clear that this film set the standard for cast ensembles because this cast is amazing. 

Composer Max Steiner's legendary score is just as iconic today, as it was 80 years ago with the film's original release. His theme for the film is an instant classic, everyone who hears the theme they know exactly where it's from. With a beautiful film to go along with it, this score is beyond beautiful. 

Given that the film is based in the "Civil War" era, it is not a real story. Regardless, this film is an utter masterpiece. Times have changed. Audiences decades later may feel sour about the film, but I highly beg to differ that this film is offensive or controversial nowadays. 

It has been decades since the film was first released, and it has even been rereleased throughout the years as well. With how groundbreaking and remarkable this film is, I feel in awe every time I watch it. The legacy of this film has made an enormous impact on cinema, and I have zero doubt in my mind that this film's legacy and historical representation will not fade anytime soon. 

Poster courtesy of MGM Studios

Rate: A+ 

Director: Victor Fleming 

Starring: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Hattie McDaniel, Leslie Howard, and Olivia de Havilland 

MPAA Rating: G 

Runtime: 4 Hours 

Synopsis:

Epic Civil War drama focuses on the life of petulant southern belle Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh). Starting with her idyllic on a sprawling plantation, the film traces her survival through the tragic history of the South during the Civil War and Reconstruction, and her tangled love affairs with Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) and Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).

Citizen Kane (1941)

It has been considered the greatest film of all time by film critics ever since its release in 1941. I quite frankly have to agree with them. It's intricate and complex narrative is one of the most entertaining of all time. The Orson Welles classic is a truly American film. It's a film that must be seen by everyone whether you live the "American Dream" or not, this film is beyond imaginative and renews a human spirit in us that even the most successful of people among us have their demons. 

It embodies the "American Dream" in such a way that it is as authentic then as it remains the same almost 80 years later. I have no doubt that this tale of the "American Dream" will remain that way for decades to come. Welles's creation is an extraordinary tale of the rise and fall of what the "American Dream" can be. 

Iconic actor and director Orson Welles's first film is one of the most unique of all time. His vision of intricacy and bewilderment is pulled off very elegantly and savvily. The direction is unique and is one of the most underappreciated ever. The narrative is as complex and unique as its direction is. What the film manages to do is put audiences on edge and keep them wondering throughout the whole film. This film remains an underappreciated cinematic gem that audiences must watch. 

Not only did Welles direct and write the film, but he is also the star of the iconic motion picture. His iconic role as the newspaper tycoon. It's one of the single greatest performances by an actor in any film. He is a brute force onscreen and delivers an extraordinary performance as the successful yet embattled Charles Foster Kane. His performance is memorable, to say the least, and it shows just how impactful the film is overall. 

Iconic film composer Bernard Herrmann's score is as iconic as the film itself. Herrmann's score has just as much elegance as the film itself. It remains just as iconic after so many years just like the film overall.   

 

The legacy of this film is ever-present. The iconic film has one of the cinemas most meaningful stories. It is a story of failure and success and should be seen by everyone. This film is more relevant than ever before with its allegorical presence. With masterful storytelling, bombastic performances, and a crushingly engrossing narrative, this film is an iconic film in every sense of the word.

Poster Courtesy of RKO Pictures 

Rate: A+ 

Director: Orson Welles 

Starring: Orson Welles, Dorothy Comingore, Joseph Cotten 

MPAA Rating: PG 

Runtime: 1 Hour & 45 Minutes 

Synopsis: 

When a reporter is assigned to decipher newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane's (Orson Welles) dying words, his investigation gradually reveals the fascinating portrait of a complex man who rose from obscurity to staggering heights. Though Kane's friend and colleague Jedediah Leland (Joseph Cotten), and his mistress, Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore), shed fragments of light on Kane's life, the reporter fears he may never penetrate the mystery of the elusive man's final word, "Rosebud."