Gone with the Wind

Gone with the Wind (1939)

10 corrections since 9 Jan '17, 00:00

(10 votes)

Corrected entry: Prior to the Scarlett's Pledge scenes, Mammy Informs Scarlett (while they're standing out side of Scarlett's father study door) "We ain't got nothing but radishes in the garden." The next scenes show Scarlett walking through the fence that surrounds the garden. walks up to where the radishes are growing, digs one up, wipes it off and starts to eat it. This actually is a carrot, not a radish. (00:05:40)

Correction: This was probably a Daikon radish or horseradish. Both grow in Georgia and are long and whitish. The hotness of a horseradish would explain how hungry Scarlett is to not care, and would also make her vomit on an empty (starving) stomach.

Corrected entry: At the ball where Scarlet and Captain Butler meet, there is a shot with a picture of Abe Lincoln with the words Our President. Jefferson Davis would have been considered the President of the Confederacy at this point.

Correction: That is a picture of Jefferson Davis, not Lincoln. Do a google image search for "Jefferson Davis" and you'll get multiple hits of the exact same picture.

Corrected entry: In the very short scene in "London" between Rhett, Bonnie Blue and the nanny, Big Ben is visible outside the window, with the Houses of Parliament on its left. In order to have this view, the room must be inside St. Thomas' Hospital. The fancy accommodations they're in are most definitely not a hospital.

Correction: Construction of St Thomas' Hospital in its present site commenced in 1867 and was completed in 1871. Prior to that it was situated in Streatham, miles from its current location on the Thames opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Since the American Civil War ended in 1865 Rhett and Bonnie Blue are standing in a building which may well have been a hotel, but certainly was not a hospital which didn't even exist at the time.

Continuity mistake: When Scarlett undresses for her nap after the 12 Oaks barbecue, she unties a small bustle from around her waist. She didn't have this bustle on when Mammy helped her dress for the barbecue earlier that morning.

ANTLYN

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Suggested correction: Was it under the main bustle?

dizzyd

Scarlett is laced up then Mammy helps her on with her dress. Looks like Scarlett is just wearing her corset (stays) with pantalets. Selznick probably adhered to the customary undergarments in the nap scene but chose no film time for the hurried scene where Gerald counts to 10 to make Scarlett hurry down to his carriage.

Continuity mistake: When Scarlett is flirting with the Tarleton twins dogs and horses in the background appear and disappear in a very discontinuous way. (00:07:35)

NancyFelix

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Suggested correction: Animals are not stationary, so they are bound to move. Also, if you watch it again, you will see some of the dogs running across the yard in front of Scarlett and the twins.

Corrected entry: If you look closely at the lily Scarlett is holding in the very first scene of the film, you can see that it's artificial.

Correction: They had artificial flowers in the 1800's, there's no reason she shouldn't have one. It all comes down to the deliberate intent of the filmmakers; for all we know it was a commentary on Scarlett herself.

dizzyd

Corrected entry: During the burning of Atlanta scene, Rhett and Scarlett are escaping in a wagon. The horse stops, spooked by the fire, so Rhett throws Scarlett's shawl over the horse's eyes. The mistake is that as soon as Rhett grabs the reins, the horse throws off the shawl, and suddenly no longer is afraid of the fire. (01:22:15)

Correction: After Rhett jumped out of the carriage and grabbed the horse directly by the bridle, the horse became calmer once it was being led forward by a human, regardless of whether on not the blanket was still covering its eyes.

raywest

Continuity mistake: When Aunt Pittipat leaves Atlanta Scarlett and Dr. Meade are standing in the walkway to the house and talking. The moment the aunt drives off Scarlett is standing all by herself (and loudly cursing Melanie and her baby). (01:07:30)

NancyFelix

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Suggested correction: Just before Aunt Pittipat rides off, we see Dr. Meade move away from Scarlett. By the time it cuts back to Scarlett, he has had more than enough time to get off-screen.

Continuity mistake: When Rhett visits Scarlett after Frank Kennedy's death she keeps weeping into her handkerchief. But all of a sudden there is no handkerchief and she is wiping her nose with her hands. (00:57:55)

NancyFelix

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Suggested correction: Scarlett puts her handkerchief down to gargle with cologne. Then she goes downstairs with the hanky near her mouth to hide her boozy smell. She has opportunity to put it down again when she is seated telling Rhett she is afraid she'll go to hell. She is so upset she wipes her nose with her wrist as she does several times in the film, as Rhett observes at the end when she has no "handkerchief."

Continuity mistake: When Scarlett is attacked in the woods, Big Sam drives her carriage out of danger. When the scene cuts to a far shot of the carriage driving through the woods, Big Sam is no longer with her. She is driving it by herself.

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Suggested correction: Big Sam quickly dispatches Scarlett's attacker (potential rapist in the book) and Scarlett grabs the reins to just get out of there as fast as she can. Big Sam continues to handle the attacker. Then, Big Sam runs after the carriage, calling out to Scarlett.

Factual error: Scarlett is seen walking on the main street on the way to the hospital. You can clearly see a light bulb in one of the street lights. (01:05:25)

More mistakes in Gone with the Wind

Rhett Butler: No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.

More quotes from Gone with the Wind

Trivia: The Burning of Atlanta scene was shot long before filming started on Gone with the Wind and before either of the actors were cast in the role of Rhett and Scarlet. The purpose was to clear the lot so the sets for the movie could be built. The buildings burnt were sets from other films, the most notable being the huge gates featured in the original King Kong movie. The two actors in this scene were stunt doubles who stood in for Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.

Tallicame

More trivia for Gone with the Wind

Question: When Scarlett visits Rhett in jail to get the $300 for taxes, can anyone speculate as to her plan? Why does she pretend to be rich when she's actually dirt poor? Why would that make her request for money more convincing? Did she plan to ask for a loan, and needed to make it appear as if she would be able to repay it in a reasonable amount of time? I read the book, but this wasn't made clear there either. Can anyone help me?

Answer: If she looked rich she could trick him into thinking she wasn't marrying him for his money.

Answer: Scarlett tries fooling Rhett that she is in love him, somehow thinking that will persuade him to give her the money. She believes if Rhett is in love with her, she can manipulate him, which is what she did with her previous two husbands and various suitors. If she appears desperate and powerless, then Rhett will have the upper hand. He sees through her scheme, however.

raywest

Answer: In the book Scarlett's motivation for dressing up to see Rhett is so that she can go to him 'looking like a queen granting favors." She believes that her way of getting the money is by acting carefree and not desperate as if she looks desperate Rhett will guess it's money she's after (only) and any warmness towards him will look like a ruse to get his money. She is playing on his attraction towards her. Remember the last time she saw him she slapped him and said she hoped a canon ball would land "slap on him." So now she has to appear to be over her venom and her pride will not let her look desperate, also. She's not after marriage to him. If she looks sweet and helpless and gorgeous she figures she'll get the money out of him! (He does say he's tired of looking at women in mourning so she is partly right with her instincts).

More questions & answers from Gone with the Wind

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