On This Day

Gone with the Wind released

January 17th 1940

07:48 17 January 2024

Following premieres in three American cities the previous month, 'Gone with the Wind' went on wide release in theaters across the US on this day in 1940. Set against a backdrop of the American Civil War and based on Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel, the movie was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming and stars Clark Gable as Rhett Butler and Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara.

The film was immensely popular with the public, becoming the highest-earning film made up to that point and received an unprecedented thirteen Academy Award nominations, going on to pick up a record-breaking eight Oscars.