After some
debating, my daughter sent me out the door to go watch my favorite movie. The reason I debated is the weather. I am so tired of the cold. I am also tired of snow and ice. I have been aching and life is just easier if
I stay inside. Besides, I always have
housework or writing tasks that keep me busy.
I have plenty to occupy my time.
She said, "this is your favorite movie and you love it so much. You need to go." So, I went.
I had a wonderful time.
I can't even
guess how many times I have watched Gone With the Wind. I have read the book twice and feel the need
to read it again one of these days. I
read the second book, but it was horrible, and I will never read that one
again. I am sure I have written about my
love of this piece of literature. I have
been to the Road to Tara museum in Jonesboro where I saw my favorite dress, the
green and white barbecue dress and the dress made of Ms. Ellen's drapes. I have been to the GWTW museum in Atlanta
where I touched the door of Tara and saw the infamous portrait of Scarlet that
Rhett threw the whiskey glass at in a fit of rage. I also have been to the Margaret Mitchell
House in Atlanta where I went into her apartment and touched the typewriter she
wrote the novel on. Be still my beating
heart. Yep, I am a huge fan. Oh, I almost forgot. I have eaten at a restaurant called Pittypat's
Porch, best fried green tomatoes ever!!!
As I watched the
movie on the big screen this time, I realized I watched it from a different
point of view or should I say a different filter. In reality, I am amazed they still play the
movie. The way they portray the slaves,
later servants, I am sure it is offensive to many people. I see the story of the different races
completely differently. I know slavery
is a terrible institution. I can't even
imagine owning another person, let alone all the terrible ways they were
treated. However, slavery came from a
different time in history. There were
good slave owners. In my family history,
slaves were owned and lived in the house with the family. They worked together to make a living off the
land. When they were freed, they took on
the family’s last name, Nixon. I am not
saying this makes slavery right. I am
saying we can't be so black and white about a time in history we didn't live
in. I love how Mammy always knew what
Scarlet was up to. I love how Mammy fiercely
loved the babies she helped raise. I
love how Big Sam still cared for Scarlet and saved her. Scarlet took care of some of their now freed
help. She could have turned them out,
but they were family. Yes, slavery is
bad. However, there was cases of love,
respect, and a common goal.
And then there
was Ashley Wilkes. I have never liked
Ashley. When I was a teenager watching
the movie for the first time, I would shake my head wondering what Scarlet saw
in him. My word, he wasn't man enough
for her spirit. As I have grown older,
my disdain for him has grown. As I
watched the movie on the big screen yesterday, I found I hated him. Here is a guy that is a bit older then
Scarlet. and leads her on using her naivety
against her. He uses her to stroke his
ego. He talks honor, but the real honor
would have been to tell her he doesn't love her from the beginning, not play
around with her heart for years.
All in all, I
loved seeing new meaning and having new thoughts about the movie. Since the last time I saw it on the big
screen, we have had Confederate controversy throughout the country and even
here in our Montana town. In the Women's
Park, a statue stood donated by the Daughter's of the Confederacy. The debate grew heated and eventually the
statue was taken down. I thought this a
gross miscarriage of historical justice.
I think keeping the statue up could lead to a great teaching
moment. Instead, we are hiding the
truths about our past. So, with all of
that in mind, I am surprised people haven't wanted to destroy GWTW. I will say that I am glad they haven't. I would truly miss seeing it at the theater.
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