Strange Facts You Didn’t Know About “Gone With The Wind”

“Gone With the Wind” is a (mostly) timeless classic that has remained culturally relevant for decades. Behind the scenes, the creation of this famous movie was absolutely fascinating. And over 70 years after the movie first premiered, audiences are still in love with the classic tale.

So, here are some glorious facts you probably didn’t know about “Gone With the Wind.”

The Movie Rights Were Wildly Expensive

Producer David Selznik bought the film rights to Margaret Mitchell’s novel “Gone With the Wind” just a month after the book was published. He paid $50,000 for the rights, the most that had ever been spent on movie rights up to that point.

After the film released to widespread commercial success, Selznik gave Mitchell another $50,000, as he felt he’d underpaid her.

The Burning of Atlanta Scene Set Fire to a Classic “King Kong” Set

One of the first scenes to be filmed, the burning of Atlanta, was a very costly endeavor. To make it look as authentic as possible, many old sets from the MGM backlot were burned, including one from “King Kong.” Nearby residents assumed that the fire was real and called for fire trucks to put it out.

Scarlett was Cast After Filming Started

Vivien Leigh was cast as Scarlett O’Hara very late in production. As the movie’s first scene to be filmed only needed a body double, production began without a lead actress. Leigh was eventually hired, but only after early scenes had been filmed.

Fans Protested Leigh’s Casting

Think that fans only complain about movie casting in the era of the internet? Think again! Many fans of the original “Gone With the Wind” novel complained loudly to the studio that Leigh, an Englishwoman, had been cast in the role. These complaints soon died down once the movie was released.