8 Ways to Celebrate Gone With the Wind’s 80th Anniversary

Gone With the Wind fans can’t wait to celebrate the film’s 80th anniversary on Sunday, December 15, 2019. Here are 8 ways to mark this cinematic milestone:

  1. Watch Gone With the Wind. Whether you have the 50th anniversary VHS tapes or the 80th anniversary DVD, pop the cassettes or disk into your player and watch Scarlett O’Hara win hearts with a toss of her dark curls, flash her willful green eyes at disaster and vow to think of some way to get Rhett back.
  2. Eat barbecue. Head to your favorite barbecue place and chow down on ribs, chicken, pulled pork, cornbread, baked beans, cole slaw – whatever you like. Then imagine yourself at Twelve Oaks, enjoying the gracious hospitality of the Wilkes family. Be sure to compliment India on her lovely dress.
  3. Take a nap. After a hearty meal, you’ll be ready for a nap – even if you’re not tired. As you know, well-brought-up folks take naps at parties, except Yankee girls in Saratoga, NY.  
  4. Waltz around the room. Pretend you’re attending Atlanta’s Monster Bazaar. Take your partner in your arms and waltz around the room, as Scarlett and Rhett did. Flirting is allowed but please – no Southern-belle simpers.
  5. Eat a radish. Recollect the hardships Scarlett experienced at the war ravaged Tara by eating a radish. If devouring the pungent vegetable Scarlett style – right out of the garden, dirt and all – lacks appeal, slice the radish into a salad. Then vow to never be hungry again.
  6. Take a sip of brandy. Rhett doesn’t care if you like your brandy, so take a sip. Avoid downing the drink as Scarlett did in the dining room of her Atlanta home.
  7. Say “Fiddle-dee-dee.” Repeat Scarlett’s favorite expression of exasperation at least three times during the day. Should your vexation escalate, diffuse the situation by shouting “Great balls of fire!”
  8. Offer a toast. Raise a glass to David O. Selznick, his cast and crew for making one of the most magnificent motion pictures of all time — Gone With the Wind!

Happy 80th Anniversary, Gone With the Wind!

Blog Bio: Pauline Bartel is the author of The Complete GONE WITH THE WIND Trivia Book (2nd edition) and an expert on the film and its history. Visit the website (www.paulinebartel.com/resources/books/books-available) for further information. Follow her on Twitter @PaulineBartel and “like” her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TheCompleteGWTWTriviaBook).