SOAP! Goes To The Oscars! Episode 100: Gone With The Wind

·17 min·1 clip

A host who vowed never to watch Gone with the Wind admits he gave it five stars.

The episode begins with the host celebrating the podcast's 100th episode, noting he has watched 98 of the Oscar-nominated films. He explains he recorded this episode on August 3rd, 2025, after finishing 'Gone with the Wind' that morning, having watched it over four viewings due to its 3-hour 58-minute runtime. The host provides statistics on his viewing project, including spending $267.12 total on movies, averaging $2.73 per film, and having watched 10,391 minutes (173 hours) so far. He gives a brief synopsis of 'Gone with the Wind', its adaptation from Margaret Mitchell's novel, and its setting during the American Civil War and Reconstruction. The host details the film's troubled production, including the delayed start, the casting search for Scarlett O'Hara involving 1400 interviews, and multiple screenplay revisions. He lists the film's 12 Academy Award nominations and 8 wins, plus 2 honorary awards, highlighting Hattie McDaniel's historic win as the first African-American actress to win an Oscar. A significant portion is dedicated to the directorial chaos, explaining how Victor Fleming is credited for both 'Gone with the Wind' and 'The Wizard of Oz' in 1939, but five directors total worked on the two films due to firings and exhaustion. The host mentions the Burning of Atlanta scene was created by burning old sets, including the gate from 'King Kong', to clear space for new construction. He shares his personal journey with the film, having previously vowed never to watch it after a comment that not seeing it meant you didn't love movies. Despite this, he gave it five stars, praising its direction and visuals but noting it drags towards the end. The host discusses the film's controversial depictions, including the whitewashing of slavery and the use of the term 'darky', and mentions the depiction of marital rape. He criticizes Scarlett O'Hara as an awful person, though he praises Vivian Leigh's performance, and names Melanie Hamilton as the best character. The host concludes by stating the film's main drawback is its length, that he would watch it again but likely won't, and teases the next episode on a snubbed 1939 film before moving to the 1940s.

As heard by us

A measured look at Gone with the Wind as a long, unexpectedly rewarding watch shaped by 1939 Oscar context and shifting director credits.

Episode 100 frames Gone with the Wind as a movie that had to be taken in over four sittings. The host tracks the sheer length, from the three-hour-and-58-minute runtime to the final stretch watched with about 30 minutes left, then moves into the film's place at the end of the…

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Why you'd press play

You get episode 100, a four-viewing Gone with the Wind, and a host surprised to land on a warm verdict.

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