Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!

Today's History Lesson...the movies

Ah-h-h-h! Where would we be without the movies...a favorite pastime indeed that allows each of us to live out one fantasy at a time. The actors, actresses, scenes, music, excitement and unforgettable movie lines remain vividly ingrained in the scrapbook of the mind.

Today in History: June 27, 1939

On this day in 1939, one of the most famous scenes in movie history is filmed...

Scarlett O'Hara: Rhett. . .Rhett. . .Rhett, if you go, where shall I go? What shall I do? 

Rhett Butler: Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

There is probably no movie line reaching iconic status any more than the famous scene of Rhett Butler walking away from Scarlet in Gone With the Wind. 


And to think it was almost NOT in the movie, at least the use of the curse word. Remember, the year is 1939 with censorship at the beginning of the 20th century being much more stringent than that of today.

Director Victor Fleming shot a different scene using the alternate line, "Frankly, my dear, I just don't care," in case the film censors objected to the word "damn." The censors approved the line but fined producer David O. Selznick $5,000 for including the curse. Small price to pay for the top grossing film of all time!

It is hard to believe initial filming of the movie began over three quarters of a century ago in December,1938 with the burning of Atlanta scene. The film debuted in Atlanta on December 15, 1939 becoming an instant hit, breaking all box office records, and winning eight academy awards (some sources report nine, others ten) of a total of thirteen nominations.  


Gone With the Wind was digitally restored and the sound re-mastered for its 1998 re-release by New Line Pictures. Perhaps revisiting the trailer for its re-release will spark your interest in watching the movie yet one more time!

1939 Original Screen Tests

1998 Re-release

Do you think it would have had as much impact or be remembered and revered had the curse word been removed?