I’m not alone when I say “Gone with the Wind” is my choice for the best movie of all time. I saw it first while in high school in the early sixties and have seen all 222 minutes of it again and again since then, ten times in all. Last night I saw it once more, but this time everything was different.
Mary and I noticed a local theater here in Michigan showing some of the old classics. When we realized “GWTW” was playing this week, we made immediate plans to go. And when the young man selling tickets said, “That’ll be three dollars…” we looked at each other in surprise.
“How come so cheap?” Mary asked.
“Well, look at how old the movie is,” he said, eyeing us as if we might not know.
We skipped supper so we could have popcorn, Coke and Dots for dinner at the theater, and as the orchestra music began, both of us felt that old thrill of going back to the 1860s to spend time with our favorite characters.
Because “GWTW” is a chronicle of life during the Civil War, death and dying is present throughout the movie. But three poignant death scenes jumped off the screen like never before. The first was when the heroine, Scarlett, arrived home to find that her mother had died just the day before. Watching Scarlett react to this dreadful news made me use up both of my pocket tissues.
Later, after the 15 minute intermission, Scarlett’s five year old daughter died after being thrown from a pony. Watching her father battle intense grief over losing the love of his life made me cry, too. The third death, that of Scarlett’s angelic friend Melanie, was almost too much. Good thing I’d gone to the washroom during intermission for more tissue.
Although none of these deaths had ever made me cry before, this time death has touched me closely, and my perspective has been skewed accordingly. Watching the characters respond to the deaths of loved ones drew me into their sorrow and exacerbated my own. I thought of Jesus weeping outside the tomb of his good friend Lazarus. The biblical verb used describes him not just tearful but in anguished sobs.
Today I’ve thought about the movie often, particularly those three death scenes, and still feel a heavy load of grief. It’s silly, of course, to relate so emotionally to the characters of “Gone with the Wind.” They were just acting, and their tears weren’t based in reality.
But a great deal of my own grieving isn’t based in reality, either. It’s rooted in longings, wishes and if only’s. Love doesn’t evaporate when the object of that love disappears. If anything, it grows. What is a person to do with this increasing love? Without the presence of the one who is being loved, the only thing left to do is cry.
Jesus cried, too. He wept over death. I understand.
”When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him’!” (John 11:33, 35-36)
Well, I am not going to be spiritual this morning. I was very impressed, that now as adults you and Mary used your freedom to creat a fun “dinner” and a movie time. I like the choices you made and have done something similar. It is great to be an adult and Mom is not watching our choices of food!! Love it Margaret!
OK – so I do find it very meaningful that Jesus wept and that means much to us. He is a God of emotions and love. He has kept every tear of your’s Margaret and shares your deep loss. Precious!
Hi Margaret,
Just got back from my own travels to the University of Illinois. Sarah and I ran a 5K there and besides that I have an ulterior motive to keep the goal in front of her to continue to do well in high school. Even after all these years, I still feel like I’m 20 again when I walk on that campus. Wanted to get the run done in 30 minutes- came in at 30:16… dang.
Anyways, I’d have to agree with your selection of GWTW… if it weren’t for To Kill A Mockingbird. 🙂 My first glance at the tree in your blog reminded me of the one traditionally on the book cover.
Your food selection made me laugh- very retro on the part of you and your sister.
No doubt your experience is what the passage in Corinthians alludes to- that our own suffering provides the equipping to comfort others- the club no one wants to be in that can genuinely feel the pain of another.
“Lord, death is a conquered enemy, but the battle is still going on. Thank You that we know which side flies the flag of surrender and which one emerges in victory. The only thing to do is to set our minds on heavenly things and so I ask that You would bend Margaret’s in that direction. Amen.”
Love,
Terry
From all the sorrow, losses, missed communications, and wrenching devastation in the movie, I’ve always loved it that the theme music is “My Own True Love”…that is what lives on, even when the characters change (not always for the better, from their losses.) I used to hate Scarlett’s character…so consumed with her selfishness that she leaves a trail of destruction and tears everywhere she goes. But in my adult viewings, I’ve come to admire the very thing I used to hate…that singlemindedness gave her the strength to be the one who knew how to survive when everyone else wanted to cave.
I see that singlemindedness in you, too. Not from selfishness, but from a deep desire to glorify God NO MATTER WHAT! Watching your widow life unfold each day, is like holding a great book, and eagerly turning the next page, knowing something great is right around the corner. Your own true love would be proud.
Guess who is catching up on your blogs! Becky does not need me to baby sit today so I have a free afternoon–it is raining so I can’t work in the garden and cold so I don’t care. I too went to “GWTW” in High School–I cried so hard when Melanie died–sobbing actually, that my friend almost moved to another seat. And it is still up there as one of my all time favorite movies–now I just have to see it again.