Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American film based on a 1936 book by Margaret Mitchell. It was made by David O. Selznick’s company and directed by Victor Fleming. The story takes place in the American South during the Civil War and the time after the war, called the Reconstruction era. It follows Scarlett O’Hara, a strong-willed girl from a wealthy Georgia family, as she tries to win the love of Ashley Wilkes, who is already married to his cousin, Melanie Hamilton. Scarlett later marries Rhett Butler.
Making the film was difficult. Filming started two years late in January 1939 because Selznick wanted Clark Gable to play Rhett. Filming ended in July. Finding an actress for Scarlett was hard, and 1,400 women who were not famous were interviewed for the role. The original script by Sidney Howard was changed many times by other writers to make it shorter. The first director, George Cukor, was fired early in production and replaced by Fleming. Fleming was briefly replaced by Sam Wood because Fleming became very tired. Post-production finished in November 1939, just a month before the film was shown to the public.
When Gone with the Wind was released on December 15, 1939, it received mostly good reviews. People praised the actors, but some criticized the film’s long length. At the 12th Academy Awards, the film won ten awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Fleming), Best Adapted Screenplay (posthumously awarded to Sidney Howard), Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), and Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel, who became the first African American to win an Academy Award). It held records for the most awards and nominations at the time.
The film was very popular when it first came out. It became the most successful film ever made at that time and held the record for over 25 years. When adjusted for how much money is worth today, it is still the highest-grossing film in history. It was shown again many times during the 20th century and became a major part of popular culture. Although some people criticize the film for not accurately showing history and for supporting false ideas about slavery and the South’s past, it is also credited with changing how African Americans were shown in movies. Gone with the Wind is considered one of the greatest films ever made and was added to the United States National Film Registry in 1989 as one of the first 25 films chosen for preservation.
Plot
In 1861, just before the American Civil War began, Scarlett O'Hara lived at Tara, a cotton plantation in Georgia, with her parents, two sisters, and enslaved people. Scarlett was very interested in Ashley Wilkes, but she learned he was going to marry his cousin, Melanie Hamilton. At an engagement party at Twelve Oaks, a nearby plantation, Scarlett tried to impress Ashley but was turned down. However, she caught the attention of Rhett Butler, another guest. The party was interrupted by news that President Lincoln had asked for volunteers to fight for the South. Southern men quickly joined the army. Scarlett married Melanie's younger brother, Charles, to make Ashley jealous before he left to fight. Charles later died while serving in the Confederate Army. Scarlett's mother sent her to live with the Hamilton family in Atlanta. She caused a scene by attending a charity event in mourning clothes and dancing with Rhett, who was now a blockade runner for the Confederacy.
After the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederacy began losing battles. Many men from Scarlett's town were killed. Eight months later, during the Atlanta campaign, the Union Army surrounded the city. Melanie gave birth with Scarlett's help, and Rhett helped them escape. Rhett decided to fight, leaving Scarlett to return to Tara alone. She found Tara empty, with only her father, sisters, and former slaves, Mammy and Pork. Scarlett learned her mother had died of typhoid fever, and her father had lost his mind. Tara had been damaged by Union troops, and the fields were not being farmed. Scarlett promised to keep her family safe.
After the Confederacy lost the war, the O'Haras worked in the cotton fields. Ashley returned but could not help Tara. When Scarlett asked him to run away with her, he admitted he loved her but could not leave Melanie. Scarlett's father tried to chase a carpetbagger off his land but was thrown from his horse and killed. Scarlett could not pay the taxes imposed during Reconstruction, so she asked Rhett for help but failed. She tricked her younger sister Suellen's fiancé, Frank Kennedy, into marrying her. Frank, Ashley, and others attacked a shanty town after Scarlett was attacked, which led to Frank's death. After Frank's funeral, Rhett proposed to Scarlett, and she accepted.
Rhett and Scarlett had a daughter, whom Rhett called Bonnie Blue. Scarlett still longed for Ashley and refused to have more children or share a bed with Rhett. One day, Ashley's sister, India, saw Scarlett and Ashley together and spread rumors. Later, Rhett forced Scarlett to attend Ashley's birthday party. Melanie supported Scarlett. When Scarlett returned home, she found Rhett drunk and they argued about Ashley. Rhett kissed Scarlett against her will and took her to the bedroom.
The next day, Rhett apologized and offered Scarlett a divorce, which she refused, calling it a disgrace. When Rhett returned from a trip to London, Scarlett told him she was pregnant, but they argued, and she fell down stairs, causing a miscarriage. Later, Bonnie died while trying to jump a fence with her pony. Scarlett and Rhett visited Melanie, who was dying from complications of a new pregnancy. As Scarlett comforted Ashley, Rhett prepared to leave Atlanta. Scarlett realized she had always loved Rhett, not Ashley, and begged him to stay, but he refused and left. Scarlett vowed to return to Tara and one day win Rhett back.
Production
Before the novel was published, several Hollywood executives and studios refused to make a film based on it. These included Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Pandro S. Berman from RKO Radio Pictures, and David O. Selznick from Selznick International Pictures. Jack L. Warner of Warner Bros. thought about buying the rights after reading the story summary, but his top actress, Bette Davis, was not interested. Darryl F. Zanuck of 20th Century-Fox offered too little money. However, Selznick changed his mind after his story editor, Kay Brown, and business partner, John Hay Whitney, encouraged him to buy the film rights. In July 1936—just one month after the book was published—Selznick purchased the rights from Margaret Mitchell for $50,000.
Finding the right actors for the two main roles took two years. Selznick wanted Clark Gable for the role of Rhett Butler, but Gable was under contract with MGM, which would not lend him to other studios. Gary Cooper was considered, but his contract holder, Samuel Goldwyn, refused to let him go. Warner Bros. offered Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, and Olivia de Havilland for lead roles in exchange for distribution rights, but Davis refused to act with Flynn. By this time, Selznick was determined to cast Gable. In August 1938, he made a deal with Gable’s father-in-law, Louis B. Mayer of MGM. MGM agreed to provide Gable and $1.25 million for half of the production budget, and they would distribute the film. In return, Selznick had to pay Gable’s weekly salary and give half of the profits to MGM.
Because the film would be released through MGM, production could not begin until late 1938, when Selznick’s previous distribution deal with United Artists ended. Selznick used the delay to improve the script and build publicity by searching for the right actress to play Scarlett O’Hara. He held a nationwide casting call and interviewed 1,400 unknown actors. This effort cost $100,000 but did not help find Scarlett’s actress, though it created valuable publicity. Early candidates included Miriam Hopkins and Tallulah Bankhead, who were considered before the film rights were purchased. Joan Crawford, who was signed to MGM, was also considered as a partner for Gable. After the deal with MGM, Selznick talked to Norma Shearer, an MGM star, but she withdrew after negative fan reactions. Katharine Hepburn strongly wanted the role with the help of George Cukor, who was hired to direct, but Selznick rejected her, believing she was not right for the part.
Many actresses, both famous and unknown, were considered for the role. In addition to Vivien Leigh, who was eventually chosen, thirty others were tested, including Ardis Ankerson (Brenda Marshall), Jean Arthur, Tallulah Bankhead, Diana Barrymore, Joan Bennett, Nancy Coleman, Frances Dee, Terry Ray (Ellen Drew), Paulette Goddard, Edythe Marrenner (Susan Hayward), Anita Louise, Haila Stoddard, Margaret Tallichet, Lana Turner, and Linda Watkins. Although Margaret Mitchell did not publicly name her choice, Miriam Hopkins was closest to her approval. Mitchell believed Hopkins was the right type of actress for the role as written in the book. However, Hopkins was too old for the part at the time. By December 1938, four actresses—Jean Arthur and Joan Bennett among them—were still being considered. Only two finalists, Paulette Goddard and Vivien Leigh, were tested in Technicolor on December 20. Goddard almost won the role, but controversy over her marriage to Charlie Chaplin caused Selznick to change his mind.
Selznick had been thinking about Vivien Leigh, a young English actress who was not well known in America, for the role of Scarlett since February 1938. He saw her in Fire Over England and A Yank at Oxford. Leigh’s American agent was connected to the Myron Selznick talent agency, which was run by David Selznick’s brother. In February 1938, Leigh asked her name to be considered for the role. By summer 1938, Selznick was negotiating with Alexander Korda, Leigh’s contract holder, for her services later that year. Selznick’s brother arranged for them to meet on December 10, 1938, during the filming of the burning of Atlanta. In a letter to his wife two days later, Selznick wrote that Leigh was "the Scarlett dark horse." After several screen tests, her casting was announced on January 13, 1939. Just before filming began, Selznick told newspaper columnist Ed Sullivan: "Scarlett O’Hara’s parents were French and Irish. Identically, Miss Leigh’s parents are French and Irish."
A major challenge for Selznick during casting was Hollywood’s difficulty in accurately portraying Southern accents. The studio believed that incorrect accents could hurt the film’s success. Selznick hired Susan Myrick, an expert on Southern speech and customs recommended by Mitchell, and Will A. Price to coach the actors on speaking with a Southern drawl. Mitchell praised the cast’s vocal work, noting that the film received little criticism about accents when it was released.
The original screenplay writer, Sidney Howard, faced challenges in adapting the novel’s complex story. Film historian Joanne Yeck wrote that reducing the novel’s epic story to a film script was a very difficult task. Howard’s first draft was too long and would have required at least six hours of film. Selznick wanted Howard to stay on set to make changes, but Howard refused to leave New England. As a result, local writers handled the revisions. Selznick dismissed director George Cukor three weeks into filming and hired Victor Fleming, who was directing The Wizard of Oz. Fleming was unhappy with the script, so Selznick brought in screenwriter Ben Hecht to rewrite the entire screenplay in five days. Hecht used Howard’s original draft and revised the first half of the script by the end of the week. Selznick rewrote the second half himself but fell behind schedule, so Howard returned for one week to revise key scenes in the second part.
When the film was released in 1939, there was some confusion about who should receive screen credit. Despite many writers and changes, the final script was very close to Howard’s version. Howard’s name alone appeared on the credits, possibly as a tribute, because he died in 1939 at age 48 in a farm-tractor accident before the film’s premiere. In a memo from October 1939, Selznick
Release
On September 9, 1939, Selznick, his wife Irene, investor John "Jock" Whitney, and film editor Hal Kern traveled to Riverside, California, to view an early version of a film at the Fox Theatre. The version they saw was four hours and twenty-five minutes long, but the final version was shorter than four hours. A double feature of Hawaiian Nights and Beau Geste was playing, but after the first movie, the theater announced it would instead show a preview of an unnamed upcoming film. The audience was told they could leave before the film started but could not return once it began, and phone calls were not allowed once the theater was closed. When the film’s title appeared on the screen, the audience cheered, and after the film ended, they gave it a standing ovation. In a biography about Selznick, David Thomson wrote that the audience’s excitement before the film even started was the most important moment of Selznick’s life. Selznick described the preview cards as "probably the most amazing any picture has ever had." When asked about the film in early September, Selznick said, "At noon I think it's divine, at midnight I think it's lousy. Sometimes I think it's the greatest picture ever made. But if it's only a great picture, I'll still be satisfied."
About 300,000 people attended the film’s premiere in Atlanta on December 15, 1939, at the Loew's Grand Theatre. This event was part of three days of celebrations hosted by Mayor William B. Hartsfield, which included a parade of limousines with stars from the film, receptions, thousands of Confederate flags, and a costume ball. Governor Eurith D. Rivers declared December 15 a state holiday. An estimated 300,000 people lined the streets for seven miles to watch the limousine parade that brought the film’s stars from the airport. Leslie Howard and Victor Fleming did not attend: Howard returned to England because World War II had started, and Fleming had a disagreement with Selznick and refused to go to any premieres. Hattie McDaniel and other Black cast members were not allowed to attend the premiere because of Georgia’s Jim Crow laws, which prevented them from sitting with their white colleagues. When McDaniel learned she was barred from the event, Clark Gable threatened to boycott it, but McDaniel convinced him to attend. President Jimmy Carter later said the premiere was "the biggest event to happen in the South in my lifetime." Premieres in New York and Los Angeles followed; the Los Angeles premiere was attended by some actresses who had been considered for the role of Scarlett, including Paulette Goddard, Norma Shearer, and Joan Crawford.
From December 1939 to July 1940, the film was shown only in special screenings at a limited number of theaters, with tickets costing more than double the price of regular first-run movies. MGM collected 70 percent of the box office money, which was much higher than the usual 30–35 percent. After these special screenings became too common, MGM changed the terms to a 50 percent share and lowered ticket prices. The film was finally released to the public in 1941 at "popular" prices. Including costs for distribution and advertising, the total money spent on the film was as high as $7 million.
In 1942, Selznick sold his company to avoid taxes and gave his share of Gone with the Wind to his business partner, John Whitney, for $500,000. Whitney later sold the film to MGM for $2.8 million, giving the studio full ownership. MGM re-released the film in 1942, again in 1947, and again in 1954. The 1954 reissue was the first time the film was shown in widescreen, which changed the original picture by cutting the top and bottom of the screen. This change required some scenes to be altered permanently.
A 1961 re-release celebrated the 100th anniversary of the start of the Civil War and included a gala "premiere" at the Loew's Grand Theatre. Selznick and many stars of the film, including Vivien Leigh and Olivia de Havilland, attended. Clark Gable had died the previous year. For its 1967 re-release, the film was shown in 70mm format, and new poster artwork was created, featuring Gable holding Leigh against a background of orange flames. The film was re-released again in 1971, 1974, and 1989. The 1989 reissue included a full restoration of the film’s audio and video. It was shown in theaters once more in the United States in 1998 by New Line Cinema, which was owned by Time Warner.
In 2013, a 4K digital restoration of the film was released in the United Kingdom to mark Vivien Leigh’s 100th birthday. In 2014, special screenings were held across the United States to celebrate the film’s 75th anniversary, and again in 2024 for its 85th anniversary.
Gone with the Wind first appeared on American television on HBO on June 11, 1976, and was shown fourteen times that month. Other cable channels also aired the film in June. It made its first network television appearance in November 1976 when NBC paid $5 million for a single broadcast. The film was shown in two parts on consecutive nights and became the most-watched television program ever on a single network, with 47.5 percent of American households and 65 percent of television viewers watching it. This record still stands for the highest-rated film on television.
In 1978, CBS signed a deal worth $35 million to air Gone with the Wind twenty times over twenty years. Turner Entertainment bought MGM’s film library in 1986, but the television rights to Gone with the Wind remained with CBS. An agreement was made to return the rights to Turner Entertainment, and CBS’s rights to The Wizard of Oz were extended. Turner used the film to launch two cable channels: Turner Network Television (1988) and Turner Classic Movies (1994).
Gone with the Wind was first released on VHS in March 1985, where it ranked second in sales. It has since been released on DVD and Blu-ray formats. A version in Ultra HD Blu-ray is scheduled for release in 2026.
Reception
Consumer magazines and newspapers mostly gave Gone with the Wind very good reviews. Variety called it “a great picture expected to make very high profits.” Many praised the film’s high quality, technical skills, and large scale. However, some critics thought the film was too long and not always convincing in its storytelling. Frank S. Nugent of The New York Times said the film was the most ambitious made so far but not necessarily the best. He still called it “an interesting story beautifully told.” Franz Hoellering of The Nation agreed, saying the film was a major event in the film industry but not a major artistic achievement. He noted that some parts were strong, but others were filled with only impressive but not meaningful scenes.
While the film was praised for staying close to the novel, this was also seen as a reason for its long length. John C. Flinn of Variety said the director, Selznick, included too much from the book, and the film could have been better if some repeated scenes and dialogue were cut. The Manchester Guardian said the story lacked the grand quality needed to justify its long running time. It called the second half of the film, which focuses on Scarlett’s “unrelated marriages” and “family arguments,” mostly unnecessary, and said they were included only because the author, Margaret Mitchell, wrote them that way. The Guardian believed the film could have been better if the story had ended earlier and focused more on the theme of the Old South’s downfall. Hoellering also said the second half was weaker, noting that the characters, not the story, dominated the film and that the characters alone were not enough to make the film convincing.
Many critics praised the casting, especially Vivien Leigh as Scarlett. Frank S. Nugent said she was the “center of the film” and believed no other actress could have played the role as well. Hoellering said she was “perfect” in appearance and movement, and he thought she was best when showing Scarlett’s two sides. He also said she was strong in scenes like the one after Scarlett is raped. Flinn said Leigh was well-suited for the role and best in scenes where she showed courage, like escaping Atlanta or killing a soldier. Leigh won the Best Actress award at the 1939 New York Film Critics Circle Awards. Clark Gable’s performance as Rhett Butler was also praised, with Flinn and Nugent saying he matched the character from the book. Hoellering thought Gable was not convincing in the final scenes where he leaves Scarlett. Other actors, like Leslie Howard as Ashley and Olivia de Havilland as Melanie, were also praised for their performances. Hattie McDaniel’s role as Mammy was widely praised, with some critics calling it the second-best performance after Vivien Leigh’s.
At the 12th Academy Awards, Gone with the Wind set a record for the most Academy Awards won and nominated. It won eight of the thirteen awards it was nominated for, including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Editing. It also received two honorary awards for its use of color and equipment, and it became the first color film to win Best Picture. This record of eight wins lasted until Gigi (1958) won nine. The film’s total of ten nominations was broken by Ben-Hur (1959), which won eleven. Gone with the Wind also held the record for most nominations until All About Eve (1950) got fourteen. It was the longest American sound film at the time and may still be the longest Best Picture winner. The film’s running time is about 221 minutes, but with added music and breaks, it lasts about 234 minutes.
Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to win an Academy Award, beating her co-star Olivia de Havilland, who was also nominated in the same category. However, she was separated from the other winners at the ceremony and made to sit at a different table. Screenwriter Sidney Howard became the first posthumous Oscar winner, and Selznick received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for his career.
Black critics criticized the film for its portrayal of African-Americans and for not showing the real issues of slavery. Some compared the film to The Birth of a Nation, saying Gone with the Wind was a “rear attack” on the same issues. Critics pointed out stereotypical characters like Pork, Prissy, and Mammy. Hattie McDaniel faced criticism for her win, with some accusing her of being an “Uncle Tom.” She responded by saying she preferred making money as an actress over being poor as a maid.
Opinions in the Black community were mixed. Some called the film harmful to Black audiences, and protests were held in some cities. Malcolm X said the film made him feel uncomfortable during certain scenes. However, some Black people recognized McDaniel’s achievements and celebrated her success.
Analysis and controversies
Gone with the Wind, though not always historically accurate, reflects the spirit of the time it portrays. Producer David Selznick stated he was sensitive to the feelings of minority groups and avoided promoting intolerance during the 1930s. However, the film has faced criticism for reinforcing myths about the Civil War and for stereotyping Black characters. David Reynolds noted that the film often shows white women as elegant and men as noble or dashing, while Black characters are portrayed as dutiful and content, suggesting they could not live independently. Reynolds compared Gone with the Wind to other films from the segregation era, such as The Birth of a Nation, which depicted white Southerners as defenders of traditional values and ignored the issue of slavery. The film has been described as promoting harmful myths, such as the idea that Black people were rapists or that the Ku Klux Klan played a heroic role during Reconstruction. It has also been called a "social propaganda" film that promotes a "white supremacist" view of history.
From 1972 to 1996, the Atlanta Historical Society held exhibits about Gone with the Wind, including one in 1994 titled "Disputed Territories: Gone with the Wind and Southern Myths." One question explored was how accurately the film portrayed enslaved people. The exhibit showed that enslaved people had diverse experiences and concluded that the idea of enslaved people being happy or always suffering was a myth. W. Bryan Rommel Ruiz argued that while the film had errors about the Reconstruction period, it reflected common views of the early 20th century. For example, a scene shows a freedman being ignored by a politician offering land and supplies in exchange for votes, suggesting that freedmen were unprepared for freedom.
While the film spreads some myths, it avoids others. In one scene, after Scarlett is attacked by a white man and a Black accomplice, a group of men—later revealed in the novel to be part of the Ku Klux Klan—rescue her. The filmmakers changed this in the film, calling the group a "political meeting" instead of the Klan. Katherine H. Lee wrote that the film removed the Klan’s role entirely, but still called it "undeniably racist." Richard Alleva noted that in the film, a Black man restrains Scarlett’s horse while a white man approaches her, but in the novel, the would-be attacker is Black. Producer David Selznick changed the scene to make the Black character a passive observer. Film historian Thomas Cripps wrote that Selznick removed all references to the Ku Klux Klan and said the film should not promote intolerance in a time of global conflict.
Cripps also noted that the film had some effects on racial stereotypes, such as increasing Hollywood’s engagement with Black audiences. After Gone with the Wind was released, some films avoided extreme portrayals of slavery, as Gone with the Wind had done. The film also influenced future social movements by encouraging an alliance between white liberals and Black people who supported equality. Cripps said the film became a standard for measuring social change.
In the 21st century, the film’s portrayal of race and slavery led to its removal from some platforms. In 2017, the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee, stopped showing the film after 34 years of annual showings. In 2020, HBO Max removed the film from its streaming service after a writer criticized it for reinforcing harmful stereotypes. A spokesperson for HBO Max said the film reflected outdated prejudices and would return with a discussion of its historical context. The removal sparked debates, with some calling it censorship. The film became popular again on Amazon and Apple’s iTunes, and HBO Max later added it back with an introduction by Jacqueline Stewart, who said the film should remain available for discussion about white supremacy in culture.
In 2020, President Donald Trump criticized the 92nd Academy Awards, saying Gone with the Wind and Sunset Boulevard deserved the Best Picture award more than Parasite. His comments led to mixed reactions. One of the film’s most controversial scenes shows Scarlett being forced into a relationship with Rhett, which today would be considered marital rape. The scene begins with Rhett kissing Scarlett despite her refusal, carrying her to her bedroom, and ignoring her resistance.
Legacy
"Gone with the Wind" and its film version have been mentioned, made fun of, acted out, and studied many times in different forms of media. Examples include the 1939 film Second Fiddle, which joked about the search for Scarlett O’Hara, and modern shows like The Simpsons. Other notable works include The Scarlett O’Hara War (a 1980 TV show about casting Scarlett), Moonlight and Magnolias (a 2007 play about rewriting the film’s script), and a 1976 Carol Burnett Show sketch that parodied the film. A 1988 documentary called The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind described the film’s difficult production. In 1990, the U.S. Postal Service released a stamp showing Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh from the film. In 2003, Leigh and Gable were ranked number 95 on VH1’s list of the "200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons of All Time."
The film’s release helped make "Scarlett" a popular girl’s name, moving it away from being associated with the color red. Vivien Leigh’s performance changed how the name was seen, linking it to strength, determination, and complex choices instead of danger or wrongdoing. Although the name appeared in some records after the book was published, the film’s wide reach and lasting popularity made it widely known. U.S. birth records show the name’s use increased more than seven times after the film came out, with steady growth in later years.
After the book was published, Margaret Mitchell received many requests for a sequel but said she did not know what happened to Scarlett and Rhett. She refused to write one until her death in 1949. In 1975, her brother, Stephens Mitchell, allowed a sequel to be written by Anne Edwards. The book, Tara: The Continuation of Gone with the Wind, covered Scarlett’s divorce from Rhett between 1872 and 1882. However, MGM did not like the story, and the project failed.
The idea of a sequel was tried again in the 1990s. A television miniseries called Scarlett was made in 1994, based on a book by Alexandra Ripley, which continued Mitchell’s story. British actors Joanne Whalley and Timothy Dalton played Scarlett and Rhett. The series showed Scarlett moving to Ireland after she became pregnant by Rhett again.
Explanatory notes
George Cukor finally explained the situation to me. He said he was very unhappy about leaving the production, but he felt he had no choice. He explained that he considers himself an honest worker and believes he cannot complete a job unless he is confident it is well done. He believed the current project was not correct. For several days, he studied the early footage and felt he was not performing well. The work did not feel right to him. Over time, he became certain the script was the problem. David Selznick believed he was responsible for writing the script. George had repeatedly compared the version written by Oliver Garrett and David Selznick with the original version by Sidney Howard. He expressed frustration and tried to return some parts of the script to Howard’s version, but had little success. George told David he would no longer work on the project unless the script was improved and the original Howard version was used. David responded that George was a director, not an author, and as the producer, he alone decided what made a good script. George insisted he was a director and a skilled one, and he would not allow his name to be associated with a poor-quality film. David then said, "If that is your decision, then leave."