The film begins on a beautiful morning in the South, on a plantation called Tara; home to the O’Hara clan. Father Gerald, mother Ellen, and sisters Scarlett, Carreen, and Suellen. The family is preparing to head off to the neighboring plantation, the Wilkes’ family’s Twelve Oaks, for a barbeque. Much to the distress of the beautiful Scarlett, it is said that at the party, the object of her desire, Ashley, will be announcing his engagement to the kind and practical Melanie Hamilton, his cousin. Later, at the gathering, the prediction materializes; Ashley and Melanie are to be wed. A devastated Scarlett basks in the affections of her various suitors, determined that she will have Ashley yet. As the women nap in preparation for the night’s ball, Scarlett steals downstairs, amongst talk of war by the men. The young men are eager to see battle against the Yankees who have so boldly insulted their honor as Southerners. Only one man, visitor Rhett Butler, sees this as foolish. He knows that the South is poorly equipped and that the North will quickly overwhelm them. As the debate disperses, Scarlett approaches Ashley and declares her love for him. He refuses her advances and leaves. By then everyone is in a ruckus. The war has begun! Droves of excited Southerners scramble to enlist. In all the chaos, Charles Hamilton, one of her suitors, approaches her and asks for her hand. She accepts, and the two are wed a day after Ashley and Melanie. Both Ashley and Charles must then head to service. Word later comes that Charles has died of disease; both wife Scarlett and sister Melanie must go into mourning. Despite her “grief”, Scarlett travels to the home of Melanie’s Aunt Pittypat and attends a ball to raise money for the war effort, unheard of among the female socialites. There, she encounters Rhett Butler, who has taken an interest in her. He begins to pay her a series of favors. Yet, she still pines for Ashley. News later comes to the city, Atlanta, of a great battle, Gettysburg. Many die, including some of Scarlett’s beaus and the town doctor’s son. Soon comes Christmas, and leave for Ashley. Scarlett is still in love with him, and he kisses her goodbye, even though he tells her to look after his wife. Later, Scarlett and Melanie volunteer as nurses in a Confederate prison. The doctor is out of bandages and pain medication, men are dying constantly, and even amputations must be done without anesthesia. Scarlett becomes overwhelmed with the environment and goes outside, into the midst of a frantic exodus from Atlanta. The Yankees are coming! Grant’s army is fast approaching, and the unprepared civilians flee on horses and on foot. She again encounters Rhett, who has become quite fond of her and begs her to run away with him. She refuses, as she must stay behind to help with the impending birth of Melanie’s baby. Only Scarlett and the slave Prissy remain to deliver it. When the time comes, however, they must do without the doctor due to the hospitals’ mass evacuation. After the baby is born, the Union troops are right on top of Atlanta, and the women enlist the help of Rhett Butler, who steals a horse and takes them through flames and old battle fields back to the comfort of Tara. Even though it has been looted, and her mother has died of disease, Scarlett’s father, sisters, and the house slaves still remain. Her father has gone mad with his grief at the loss of his livelihood and his wife. While she gazes upon the ruined Tara, Scarlett vows, “As God as my witness, I’ll never be hungry again!”

That only took me like, all afternoon to write. I still have to analyze it and find historical inaccuracies. O lawd.