Update: HBO Max has released the following statement about Gone with the Wind. Screen Rant's original article follows:
Gone With The Wind is a product of its time and depicts some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that have, unfortunately, been commonplace in American society. These racist depictions were wrong then and are wrong today, and we felt that to keep this title up without an explanation and a denouncement of those depictions would be irresponsible. These depictions are certainly counter to WarnerMedia’s values, so when we return the film to HBO Max, it will return with a discussion of its historical context and a denouncement of those very depictions, but will be presented as it was originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed. If we are to create a more just, equitable and inclusive future, we must first acknowledge and understand our history.
HBO Max has removed Gone with the Wind from its streaming service following an op-ed calling for its removal, as well as the ongoing Black Lives Matter Protests. Gone with the Wind is considered a cinema classic, set during the Civil War and its aftermath. It follows Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), the daughter of a plantation owner. The movie was critically beloved at the time of its release, earning an impressive ten Academy Awards. However, since Gone with the Wind came out in 1939, its glorification of slavery has gained increased attention.
In the wake of the protests stemming from the murder of George Floyd, many networks and streaming services have taken a hard look at their content. For example, Netflix faced scrutiny when The Help became its top-viewed movie, leading many to point out there are far better films honoring Black voices. Meanwhile, the shows Cops and Live PD were pulled among calls for an end to police brutality. All told, Hollywood is reconsidering movies and TV shows and the impact they have now.
Yesterday, 12 Years a Slave screenwriter John Ridley called attention to Gone with the Wind specifically. In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, he called for the movie's removal from HBO Max, at least for now. Ridley said in part, "It is a film that, when it is not ignoring the horrors of slavery, pauses only to perpetuate some of the most painful stereotypes of people of color." Now, HBO Max has quietly removed Gone with the Wind, in a move that wasn't announced ahead of time. Though Ridley's op-ed isn't confirmed to be the reason why, it seems likely it, coupled with the Black Lives Matter protests, played a key role.
Though Gone with the Wind is a Hollywood classic, the film is one of many that have aged poorly. It's also far from the only movie to have been removed, censored, or simply not made available on a streaming service due to its questionable content. For example, Disney+ announced last year it wouldn't house the 1946 film Song of the South on its streaming service. The decision was made due to the film's problematic handling of slavery, among other issues. Disney+ made a similar call with Dumbo, cutting its controversial Jim Crow scene.
Though the reason for HBO Max removing Gone with the Wind isn't known for sure, it suggests the new streaming service and parent company WarnerMedia are taking the movie's issues seriously. In his op-ed, Ridley suggested the film could be brought back to HBO Max at a later date, alongside movies that "give a more broad-based and complete picture of what slavery and the Confederacy truly were." Though it's impossible to know what HBO Max executives are thinking at this point, it seems like a fair request.
Source: Los Angeles Times, Variety