Gone with the Wind (1939) (4K UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: November 3, 2026
Rating: G
Film: 5/5
 
Plot
Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard and Hattie McDaniel star in this classic epic of the American South. On the eve of the Civil War, rich, beautiful and self-centered Scarlett O'Hara (Leigh) has everything she could want - except Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard). As the war devastates the South, Scarlett discovers the strength within herself to protect her family and rebuild her life. Through everything, she longs for Ashley, unaware that she is already married to the man she really loves (Gable) - and who truly loves her - until she finally drives him away. Only then does Scarlett realize what she has lost ... and tries to win him back.

My Thoughts
Garnering an impressive 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, David O. Selznick's production of Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer Prize-winning book is the box-office champion of all time in terms of tickets sold due to its multiple releases. In one of the bonus features, a former executive at MGM joked that whenever there was a cash shortage, the film would get another "limited engagement" in order to fill the studio's bank account with some much needed revenue.

It's the lavish sets, costumes, and characters that make this such an epic film. The burning of Atlanta is spectacular, especially given the time period. And who wouldn't be impressed by the amazing architecture of the Tara mansion? But the characters are what I like best. Not to mince words, but Scarlett is a first-class spoiled brat, even though her beautiful eyes and soft complexion make most men weak-kneed in her presence—and I don't blame them one bit. Rhett does the same for the ladies with his great looks and Han Solo-like attitude—he's not in it for the war effort, he just wants the profit. Best of all is Mammy (Hattie McDaniel), the only one who truly understands Scarlett. She steals every scene with her down-to-earth sensibilities. 

I first watched this movie in the late 80s with a girl I was dating and suffered through it for her sake—it was one of her favorites. As I aged, I started to see the appeal of the film and have watched it four or five more times over the last 35+ years. It’s easy to see why in 1989 the Library of Congress selected the film for its inaugural list for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

I reviewed the lavish Blu-ray release for another site nearly 20 years ago and at that time Warner Brothers set a new benchmark for how classic films should be preserved. Utilizing the original Technicolor camera negatives, the three color-separated records were painstakingly aligned and scanned at 8K resolution, resulting in one of the most impressive catalog restorations ever released. As excellent as that VC-1 encoded Blu-ray was, this new 4K UHD presentation manages to raise the bar yet again.

The most obvious improvement is the overall cleanliness and stability of the image. Age-related blemishes, specks, and minor print damage have been further reduced, creating an even more pleasant viewing experience. Color reproduction is also noticeably refined. The overly warm appearance that occasionally characterized the Blu-ray has been toned down, resulting in more natural flesh tones and a presentation that feels truer to the original Technicolor photography. Scarlett's vibrant gowns, the lush greenery surrounding Tara, and the oranges and reds during the burning of Atlanta all benefit from the wider color gamut.

Contrast is also improved, with the HDR presentation delivering deeper blacks and an almost 3D-like depth to the image. Shadow detail is particularly strong, with backgrounds showing more detail and textures taking on new definition. Surprisingly, raw detail isn’t dramatically better than the Blu-ray. That’s not a criticism of the UHD at all, but to how extraordinary the original restoration was. Warner’s engineers extracted nearly every ounce of resolution possible from the 1080p format, so don’t expect a night-and-day leap in the sharpness. Regardless, fine textures in costumes, facial features, and the elaborate sets are a bit more consistent throughout the movie versus the Blu-ray.

Most important of all, the film’s 238-minute running time is spread across two UHD discs, allowing for exceptionally high bitrates with no compression issues to speak of. The overall result is a film-like presentation from beginning to end.

Warner includes two lossless audio options. The first is a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track derived from the remix originally created for the film's 1998 DVD release under the supervision of George Feltenstein. The second is a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 split-mono presentation that more closely reflects the film's original theatrical experience.

Purists will naturally gravitate toward the mono track, which preserves the film's original sonic character. For my tastes, however, the 5.1 remix remains the preferred option. As with the Blu-ray, the greatest beneficiary of the expanded soundstage is Max Steiner's magnificent score, which remains one of the most important achievements in film music. The front soundstage provides a welcome sense of width and scale, giving the music greater presence while adding a touch of realism to crowd scenes and larger set pieces.

The remix isn't designed to compete with modern surround productions, nor should it. Activity in the rear channels is limited primarily to subtle ambience and environmental effects, but added channels helps the film feel less constrained. Dialogue remains clear and intelligible throughout, although there are occasional moments where Steiner's score slightly overwhelms the vocals. Dynamic range can also sound somewhat restricted at times, reflecting the age of the source materials rather than any flaw in the encoding.

Video 10/10
Audio 8.5/10 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
 
Special Features:

Discs One and Two

• Audio Commentary with historian Rudy Behlmer

Disc Three – Special Features (Blu-ray)

• Turner Classic Movies Introduction (NEW)
• Gone with the Wind: The Influence That Endures (NEW)
• Scarlett O’Hara: A Woman Ahead of Her Time (NEW)
• Gone with the Wind: Restoring and Preserving an Epic (NEW)
• The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
• Gone with the Wind: The Legend Lives ON
• Melanie Remembers: Reflection by Olivia de Havilland
• The Supporting Players
• Dixie Hails Gone With the Wind
• Atlanta Civil War Centennial
• International Prologue
• Foreign Language Versions
• Gone with the Wind: Hollywood Comes to Atlanta
• The Complete Legacy of Gone with the Wind (NEW)
• A Conversation about Slavery in Film (NEW)
• 4K UHD + Digital Code

Sadly, a few supplements weren’t carried over from the original Blu-ray release that include a featurette about Vivien Leigh and one on Clark Gable. Also missing is “Hollywood’s Greatest Year” featurette about the movies of 1939 plus some theatrical trailers.




Conclusion
When I reviewed the Blu-ray nearly two decades ago, I considered it one of the best film restorations ever done (along with The Wizard of Oz). Warner Brothers has managed to improve upon that already stellar presentation with this new 4K UHD edition. The film remains one of the greatest ever made from Hollywood’s Golden Age with its lavish production value, memorable performances, and unforgettable dialog and characters that still entertains to this day. While the loss of a few supplements is a letdown, the upgraded video more than compensates and if you’re a fan of the film, this is the only way to watch it. Highly recommended.



Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(I utilized Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Zidoo UHD8000 Media Player
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
Mini DSP HD
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[SRW1000]

I really do need to watch this at some point.  I had purchased the Blu-ray, but it's still in its original wrapper.  I guess I might as well get the 4K disc now, knowing that it looks that good.

Thanks for reviewing this one!

[Barry]

Thank you for a great review. I see that you do give a damn.

when I arrived in New York from Nashville, Tennessee, I turned on ‘Million Dollar Movie” which show the same movie twice a day for a week.  they use the theme from ‘Gone With The Wind’ for the introduction. the movie I first saw was Mighty Joe Young.’ if you saw that movie, you will understand why I always associated Tara’s Theme with the burning of New York!

This is the movie that gets better when you get older and when you’ve seen it a couple of times..

[David Vaughn]

I really do need to watch this at some point.  I had purchased the Blu-ray, but it's still in its original wrapper.  I guess I might as well get the 4K disc now, knowing that it looks that good.

Thanks for reviewing this one!

You definitely need to see it. It's very entertaining and feels shorter than it's mini-series-like run length. 

[David Vaughn]

Thank you for a great review. I see that you do give a damn.

when I arrived in New York from Nashville, Tennessee, I turned on ‘Million Dollar Movie” which show the same movie twice a day for a week.  they use the theme from ‘Gone With The Wind’ for the introduction. the movie I first saw was Mighty Joe Young.’ if you saw that movie, you will understand why I always associated Tara’s Theme with the burning of New York!

This is the movie that gets better when you get older and when you’ve seen it a couple of times..

Totally agree Barry...the more I've aged, the more I enjoy it. The restoration is simply breathtaking.