Gone with the Wind was the highest-earning film between 1940 and 1966.
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from Margaret Mitchell 's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind . The film was immensely popular , becoming the highest-earning film made up to that point , and retained the record for over a quarter of a century . List of highest-grossing films . When properly adjusted for inflation , however , on that comparative scale Gone with the Wind -- which was the highest-grossing film outright for twenty-five years -- is still the highest-grossing film of all-time .