Gone with the Wind is a recorded work.
Gone with the Wind (film) . Set in the American South against the backdrop of the American Civil War and Reconstruction era , the film tells the story of Scarlett O'Hara , the strong-willed daughter of a Georgia plantation owner , from her romantic pursuit of Ashley Wilkes , who is married to his cousin , Melanie Hamilton , to her marriage to Rhett Butler . Filming was delayed for two years due to Selznick 's determination to secure Gable for the role of Rhett Butler , and the `` search for Scarlett '' led to 1,400 women being interviewed for the part . 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 .