Gone with the Wind Budget
DramaWarRomance3h 53mUpdated
Synopsis
Scarlett is a woman who can deal with a nation at war, Atlanta burning, the Union Army carrying off everything from her beloved Tara, the carpetbaggers who arrive after the war. Scarlett is beautiful. She has vitality. But Ashley, the man she has wanted for so long, is going to marry his placid cousin, Melanie. Mammy warns Scarlett to behave herself at the party at Twelve Oaks. There is a new man there that day, the day the Civil War begins. Rhett Butler. Scarlett does not know he is in the room when she pleads with Ashley to choose her instead of Melanie.
What is the budget of Gone with the Wind?
"Gone with the Wind," a drama released in 1939, was directed by Victor Fleming and stars Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable. The production budget was $4,000,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for drama productions of the 1930s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama production like this include:
- Above-the-Line Talent: Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances.
- Location Filming & Period Production Design: Authentic locations , whether contemporary or historical , require scouting, permits, travel, lodging, and often significant dressing to match the story's time period.
- Post-Production, Color Grading & Score: The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone.
What were the major cost factors in Gone with the Wind?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Gone with the Wind."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
How Does Gone with the Wind's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $4,000,000, Gone with the Wind sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Peter Pan (1953): Budget $4,000,000, Worldwide Gross $87,400,000
- Farewell My Concubine (1993): Budget $4,000,000, Worldwide Gross $6,400,000
- Dersu Uzala (1975): Budget $4,000,000
- Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (2003): Budget $4,000,000 , Gross $6,664,789
- Trainspotting (1996): Budget $4,000,000, Worldwide Gross $71,981,823
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Gone with the Wind Box Office Performance
"Gone with the Wind" earned $200,882,193 domestically and $402,352,579 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $4,000,000, the film performed strongly at the box office.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Gone with the Wind," that break-even threshold was roughly $8,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $402,352,579, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $4,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $402,352,579
- Net Return: $398,352,579
- ROI: approximately 9958.8%
At 9958.8%, "Gone with the Wind" earned roughly $100.59 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Won 8 Oscars. 26 wins & 10 nominations total
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress: Hattie McDaniel (12th Academy Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay: Sidney Howard (12th Academy Awards)
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Color: Ray Rennahan (12th Academy Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Color: Ernest Haller (12th Academy Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Picture (12th Academy Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Actress: Vivien Leigh (12th Academy Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Production Design: Lyle R. Wheeler (12th Academy Awards)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Gone with the Wind (1939)?
The production budget was $4,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $2,000,000 - $3,200,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $6,000,000 - $7,200,000.
How much did Gone with the Wind (1939) earn at the box office?
Gone with the Wind grossed $200,882,193 domestic, $201,470,386 international, totaling $402,352,579 worldwide.
Was Gone with the Wind (1939) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $4,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$10,000,000, the film earned $402,352,579 theatrically - a 9959% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Gone with the Wind?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Gone with the Wind's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $4,000,000, Gone with the Wind is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Peter Pan (1953, $4,000,000); Farewell My Concubine (1993, $4,000,000); Dersu Uzala (1975, $4,000,000).
Did Gone with the Wind (1939) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What was the return on investment (ROI) for Gone with the Wind?
The theatrical ROI was 9958.8%, calculated as ($402,352,579 − $4,000,000) ÷ $4,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Gone with the Wind (1939) win?
Won 8 Oscars. 26 wins & 10 nominations total.
Who directed Gone with the Wind and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Victor Fleming, written by Sidney Howard, shot by Ernest Haller, with music by Max Steiner.
Where was Gone with the Wind filmed?
Gone with the Wind was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Gone with the Wind
Official Trailer
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