New Exhibition at the Atlanta History Center Marks 75th Anniversary of Gone With the Wind: Wilbur G. Kurtz: History in Gone With the Wind
In recognition of the 75th Anniversary of the premiere of Gone With the Wind, the Atlanta History Center presents Wilbur G. Kurtz: History in Gone With the Wind, a new exhibition revealing Kurtz’s influence as the film’s historian and technical advisor. Kurtz’s role in Hollywood was to guarantee the historical accuracy of the film’s depiction of Atlanta, Tara, and the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. Located in the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center, the exhibition is presented free to the public, Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and Sunday, Noon - 5:30pm, July 2, 2014 – April 4, 2015.
Utilizing the Atlanta History Center’s extensive collections, the exhibition features over forty images and artifacts that provide unique insight into Wilbur G. Kurtz’s vast knowledge of Atlanta history and his meticulous attention to detail. Through a presentation of his journals, correspondence, drawings, and photographs, visitors learn how Kurtz employed his expertise as an historian to guide Selznick’s production in virtually every scene in Gone With the Wind, as well as gain insight into the art of filmmaking during the golden age of Hollywood.
Recommended by Margaret Mitchell herself, Kurtz worked closely with Selznick International Pictures’ Art Department. Their collaborative effort is seen in the exhibition’s display of Kurtz’s documents juxtaposed with watercolor storyboards of iconic scenes, such as the Monster Bazaar where Scarlett O’Hara, still in mourning, scandalized Atlanta society by dancing with Rhett Butler.
Many items in the exhibition are presented to the public for the first time, including photographs of casual moments on the set and of the mammoth Atlanta Car shed prop constructed on the studio’s back lot. Other objects provide insight into the film’s production, including an original screenplay showing edits made to the script during shooting, colorful title cards created by Kurtz for the film’s opening credits, and a sample of Georgia red clay Kurtz provided to ensure that the red earth of Tara and Atlanta’s dirt streets were truly authentic as the Technicolor cameras rolled.
The exhibition complements the Atlanta History Center’s Margaret Mitchell House, located in Midtown, where Margaret Mitchell lived and wrote her Pulitzer-Prize winning novel, Gone With the Wind. The Margaret Mitchell House experience includes a guided tour of Apartment No. 1 and self-guided tours of exhibitions, including the newest addition, Stars Fall on Atlanta: The Premiere of Gone With the Wind.
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