Gone With the Wind, Victor Fleming's epic and now iconic WWII film, set several records at the 12th Academy Awards ceremony February 27, 1940. Some of the records have been broken but at the time, they were significant.
Gone With the Wind was nominated for 13 awards and won 8 of them. The biggest win was Hattie McDaniel for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy. She is the first African American actor to receive an Oscar, beating the likes of Olivia de Havilland and Geraldine Fitzgerald.
Gone With the Wind won Outstanding Production (Best Picture) and Best Director for Victor Fleming. Vivien Leigh won Best Actress, beating Bette Davis, Great Garbo, and Greer Garson. Sidney Howard was posthumously awarded Best Screenplay. Lyle R. Wheeler won Best Art Direction. Best Film Editing went to Hal C. Kern and James E. Newcom. Best Cinematography, Color went to Ernest Haller and Rennahan. It was the first year the cinematography category had been split into Color and Black and White.
The film was nominated for Best Actor for Clark Gable. Olivia de Havilland was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Max Steiner was nominated for Best Original Score. This was the first year an award for Best Special Effects was given, and Gone With the Wind was nominated for that Category but lost to The Rains Came.
William Cameron Menzies was given an honorary award for his outstanding achievement in the use of color for the enhancement of dramatic mood in the production of Gone With the Wind.
The Wizard of Oz came up with 6 nominations and took home only two. Herbert Stothart won for Best Original Score. Over the Rainbow, written by Yip Harburg and music by Harold Arlen, won Best Song.
It was nominated for Outstanding Production, Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects. Judy Garland was given the Academy Juvenile Award.
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