Red Carpet for ‘GWTW’ at 50

Atlanta is rolling out the red carpet--and then some--in honor of the 50th anniversary of “Gone With the Wind.”

With an assist from Turner Home Entertainment, the step-parent of the Metro Goldwyn Mayer classic (Turner Broadcasting System Inc. acquired the title as a result of one of the sales of MGM), Atlanta will boast Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler look-alikes, an Antebellum ball, tours of the city and its historic homes and, most gala of all, a re-creation of the world premiere.

It was on Friday, Dec. 15, 1939, that “Gone With the Wind” first swept into view, on the screen of the Loew’s Grand Theater in downtown Atlanta. The city was the hometown of the late author Margaret Mitchell, whose novel was adapted for the film.

The re-premiere is set for Friday at 8 p.m. at the Fox--Atlanta’s oldest and most luxurious house. (The Fox is located just a few blocks from the site of the Loew’s Grand, which, alas, is no longer standing.)

CNN talk-show host Larry King will host the premiere festivities, which will kick off at 5:30 p.m. from CNN Center to the Fox Theater. A 6 p.m. cocktail reception will follow. After the screening, there’ll be a midnight re-creation of the champagne breakfast that followed the original premiere.

Eleven members of the “GWTW” cast are expected to attend the festivities. Among them: Butterfly McQueen (Prissy), Evelyn Keyes (Suellen O’Hara), Cammie King Conlon (Bonnie Blue Butler) and Ann Rutherford (Carreen O’Hara).

All this hoopla will be kicked off by TBS’ airing of “Gone With the Wind” on Wednesday and Thursday--as part of what it has titled the “Greatest Week of Movies Ever!”

Meanwhile, the newly restored “GWTW” is playing at video stores near you--and continues to (again) make its way around the world theatrically.

Proof that some good things don’t have to come to an end.