‘Gone With the Wind’ dropped
KiMo Theatre cites current national dialogue for decision
The KiMo Theatre canceled last Sunday’s longplanned screening of the epic 1939 film “Gone With the Wind,” which won 10 Oscars, “due to the current national dialogue regarding Civil War-era memorials,” said Dave Mathews, deputy director of the city’s Cultural Services Department.
This week marks the opening of the theater in 1927. The KiMo has been celebrating its 90th anniversary with special programming.
“It was nearly one year ago that the Cultural Services Department began the process of thoughtfully reviewing programming options for the anniversary’s signature events,” Mathews said. “‘Gone With the Wind’ was selected at the time, but due to the current national dialogue regarding Civil War-era memorials, a decision was made by the Cultural Services Department, which operates the theater, to choose another film.
“Our vision for the KiMo’s 90th anniversary is to focus on the rich history of the theater and celebrate it as a community gathering place in Albuquerque.”
He said that, by Sept. 2, the city had decided to switch the movie out and screen the 1959 Oscar-winning film “Ben-Hur,” which also won 10 Oscars.
“Both are sweeping, bigscreen movies of an era long gone,” Mathews said. “The novel ‘Ben-Hur’ was, of course, written by Lew Wallace, who was territorial governor of New Mexico when he completed the novel. So there is a local connection to that film.”
Mathews said the department has received “a couple of complaints” about the cancellation.
Despite the cancellation of “Gone With the Wind,” which when adjusted for inflation remains the top-grossing domestic movie of all time, Mathews said the city will continue to screen relevant films as part of its programming at the KiMo Theatre.
Mathews said programming decisions are made by Cultural Services Department management from suggestions provided by the KiMo manager and input from others on staff.
“As with the 90th anniversary selections, careful thought is given to the films and film series selected to be shown at the KiMo,” he said. “We don’t expect that process to change.”
The Albuquerque decision marks the second time in a month a theater has decided to not screen the 1939 film. The Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Tenn., decided in August to no longer screen the film during its annual classic series. The theater has shown the film for the past 34 years.