Netflix description for ‘Gone with the Wind’ cites Black Lives Matter

Netflix’s public listing for “Gone with the Wind” is drawing backlash online after users noticed the streaming service’s blunt description of the 1939 Civil War classic, which brands it as “known for its racism” and instructs viewers to search “Black Lives Matter” to learn more about Black lives in America.

The wording appears on the title page Netflix maintains for the film, though the movie itself is not currently available to stream in the U.S. — the page functions as an inactive placeholder rather than an active listing. 

“A 1939 American Civil War epic known for its racism. To learn more about Black lives in America, search ’Black Lives Matter,’” the description reads. 

Screenshots of the description circulated widely this week, prompting sharp reactions from conservative commentators and reigniting the long-running fight over the classic film’s legacy. Elon Musk weighed in Wednesday, responding to a post about the label by saying simply that it “needs to change.” Turning Point Action’s Jack Posobiec offered a blunter suggestion, urging followers to buy physical media instead.

It remains unclear who wrote the description or when it was added to the platform, though similar wording has circulated in blog posts for several years.

By contrast, competing streamers describe the film without referencing race. HBO Max, which currently carries the title in the U.S., calls it the story of a strong-willed Southern belle fighting to save her home and find love against the backdrop of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Hulu’s synopsis similarly focuses on Scarlett O’Hara’s battle to save her family’s plantation, Tara.

“Gone with the Wind” has weathered recurring controversy over its treatment of slavery and Southern plantation life for years. In June 2020, following the death of George Floyd, HBO Max temporarily pulled the film from its library after screenwriter John Ridley, an Academy Award winner for “12 Years a Slave,” wrote a Los Angeles Times op-ed calling for its removal on the grounds that it glorifies the antebellum South. The platform later restored the title with an added historical introduction, saying at the time that leaving the depictions unaddressed “would be irresponsible.”

Based on Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel, “Gone with the Wind” won eight Academy Awards, including best picture, at the 1940 ceremony. Hattie McDaniel, who played Mammy, became the first Black performer to win an Oscar. Adjusted for inflation, the film remains the highest-grossing movie of all time.