The Flaming Embrace The most famous image associated with the film Gone With the Wind is an artistic interpretation based on two different scenes in the film - the burning of Atlanta and a scene on the stairs in "Rhett" and "Scarlett's" home after the war. Widely assumed to be the image of their mutual passion, the script of the scene on the stairs contains these lines:

RHETT: It's not that easy, Scarlett. You turned me out while you chased Ashley Wilkes - while you dreamed of Ashley Wilkes - well this is one time you're not turning me out.

Margaret Mitchell, reared in the Southern tradition of Victorian romance, wrote this as a titillating scene of thrilling ravishment, although today we might well considered it marital rape. With each release of the film, the costumes depicted become more and more revealing. Prior to the 1967 artwork, the dress depicted was the burgundy party dress from "Ashley's" birthday party, another scene entirely, chosen for the posters because it was very low cut. The 1967 artwork restores the proper costume but drapes it provocatively. The image of "Rhett" is also altered from his appearance in the film to associate Clark Gable with a classic "Byronic" romantic hero.