How un-American, someone thinking Clark Gable would not make a good Rhett Butler? Read all about it below, taken from Margaret Mitchell Gone With The Wind Letters, 1936- 1949, edited by Richard Harwell, Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., New York, 1976, page 211.
To Miss Katherine Brown, New York, New York
From Margaret Mitchell, Atlanta, Georgia
July 13, 1938
As to Clark Gable - I believe I told you once that he was not as popular here in the South as in other sections of the country - in tough and hardboiled roles, yes; but in other roles, no. He has never been the choice for Rhett down here. People think he is a very fine actor, too, but they think he does not look Southern or act Southern and in no way conforms to their notion of a Low-Country Carolinian. In looks and in conduct Basil Rathbone has been the first choice in this section, with Frederick March and Ronald Colman running second and third ... Between eleven and twelve at night we get phone calls from people who have been arguing about the cast (and probably drinking about it too) since dinnertime. They call us up in a fury to find out whether or not we like Gable and Shearer. John is patience itself and soothes indignant ladies who just can't bear Mr. Gable's dimples. He tells them that Mr. Selznick would dearly love to have a letter from them on the subject. I know Mr. Selznick must appreciate our urging people to write him.
When all was said and filmed, Mrs. John Mitchell agreed Gable played her Rhett perfectly, like the rest of us Windies out here do.
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