Atlanta burns memorably in "Gone With the Wind," but the city was positively sizzling when it hosted the star-studded premiere of the 1939 film classic.
PBS has unearthed some rare and fascinating footage of the three days of festivities that greeted the launch of the movie as part of its upcoming "American Masters" profile of Margaret Mitchell.
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Mitchell authored the book that formed the basis for the Oscar-winning movie, earning a Pulitzer Prize for her portrait of the Old South.
"Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel" premieres nationally on Monday, April 2 and will examine the author's legacy and the epic film she inspired.
Central to the story are the costume balls, antebellum storefronts, confederate flags and limos that sprang up across Atlanta in December 1939 as Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh and the rest of the "Gone with the Wind" cast came to town to celebrate the launch of one of the most famous films in Hollywood history.
Watch The Grand Premiere on PBS. See more from American Masters.