Frankly, my dear, the whole thing is a stench in my nostrils

When "damn" was shown the door

Mar 27, 2022

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Few lines in cinema history are as famous as Gone with the Wind’s “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn”—a response given by Rhett Butler to Scarlett O’Hara’s question, “Where shall I go? What shall I do?”—and in 2005, the American Film Institute named it the Greatest Movie Quote of All Time. But, it could have been so different. Two months prior to the film’s release, American censors deemed the word “damn” to be offensive and asked for it to be removed. The decision was only reversed weeks later due to a quick amendment to the Production Code by the board of the Motion Picture Association. Before that change was made, however, with the word “damn” temporarily banished, the film’s producers prepared a list of alternatives.

GONE WITH THE WIND

“Frankly, my dear, nothing could interest me less” 
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t care” 
"Frankly, my dear, it leaves me cold”
“Frankly, my dear, it leaves me cold”
“Frankly, my dear, it has become of no concern to me” 
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a Continental” 
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a hoot!”
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a whoop!”
“Frankly, my dear, I am completely indifferent”
“Frankly, my dear, you can go to the devil, for all of me”
“Frankly, my dear, you can go to the devil for all I care” 
“Frankly, my dear, I’m not even indifferent -- I just don’t care” 
“Frankly, my dear, I’ve come to the end” 
“Frankly, my dear, I just don’t care”
“Frankly, my dear, my indifference is boundless”
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a straw”
“Frankly, my dear, it’s all the same to me”
“Frankly, my dear, it is of no consequence”
“Frankly, my dear, the devil may care --- I don’t!”
“Frankly, my dear, I’ve withdrawn from the battle” 
“Frankly, my dear, the whole thing is a stench in my nostrils”
“Frankly, my dear, it makes my gorge rise”

The above list is taken from the Lists of Note book, first published in 2014 and now—because life is cruel—out of print. If you’d like one, I’m selling the last copies of its gorgeous special edition here. Image above, which is taken from that book, is courtesy of the Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin.

To be clear, its new form is: a newsletter. But these lists will also be archived and accessible on the website. More info here.