I've always heard that right from the get-go Clark Gable was considered pretty much the only serious Rhett Butler prospect in the running, as Gable was broadly viewed as being the perfect embodiment of the Rhett character.

Following is from the Wikipedia article about the search for the film's Rhett Butler:

(F)or the role of Rhett Butler, Clark Gable was an almost immediate favorite for both the public and producer David O. Selznick....But as Selznick had no male stars under long-term contract, he needed to go through the process of negotiating to borrow an actor from another studio. Gary Cooper was thus Selznick's first choice, because Cooper's contract with Samuel Goldwyn involved a common distribution company, United Artists, with which Selznick had an eight-picture deal....When Gary Cooper turned down the role of Rhett Butler,....by then Selznick was determined to get Clark Gable, and eventually found a way to borrow him from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Selznick's father-in-law, MGM chief Louis B. Mayer, offered in May 1938 to fund half of the movie's budget in return for a powerful package: 50% of the profits would go to MGM, the movie's distribution would be credited to MGM's parent company, Loew's, Inc., and Loew's would receive 15 percent of the movie's gross income. Selznick accepted this offer in August, and Gable was cast....Gable was reluctant to play the role. At the time, he was wary of potentially disappointing a public who had formed a clear impression of the character that he might not necessarily convey in his performance.

Thanks for the info, gen, and huge congratulations on your 'promotion' to moderator! That's so cool!

I don't think I'd heard a lot about Gary Cooper being considered for the part. Personally, I've always been rather indifferent to Cooper, and haven't seen much of his work. I did, however, recently view Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, which wasn't bad, but it did not impress me as much as some of Capra's other work.

Many thanks for the congrats, barry!

Somehow I can't picture Gary Cooper as the right fit to play Rhett Butler. And, as much as I'm a huge Bazz fan, it's like Clark Gable is, by permanent default, the only exact right person for the role.

Having said that, I've read the novel, cover to cover, at least two times (both times having been multiple decades ago), and actually no longer am able to recall precisely how the Rhett character is described in print, so actually don't remember whether Gable is, indeed, truly spot-on casting for as described. (I have a hardcover copy of the novel on my bookshelves, so really should make a point to read it for the first time in years.)

I tend to think that Basil Rathbone would seem too dignified and classy, wherever Gable has the rough-edges type thing about him that seems to perfectly suit Rhett's rascally type personality and ways.

Meanwhile, Gary Cooper I don't believe has an imposing enough presence (though I'm only saying that because he's a completely different type, in every sort of way, from Gable).

I'm with you, that I've always been indifferent to Cooper. Never have at all disliked him, but also never have sought him out.

I may read the novel one day, as I enjoyed reading so many of the old classic novels (e.g. Frankenstein, Dracula, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Captains Courageous, etc.), though this thought always kept coming back to me: "So many books, and so little time!"

I saw GwtW a little before I was a true movie aficionado, and so should probably watch it again at some point. But Clark Gable did seem very fitting in the role, as I recall. And, as you say, Basil Rathbone was nearly always very dignified, so you have a good point.

It was during my mid and upper teens that I read the novel cover-to-cover twice. I've seen the movie several times (most of them prior to the mid 1980s) throughout the years. My recent viewing was the first time in years.