This year marks 150 years since the outbreak of the American Civil War, which provides the backdrop to 1939’s epic version of Margaret Mitchell’s sweeping romance, “Gone with the Wind,” showing Saturday, June 4 on the big screen at downtown Peoria’s nonprofit Apollo Theater.

The winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Victor Fleming), Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), and Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel), the 230-minute film focuses on manipulative Southern belle Scarlett O’Hara being petulant as the Old South yields to the War between the States, post-war Reconstruction – and her own fickle love life.

Co-starring Clark Gable as one of Hollywood’s great rogues, Rhett Butler, the movie also features Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland, Thomas Mitchell, Jane Darwell, Ward Bond, George Reeves, Rand Brooks, Eddie Anderson, Frank Faylen and Victor Jory.

One of cinema’s truly classic motion pictures, “Gone with the Wind” ranges from intimate moments to colossal scenes – such as the unforgettable “burning of Atlanta” spectacle.

Music by Max Steiner, additional directing from Sam Wood and George Zukor, production by David O. Selznick and writing contributions by the likes of Ben Hecht and F. Scott Fitzgerald all contributed to its legend.

Show times at the Apollo are at 7:00 p.m. Donations are $5 and $4 for kids, students and seniors. For details call (309) 673-4343.