Adjusting for inflation isn't any more telling than not adjusting for inflation. As you said, movies like Gone with the Wind didn't have to compete with modern media, or piracy. Plus, most of the movies on that list were released multiple times, or were in theaters for years. Avatar has been in theaters for less than two months, and will soon drop drastically in its gross. Alice in Wonderland will take over the 3D screens as theaters are contractually obligated to show the movie in 3D, which means Avatar will lose its highest grossing line of revenue.