Wizard of Oz (Classics) - Review

Greetings Film-Maniacs!

Today starts my new segment in which I review the classics throughout the ages. I will start out reviewing those in the golden age of cinema.

To start off, I figured I should review one of the most beloved, and the first golden age classic I watched: The Wizard of Oz.

The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939. Victor Fleming was the credited director, with uncredited directing from George Cukor, Mervyn Leroy, Norman Taurog, and King Vidor (who directed the Kansas scenes). It stars Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Burt Lahr, and Jack Haley.

The Wizard of Oz is about a young farm girl named Dorothy that is swept away during a tornado to a magical land where she must go on a quest to find the Wizard to help her get back home.

The Wizard of Oz was a step forward in filmmaking with its Technicolor format. The colors were vibrant and beautiful. That is why the Wizard of Oz survived as one of the greatest classics of all time. It had such an impact on the audience who witnessed this film. Let's dive into the details and see if it is worthy of being one of the best.

Let's start at the beginning with the screenplay.

DISCLAIMER: SPOILERS!! If you haven't watched the movie please note that you are reading at your own risk!!!

My problems with the film come form the screenplay. There are so many plot contrivances that just drive me insane. The biggest one is that the Wicked Witch of the West can create fire out of her hands but the most she does to Dorothy and her ragtag crew is put them to sleep. Not only does she put them to sleep but she just lets them lay there sleeping and she lets Glinda wake them up. Another contrivance is that there is a bucket of water in her castle. OK point one, who keeps a random bucket of water in a castle but especially if that's you're only weakness. The witch deserved to die, she was one of the dumbest villains in movie history. There are just so many plot contrivances in this film, its mind boggling.

Now the direction was splendid. You couldn't tell it had five directors. It was shot well and lighted perfectly for 1939. 

Now the real treat was the acting. The acting was so great. This definitely was all of the actors performance of a lifetime. Looking back at it now, I couldn't see Shirley Temple as Dorothy. Judy Garland made that role what it has become.

So in afterthought, the direction was great and the acting was splendid, but the screenplay was just awful. So is the Wizard of Oz such a gem as people seem to think?

The Wizard of Oz is a solid bar of GOLD. The screenplay may have been terrible but the direction and acting cover the plot contrivances up so well.

Please comment below and tell me your thoughts of this classic, and please surf on back for all of your movie news and reviews.

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