Something that never ceases to amaze me is that my 4 year-old nephew loves 'The Wizard Of Oz'. But I think it is indicative of the power of this film. That after 75 years it can still fill children with wonder and amazement. I have seen the film several times on DVD but this is the first time I've seen it on the big screen. The film is fill with so much delight and wonder that it can be overwhelming. I saw the film in 3D and while that did look good it did not really add to the experience. I was just pleased to be able to see the film on the big screen. The story is pretty simple and not terribly complex. It has a very pantomime feel to it. But it has that enduring quality of letting us escape from the blandness of our lives. And the use of black and white before going to colour in Oz is one of the film's many strokes of genius. You go from the blandness of our everyday world where we feel downtrodden to the bright colours of the fantasy land that is Oz. One of the other things that makes it so great is the characters. Dorothy has an everyday quality to her that makes her totally relatable to children and adults. This is very important as she acts as our guide to Oz and it makes us feel like we are really there. Then there are the characters of Scarecrow, The Tin Man and The Cowardly Lion who are all looking for qualities we want to possess ourselves. There are lessons to be learnt from their journey in the film but the way the story is told it does not feel like lessons. Then there is the evil Wicked Witch of the West. She has a nasty quality to her but it is not too nasty that makes her too overly scary. But the character does perfectly personify all the bad things we feel in our lives.
The cast are brilliant at conveying these perfectly created characters. As mentioned above the story has a pantomime quality to it and the acting reflects this, it kind of feels a bit stagey. This is not a bad thing but does not have a very natural quality to it. Judy Garland is perfect as Dorothy. She brings just the right amount of sweetness to the character that makes her so charming. She also make Dorothy a very tough and strong willed character so you really want to root for her. She is ably assisted by a trio of wonderful actors who provide most of the films comedic elements. Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr and Jack Haley are very funny and charming. Frank Morgan is also excellent in multiple roles including the title role as the Wizard. The film, though, is stolen by Margaret Hamilton as The Wicked Witch Of The West. I think her performance is what all other performances are judged on with this character. She is simply brilliant at giving just the right amount of evil.
One of those films that should be seen on the big screen if you get the chance. It is also another example of the perfect film.
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