A definite whiz of a wiz....

Rating: Null/10 (29 January 2004)

Easily one of the top films of all time, this infectiously charming and meticulously crafted musical has become legendary and runs deep in the blood of anyone who saw it as a child and revisits it as an adult. Garland plays a rather restless Kansas farm girl living with her aunt and uncle and pouring her feelings out to her beloved dog Toto. The local crankpot is bound and determined to send Toto away to be destroyed for such grievous crimes as chasing her cat and running through her garden (and also snipping at her decidedly untasty leg!) Just as Garland realizes that she has to face up to her challenges and responsibilities (after briefly running away) a tornado hits and she is konked on the head. She awakens to an entirely different world (called Oz) in which great beauty is tempered by even greater evil. She finds herself at odds with the Wicked Witch of the West (Hamilton) who will stop at nothing to destroy her (and her little dog, too!) while she desperately tries to reach the title character whom she hopes will get her back to Kansas. Along the way to the Wizard of Oz, she is joined by a trio of equally needy friends. The Scarecrow requires brains, the Tin Man wants a heart and the Cowardly Lion longs for courage. Together, they brave the Witch's scare tactics and set out to achieve their personal goals. It turns out that the foursome always had the things they desired, they just never really realized it. This is a rather clinical deconstruction of what is a magical and psychologically affecting tale. The story works on many levels and contains endless parallels (driven home by the fact that many of the people in Garlands home life appear as the characters in Oz.) It's observation of human desires and needs could be dissected for hours. Beyond that, the entire film is jaw-droppingly beautiful (even the "drab" opening and closing sequences shot in a sepia tone.) With expert talent involved in the production (Cedric Gibbons, Adrian anyone?), it's an eye-popper throughout and an aural delight as well. The songs (with peerless tongue-twisting lyrics) approach Gilbert & Sullivan greatness at times with Garland's unforgettable rendition of "Over the Rainbow" just one of many gems. All of the acting is top-notch. Garland's portrayal works because she completely buys into the story. She believes and so the audience believes. Her almost unfailing optimism gains greater irony when compared with her own troubled life. Bolger, Haley and Lahr forge an iconic, thoroughly enjoyable trio, each getting the chance to show off his considerable comedic and musical talent. Morgan plays virtually everyone of note in Oz and gives great presence to each characterization. Toto is one of the true great screen canines. It's impossible not to root for him as he scampers across rough terrain to find help for his owner. The real blood-curdler here, however, is Hamilton. She crafts a character so vile, so menacing and so relentlessly evil that it's hard to ponder anyone else in the role. Every gesture, every inflection of her voice seems calculated to drive kids under the covers (and has....for generations.) Someone bitter or bored, with no sense of awe, may find ways to pick at the story or the technical aspects of a film that's more than 60 years old, but most everyone will be enchanted by (and moved by) this one of a kind piece of film history.