Good FOR KIDS

Rating: 8/10 (23 January 2002)

From when I was a little kid up through high school, I saw this on network TV. They showed it once a year somewhere around Easter. I remember loving the costumes, the colors and having the heck scared out of me by the flying monkeys. Seeing it again as an adult it, sadly, doesn't hold up.
The plot is boring and has HUGE holes, the dialogue very childish (even for a kids movie) and the songs--some are great ("Over the Rainbow" of course) but others are horrendous ("King of the Forest").
On the plus side, seeing Judy Garland so young and full of life is fun and Haley and Lahr are very good as the Tin Man (what a soft, wonderful voice!) and the Lion (does anyone else realize he's gay?). Bolger, however, overacts dreadfully. Margaret Hamilton is very funny as the witch--what a laugh! And Billie Burke is a scream as Glinda--I just couldn't take the dress and her voice seriously--and her lines! ("Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" "Only bad witches are ugly." "...and Toto too") In fact, I saw it last night with an adult audience and they were howling at her lines. Also Frank Morgan is VERY good as the wizard. His giving the gifts at the end is a highlight. Good thing W.C. Fields didn't get the role--it wouldn't have worked.
Also, the new print looks beautiful--sepia tones for the beginning and end and rich, beautiful color. But I was bored and the ending -- "Oh Auntie Em, there's no place like home" PLEASE!!!!! She chooses boring, colorless Kansas over Oz? The plot holes and goofs also bothered me a lot--note how Garland's hair keeps changing.
So, good for kids. Adults beware.