Reviews (339)

A true masterpiece! A 5 star winner and a true classic!
The Wizard of Oz has got to be one of the greatest movies in classical and musical cinema history. For sixty years this movie has been the perfect choice for childeren and adults to watch and enjoy. The story is about Dorthy Gale who lives in Kansas with her aunt and uncle. When Dorthy decides to run away from home because of her feelings being empty a tornado hits and she and her house are taken to another world, the Land of Oz. A place where she finds friends like she never imagined like Glinda the good witch of the north, the beautiful witch who gives her the rubey slippers which posses power like any unknown. The scarecrow, a friendly man of clothing and straw who wants a brian, the tin woodsman, a sweet man made of tin who wants a heart, the lion, a kind and cowardly forest animal who wants courage and the wicked witch of the west, a evil witch who wants the rubey slippers and revenge on Dorthy for accidently killing her sister, the wicked witch of the east. As Dorthy and her friends follow the yellow brick to the emerald city, the place where the great and powerful and mysterious Wizard of Oz lives the magic of this film can tell the rest.

A true masterpiece! Excellent polt, characters, music and more. It holds an emotional presents that will touch everyone's heart and wish they were in the Land of Oz! See it and live through the magic of this timeless classical film of wonders.

An OZ-some DVD Experience
Like most baby boomers, I've watched this film dozens of times in the past on broadcast TV, then VHS tape, then LaserDisc ... but I had never actually SEEN "The Wizard of Oz" until this newly restored DVD came out. It's an amazing transfer. The sepia-tone Kansas sequences are startlingly sharp and clear, and the Technicolored world "Over the Rainbow" is truly dazzling. I found myself fascinated by details I had never noticed before: the glittering corn stalks in the Scarecrow's field; the mirror-like floors of the Emerald City; the polished buttons on the guardsmen's uniforms. Incredibly, even the individual grains of red sand in the Witch's hourglass stood out and glistened! All these minor-but-sumptuous visual details served to heighten the magical spell that the film has always woven, enhancing the performances, the story, and the music.

The DVD extras are a mind-boggling embarrassment of riches. The "Making Of" documentary hosted by the incomparable Angela Lansbury is worth the price of the DVD alone, but there's so much more: an international poster gallery, interviews with cast members, deleted scenes, production stills, radio clips, etc, etc. There's enough material to keep even the most casual viewer fascinated for hours, and a true Oz buff will be occupied for days!

If you only bought a DVD player to watch this one disc, it would well be worth the expense. Treat yourself, and fall in love with this classic film again ... for the first time.

The Wonderful Movie of Oz
I have been enchanted as I now watch the movie as an adult. It is not just a story about a girl from Kansas trying to get back home - actually, that was added into the movie: "There's no place like home" wasn't in the book even. I think it was a story of things that we want, and that we imagine these things may be granted by the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The scarecrow wants a brain, the tinman a heart, and the lion courage. On their journey off to see the wizard, they encounter the wicked witch of the west - who is determined to get the ruby slippers off of Dorothy's feet. Now, the thing I am puzzled by is at the beginning, Glinda is the one who reminds the wicked witch about the shoes. Then she is the one who places them on Dorothy's feet: "There they are and there they'll stay." Had she not had the shoes, her journey to the wizard would not have been so troublesome. Not to mention that the "good witch" sent Dorothy on a journey to a phony wizard. I wonder now if there was some kind of irony in that - since she was also the one who in the end tells Dorothy that all she has to do is click her heels together and say "there 's no place like home." While the movie is totally a classic I love and will watch over and over again, I am wondering about the book: Were the "ruby slippers" (which were silver in the novel) as magical - and - if there was no "no place like home" in the novel then I am wondering how Dorothy got back to Kansas. I think that because each time I watch this film I realize something new, it will always remain one of my favorite movies ever.

The Wizard of Oz is wonderful
The classic film! The Wizard of Oz is wonderful. Judy Garland's breakthrough performance. Beautiful.

Growing Up, Growing On
I knew every line of this as a kid. I loved the books. I even loved the sequel that everyone else hated because I love OZ. I tried to be "over" this movie for a long time as an adult. But every time I see it I re-remember why I couldn't get enough before. The quintessential fairy tale. All kids and all adults should watch it again to remind them that a movie can work without sex, violence or graphic anything really. It's scary -- touching -- and completely engrossing -- more so each year I grow older. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Okay
This video is Ok. I guess I was expecting that it would be like the book, and was really disapointed.
Other than than, it was ok. Some parts were really funny(you gotta eat your spinich, baby...!)
It had a really suprising ending.
Also, I did not see much point in dressing up in a solger suit and dancing up and down the stairs. How boring!
Now that I've finished my complants, good bye!

Very lively film
This movie is about a girl named Rebecca Wilkins who lives with her step-father because her mother is dead. Uncle Henry, her step-father, wanted Rebecca to try out for Little Miss America, a radio show that was sponsered Crackly Bran Flakes, a popular breakfast cereal. When there's a mix-up at the studio and Rebecca dosen't get to be in the show, Uncle Henry decides it's time for some of Rebecca's other relatives to care for her. So he takes Rebecca to live with her Aunt Miranda on Sunnybrook Farm. But Aunt Miranda is very strict and Rebeccca has to follow rules. Later that day a piglet gets away from their farm and Rebecca goes out to chase it. She meets the director of the Little Miss America program, Tony Kent. So you'll have to see this movie to know the VERY suprising ending. It stars Helen Westly, Jack Haley, and Gloria Stuart. An excellant movie.

O.K movie
This movie is o.k, so I rated it a three out of five. It's about a girl named Rebecca who's step father wants her to become famous on the radio. But when she dosen't make it, she sends her to her Ant Maranda's house. Then she has lots of fun and even meets the director of the radio program himself! She ends up ON the radio and sings beautiful songs. It's a an ok movie if you're in love with Rebecca.

Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm
Rebecca Of Sunny Brook Farm:
This is the absolute best movie! A radio company is urgently trying to locate a young girl to be featured on their new program, Little Miss America. Rebecca (Shirley Temple) and her Uncle Harry (William Demerest) go to the company to audition. After hearing only a few measures of Rebecca's song, Tony, the talent agent, knows Rebecca is perfect. After a misunderstanding, Rebecca does not get the part and is sent to live with her Aunt Miranda.
RATED: G

Shirley Dances Her Way Into Your Heart
This is really cute. When her stepfather does all his best to train her and she doesn't get the part on the radio he decides to dump her with Aunt Miranda. With tme isunderstanding ,they really did want her. She finds her way with the next door neighbor is the talent agent. I love the little pigs in this movie. Its always great to see her dance with Bojangles. This is a sure charmer for everyone! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Movie Lover's Delight
While it takes many liberties with the Baum story, it is a great movie. For Oz purists like myself, it would have been nice to see more of the original story in this movie (like Oz being real and not a dream!), but this movie is, on its own, wonderful. With a beautiful score (including "Over the Rainbow"), very funny dialogue, an amazing cast, special effects, and a charming story, who can ask for anything more?
What the movie does not lose is the magic of the Oz books, and it is this magic that has kept the movie fresh for over 60 years. And it almost wasn't this way. The movie, in its planning stages, almost turned into a starring vehicle, with Shirley Temple as Dorothy, and Fanny Brice or a similar commedienne as Glinda, at another time an operetta; in both cases it would have certainly lost any of the original Oz material.
Anyone who likes this movie should purchase the "Making of" video, which sheds light on the creation of this classic, and includes tons of deleted footage, home movies of backstage goings-on, and more! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Stunning tribute to some of Irving Berlin's very best
"Alexander's Ragtime Band" is wonderful entertainment in so many different ways and its chief fame rests undoubtedly on the fact that it provided a perfect showcase for almost two dozen Irving Berlin tunes that have gone down into musical history. Who can forget the magical "Blue Skies", and of course the celebrated title tune "Alexander's Ragtime Band". Twentieth Century Fox pulled all the stops out with this 1838 production not only providing Irving Berlin with a stunning showcase for his musical genius but with an opulent no expense spared tribute to the enduring talents of lead performers Tyrone Power and Alice Faye.

Tyrone Power has the lead role of Nob Hill raised Roger Grant ne: Alexander, an earnest young conductor in 1911 San Francisco committed to the elevation of swing as a musical force in its own right. The story covers over 3 decades as we see his rise and fall and rise again as his fortunes change with each passing decade. In particular the focus is on his love/hate, on again/off again relationship with the band's lead singer Stella Kirby (Alice Faye)a brassy saloon singer from the Barbary Coast with no refinement but alot of energy and a great talent. Their's is a tumultous relationship which sees them unwillingly thrown together in their work, through a veiled attraction to each other, to separation by war, to Stella developing refinement and then finding fame in New York as a solo singer through to her unhappy marriage to a member of the Band Charlie Dwyer (Dom Ameche in another underrated performance) Of course the resolution at the conclusion is a happy one with the pair being finally reunited in a rousing rendition at Carnegie Hall of, you guessed it "Alexander's Ragtime Band"!

Having just previously worked together in Fox's classic "In Old Chicago", Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, and Don Ameche were by this stage a well oiled team of professionals that were as effective in period dramas as they were in this production. Alice Faye in particular has a real showcase in this production with her development from the loud saloon singer into a world acclaimed artist in her own right.Her unusual deep smoky singing style in particular really suits the tunes she performs here. In particular her rendition of "Blue Skies" is unforgettable and really is the most memorable song used here. Tyrone Power was just reaching his peak when "Alexander's Ragtime Band", went into production. His stylish good looks often hide the fact that his was a fine acting talent and he certainly proves it in his playing of the determined young band leader who encounters all kinds of difficulties in his climb to the top in swing. His onscreen chemistry with Don Ameche and with Alice Faye in particular works wonderfully and he would work with her rather sadly only one more time in the next year in "Rose of Washington Square". Also of great interest in this film is a rare early appearance by the legendary Ethel Merman as Jerry Allen who comes in as the replacement singer when Stella leaves the band. Merman was a formidable talent but somehow with the exception of her classic "Call Me Madam", never really became a successful movie actress. Her great stardom came fittingly on Broadway where her name became legend. Merman is best in her musical numbers in this film where her terrific vocal range and delivery are evident. Her rendition of "Blue Skies" is also one of the films show stoppers.

The Beauty of "Alexander's Ragtime Band", also lays in the great attention to period detail employed here. Fox went all out as befitted a Darryl F. Zanuck production with lavish sets, stunning costumes and brisk energic direction by the legendary Henry King who always worked so well with Tyrone Power. Indeed the look of this film is really eye stopping and it was Fox's most expensive production that year. All the effort resulted in a stunning six Academy Award nominations including one for Best Picture, it being a rare honour for a musical to be included in that category.

For anyone looking for a musical feast for both the ears and the eyes "Alexander's Ragtime Band", is unsurpassed entertainment from the old school of movie making. Knowing that so many of Irving Berlin's signature tunes came from this production certainly reserves it a special place in musical history. For those that love his work, and admire Tyrone Power and Alice Faye at the peak of their success and beauty then you can't go past this film rendition of Irving Berlin's "Alexander's Ragtime Band".

A joyous musical
Alice Faye has never been better. Ethel Merman shines in a supporting role. Don Ameche shows why he should have been a lead, and then there's Tyrone Power who simply ravishing. The music is superb, and the script is solid. This is one of the best musicals. A real treat. Don't miss it.

Ragtime Showtime
If you like ragtime and Alice Faye's voice, and if you love the classic old musicals and how Tyrone Power looks, then this is the movie for you.

Beautiful songs performed with all the style and glamour of that era, charming people to cheer for and hurt with, the universal element of true love . . . all this makes for a classic.

One of the nitpicks, of course, is that none of them age a day throughout the entire movie. And the eerie feeling you get from the taxi driver seems better suited for a mystery or a suspense, not a musical such as this.

Alice Faye (spunky and sincere) and Ethel Merman (smooth yet practical) both singing to Tyrone Power (handsome as ever) is rather amusing. The songs, including "Blue Skies" which both lead ladies sing, are some of Irving Berlin's best.

THIRTIES GEM
A beautiful example of a high-gloss production of the thirties, ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND is slick, well-edited and backed by stunning sets and costumes. Chock full of Irving Berlin ballads, this movie takes us from 1915 to 1938 and it's great fun throughout. Alice Faye is amusing as a rather risque floozie and although Merman is rather unphotogenic, she comes off with a better performance (in all actuality, when seen in close-ups, young Tyrone Power is more beautiful than either!)

Excellent movie. Great for couples and families.
This wonderful old musical will even captivate your children. The songs are thrilling, and the acting superb. Modern movies can't compete! ... Read more

Reviews (339)

A true masterpiece! A 5 star winner and a true classic!
The Wizard of Oz has got to be one of the greatest movies in classical and musical cinema history. For sixty years this movie has been the perfect choice for childeren and adults to watch and enjoy. The story is about Dorthy Gale who lives in Kansas with her aunt and uncle. When Dorthy decides to run away from home because of her feelings being empty a tornado hits and she and her house are taken to another world, the Land of Oz. A place where she finds friends like she never imagined like Glinda the good witch of the north, the beautiful witch who gives her the rubey slippers which posses power like any unknown. The scarecrow, a friendly man of clothing and straw who wants a brian, the tin woodsman, a sweet man made of tin who wants a heart, the lion, a kind and cowardly forest animal who wants courage and the wicked witch of the west, a evil witch who wants the rubey slippers and revenge on Dorthy for accidently killing her sister, the wicked witch of the east. As Dorthy and her friends follow the yellow brick to the emerald city, the place where the great and powerful and mysterious Wizard of Oz lives the magic of this film can tell the rest.

A true masterpiece! Excellent polt, characters, music and more. It holds an emotional presents that will touch everyone's heart and wish they were in the Land of Oz! See it and live through the magic of this timeless classical film of wonders.

An OZ-some DVD Experience
Like most baby boomers, I've watched this film dozens of times in the past on broadcast TV, then VHS tape, then LaserDisc ... but I had never actually SEEN "The Wizard of Oz" until this newly restored DVD came out. It's an amazing transfer. The sepia-tone Kansas sequences are startlingly sharp and clear, and the Technicolored world "Over the Rainbow" is truly dazzling. I found myself fascinated by details I had never noticed before: the glittering corn stalks in the Scarecrow's field; the mirror-like floors of the Emerald City; the polished buttons on the guardsmen's uniforms. Incredibly, even the individual grains of red sand in the Witch's hourglass stood out and glistened! All these minor-but-sumptuous visual details served to heighten the magical spell that the film has always woven, enhancing the performances, the story, and the music.

The DVD extras are a mind-boggling embarrassment of riches. The "Making Of" documentary hosted by the incomparable Angela Lansbury is worth the price of the DVD alone, but there's so much more: an international poster gallery, interviews with cast members, deleted scenes, production stills, radio clips, etc, etc. There's enough material to keep even the most casual viewer fascinated for hours, and a true Oz buff will be occupied for days!

If you only bought a DVD player to watch this one disc, it would well be worth the expense. Treat yourself, and fall in love with this classic film again ... for the first time.

The Wonderful Movie of Oz
I have been enchanted as I now watch the movie as an adult. It is not just a story about a girl from Kansas trying to get back home - actually, that was added into the movie: "There's no place like home" wasn't in the book even. I think it was a story of things that we want, and that we imagine these things may be granted by the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The scarecrow wants a brain, the tinman a heart, and the lion courage. On their journey off to see the wizard, they encounter the wicked witch of the west - who is determined to get the ruby slippers off of Dorothy's feet. Now, the thing I am puzzled by is at the beginning, Glinda is the one who reminds the wicked witch about the shoes. Then she is the one who places them on Dorothy's feet: "There they are and there they'll stay." Had she not had the shoes, her journey to the wizard would not have been so troublesome. Not to mention that the "good witch" sent Dorothy on a journey to a phony wizard. I wonder now if there was some kind of irony in that - since she was also the one who in the end tells Dorothy that all she has to do is click her heels together and say "there 's no place like home." While the movie is totally a classic I love and will watch over and over again, I am wondering about the book: Were the "ruby slippers" (which were silver in the novel) as magical - and - if there was no "no place like home" in the novel then I am wondering how Dorothy got back to Kansas. I think that because each time I watch this film I realize something new, it will always remain one of my favorite movies ever.

The Wizard of Oz is wonderful
The classic film! The Wizard of Oz is wonderful. Judy Garland's breakthrough performance. Beautiful.

Growing Up, Growing On
I knew every line of this as a kid. I loved the books. I even loved the sequel that everyone else hated because I love OZ. I tried to be "over" this movie for a long time as an adult. But every time I see it I re-remember why I couldn't get enough before. The quintessential fairy tale. All kids and all adults should watch it again to remind them that a movie can work without sex, violence or graphic anything really. It's scary -- touching -- and completely engrossing -- more so each year I grow older. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Lovely
An absolute must see for all age groups, but especially the kids. Has to be Shirley's all time best.

poor little rich girl rich in talent & music
This is one of my favorites, not only an engaging storyline but great music engaging charictors & great dance number at the end. This has great songs like you gotta eat your spinach baby & Oh my goodness.

A TEMPLE OF DELIGHTS.
When eight year old Barbara Barry, the daughter of a wealthy, widowed soap manufacturer, sneezes three times at the dinner table, the strict servant Collins (Sara Haden) sends her off to bed. Woodward, (Jane Darwell) another servant - who has a kinder approach - suggests that little Barbara be sent to a school in the Adirondacks where she can be happy with many other children her own age...A thoroughly delightful Temple vehicle, this colorized video will please children from 5-95. The picture bears little resemblance to the 1912 Eleanor Gates novel because many of the incidents in the movie come from a Ralph Spence story entitled BETSY TAKES THE AIR. A highly successful version - which was much truer to the original book - was filmed as a 1917 silent starring Mary Pickford. Amusingly, Shirley sings the song BUT DEFINITELY in a manner a'la Crosby singing WHERE THE BLUE OF NIGHT MEETS THE GOLD OF THE DAY. By 1939, this movie reaped a $2.5 million profit. One of Shirley's better films, to be sure.

Shirleys talent radiates the screen
In this movie Shirleys talents shine. Her singing and dancing are a cut above. I especially love when she sings to her dolls!
The dance sequence in the end with Alice Faye and Jack Haley is incredible! I just LOVE this movie!!!

Shirley Temple
This movie is so funny it is one of my favorits. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

out of this world musical
I had never seen a musical before I viewed this movie. I was sure they were boring and not "age appropriate" I am in my early twenties, But I fell in love with this movie! It has a great cast Betty Grable and Don Ameche have such chemistry. Plain and simple this movie is endearing and fun to watch. I find myself humming the songs from the movie all the time. I am so glad I gave it a chance it really is a wonderful movie for all ages.

MOST ENJOYABLE
After coming into a small inheritance of $4500, beautiful sisters Kay and Barbara Latimer (Betty Grable and Carole Landis) decide to head down to Miami to land themselves rich men (they work at a roadside hamburger joint!) The girls take along their spirited Aunt Susie (the great Charlotte Greenwood) and she poses as their maid...............Shot in gaudy, captivating old Technicolor, MOON OVER MIAMI is a fast-paced musical comedy froth which highlighted Grable's dancing, especially in a number with with the tap-dancing Condos Brothers. Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger wrote 8 songs for the movie, none of which became standards; still, all the tunes fit the surroundings of this slick production from 1941. Of the three leading men (the other two being Don Ameche and Jack Haley) Bob Cummings was the least experienced as a screen singer; his rendition of YOU STARTED SOMETHING is adequate at best. The hilariously high-kicking Greenwood has a comedy duet with Haley doing IS THAT GOOD? (you betcha!) The great choreographer, Hermes Pan staged the sequenced in which Grable dances with the Condos Brothers, Jack Cole and company. The film affords some fleeting shots of a 1941 Miami which was almost quaint to the Miami of today plus interesting location sequences of aquatic and underwater activities in Cypress Gardens and Silver Springs. A very pleasant diversion.

Come on Fox, when are Betty Grable's titles coming to DVD?
Betty Grable, the queen of Technicolor musicals, has not had ANY of her Technicolor musicals released on DVD...all Fox can think of is this Simpsons and X-Files crap. Anyway, this musical, set in a Miami LONG before the MTV kids and their crap hit town, also stars future Cocoon star Don Ameche has some extremely gorgeous Technicolor cinematography. This is one musical you will NOT want to miss!

A great and colorful musical!
This has someof the most colrful and beautiful costumes that I've ever seen in film. Betty Grable and Bob Cummings are famulous in it, and make a great pair. It is a charming film, very bright andhappy, well worth seeing.

Carole Landis AND Betty Grable..how could you go wrong?
I really like this film! It has some catchy tunes, an interesting plot, and a likeable cast. What more can you want? I DO wish that the folks at Fox would have given Carole Landis a bigger part, but she sure shines in what they gave her! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Lovely
An absolute must see for all age groups, but especially the kids. Has to be Shirley's all time best.

poor little rich girl rich in talent & music
This is one of my favorites, not only an engaging storyline but great music engaging charictors & great dance number at the end. This has great songs like you gotta eat your spinach baby & Oh my goodness.

A TEMPLE OF DELIGHTS.
When eight year old Barbara Barry, the daughter of a wealthy, widowed soap manufacturer, sneezes three times at the dinner table, the strict servant Collins (Sara Haden) sends her off to bed. Woodward, (Jane Darwell) another servant - who has a kinder approach - suggests that little Barbara be sent to a school in the Adirondacks where she can be happy with many other children her own age...A thoroughly delightful Temple vehicle, this colorized video will please children from 5-95. The picture bears little resemblance to the 1912 Eleanor Gates novel because many of the incidents in the movie come from a Ralph Spence story entitled BETSY TAKES THE AIR. A highly successful version - which was much truer to the original book - was filmed as a 1917 silent starring Mary Pickford. Amusingly, Shirley sings the song BUT DEFINITELY in a manner a'la Crosby singing WHERE THE BLUE OF NIGHT MEETS THE GOLD OF THE DAY. By 1939, this movie reaped a $2.5 million profit. One of Shirley's better films, to be sure.

Shirleys talent radiates the screen
In this movie Shirleys talents shine. Her singing and dancing are a cut above. I especially love when she sings to her dolls!
The dance sequence in the end with Alice Faye and Jack Haley is incredible! I just LOVE this movie!!!

Shirley Temple
This movie is so funny it is one of my favorits. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Okay
This video is Ok. I guess I was expecting that it would be like the book, and was really disapointed.
Other than than, it was ok. Some parts were really funny(you gotta eat your spinich, baby...!)
It had a really suprising ending.
Also, I did not see much point in dressing up in a solger suit and dancing up and down the stairs. How boring!
Now that I've finished my complants, good bye!

Very lively film
This movie is about a girl named Rebecca Wilkins who lives with her step-father because her mother is dead. Uncle Henry, her step-father, wanted Rebecca to try out for Little Miss America, a radio show that was sponsered Crackly Bran Flakes, a popular breakfast cereal. When there's a mix-up at the studio and Rebecca dosen't get to be in the show, Uncle Henry decides it's time for some of Rebecca's other relatives to care for her. So he takes Rebecca to live with her Aunt Miranda on Sunnybrook Farm. But Aunt Miranda is very strict and Rebeccca has to follow rules. Later that day a piglet gets away from their farm and Rebecca goes out to chase it. She meets the director of the Little Miss America program, Tony Kent. So you'll have to see this movie to know the VERY suprising ending. It stars Helen Westly, Jack Haley, and Gloria Stuart. An excellant movie.

O.K movie
This movie is o.k, so I rated it a three out of five. It's about a girl named Rebecca who's step father wants her to become famous on the radio. But when she dosen't make it, she sends her to her Ant Maranda's house. Then she has lots of fun and even meets the director of the radio program himself! She ends up ON the radio and sings beautiful songs. It's a an ok movie if you're in love with Rebecca.

Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm
Rebecca Of Sunny Brook Farm:
This is the absolute best movie! A radio company is urgently trying to locate a young girl to be featured on their new program, Little Miss America. Rebecca (Shirley Temple) and her Uncle Harry (William Demerest) go to the company to audition. After hearing only a few measures of Rebecca's song, Tony, the talent agent, knows Rebecca is perfect. After a misunderstanding, Rebecca does not get the part and is sent to live with her Aunt Miranda.
RATED: G

Shirley Dances Her Way Into Your Heart
This is really cute. When her stepfather does all his best to train her and she doesn't get the part on the radio he decides to dump her with Aunt Miranda. With tme isunderstanding ,they really did want her. She finds her way with the next door neighbor is the talent agent. I love the little pigs in this movie. Its always great to see her dance with Bojangles. This is a sure charmer for everyone! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Cornpone Humor, Football, & Judy Garland's Feature Debut
Yale invites the University of Texas to compete in a charity football game--but a secretary fumbles the communication and extends the invitation to tiny Texas State University instead. New coach Slug Winters (Jack Haley) and his harridan wife Bessie (Patsy Kelly) manage to whip the team into shape, but when an accident sidelines the star player they find an unexpected replacement in barefoot yokel Amos Dodd (Stuart Erwin)... and before you can say Sis Boom Bah every one is off to the big game!

Best known for his later performance of The Tin Man in THE WIZARD OF OZ, Jack Haley was a memorable light comic of stage and screen, and his pairing with Patsy Kelly is truly inspired. In addition to the then-popular quartet The Yachtclub Boys, the film also offers early glimpses of future big names like Betty Grable, Alan Ladd, Tony Martin, and Elisha Cook Jr., not to mention B movie queens Arline Judge and Lynn Bari.

But then as now, the real noise in the film was teenage Judy Garland, who made her feature film debut on loan from home studio MGM with the small role of Amos Dodd's hillbilly sister "Sairy." Slight though the role was, Garland's handful of cornpone-humor scenes and her three songs served as a wake-up call to her MGM handlers, and for the rest of her MGM contract she would never work off-studio again.

Although PIGSKIN PARADE is hardly in the same league with the Paramount, Warner Brothers, or MGM musicals of the same era, the lightweight story, memorable cast, silly dialogue ("Well, Call My Hawgs!") and pleasant if not greatly memorable songs has a great deal of period charm. I do not think it will greatly appeal to any one who isn't already a fan of 1930s musicals, but those who are will enjoy it--and Garland fans will consider it a minor classic.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

A fun, unassuming, old-fashioned comedy
This college comedy is notable as the onscreen debut of the teenage diva-to-be, Judy Garland, but it also stands on its own as a fine, fluffy '30s comedy. A small-town college in Texas is accidentally invited to meet Yale in a nationally-watched football match. It's the biggest thing that's ever happened at good old TSU, and the student body is understandably all worked up about it -- moved to stage musical shows and pep rallies galore, as a matter of fact. Garland, who was constantly miscast in her early career, enters the picture as the snub-nosed hayseed little sister of TSU's new star quarterback, an Arkansas [kid] who can pitch a long pass with devastating accuracy. The real stars of the show, though, are the team's coach, played by comedian Jack Haley (later to work with Garland as the Tin Woodman) and the brassy, wisecracking Patsy Haley, as the coach's sports-savvy, shrewish wife. The plot isn't too flimsy and pleasantly zips along, bouyed by some choice performances by all concerned. Yeah, Betty Grable's in there, too, but only in a bit part; half the musical numbers are provided by vocal quartet from the Catskills circuit known as the Yacht Club Boys... Their middleaged appearances are deftly explained by a goofy number called "Sophmores 'Til The Day We Die"; even more hilarious is a political numer called "Down With Everything!" which is sung in honor of a young Bolshie agitator who appears in order to rile up the locals, but winds up instead ont he wrong side of Texas justice. Sports fans will be gratified by the finale, which edits in some tantalizing archival footage of a 1930s Yale game, played in a howling blizzard. Fun film all around... and you can certainly see why the studio heads went ga-ga over Garland!

Lots of Mindless Fun
An intentionally silly story of a small-university coach who is accidentally invited to play against a big-time team, this odd little film features winning performances by Jack Haley and Patsy Kelly and a small but intriguing turn by a pre-Oz Judy Garland. Completely mindless but entertaining nonetheless; don't expect too much and you'll have a good time with it.

Garland's feature film debut
Garland fans I'm sure were happy when this movie was finally made available on home video. An otherwise forgettable outing about college football is made great by a young Garland who steals the show from the likes of Betty Grable and Jack Haley (aka "The Tin Man"). When Garland sings, the film soars. Buyer beware: Garland is really more supporting player than star in this one. For fans only. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Frank Sinatra's first featured film role; he sings 5 songs!
Frank Sinatra had his first featured film role in "Higher and Higher," a musical romantic comedy. The story deals with a household of servants who learn their employer is bankrupt. The valet Mike (Jack Haley), wants to pass off Millie (Michelle Morgan), the scullery maid, as Drake's debutante daughter in the hopes she can snag a wealthy husband. I am sure this sounded like a good idea at the time. Their prime target is Frank (Sinatra), the guy next door. Another prospect, Fitzroy Wilson (Victor Borge), turns out to be equally phony, while society matron Mrs. Keating (Elisabeth Risdon), has plans for her own debutante daughter Catherine (Barbara Hale). You know everybody is going to end up living (and singing) happily ever after, but for most of the film it is up in the air as to how everybody is going to end up pairing up, so it is not overly predictable. A pleasant enough musical, once you get past the convoluted plot, the film is certainly representative of the early Frank Sinatra who was beloved of the bobby soxers, who is essentially playing himself here. Sinatra sings five songs in "Higher and Higher," all written by Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson: "You Belong in a Love Song," "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night," "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening," "The Music Stopped," and "I Saw You First." Based on the play by Gladys Hurlbut and Joshua Logan, this 1943 film was directed by Tim Whelan and should be checked out by any and all Frank Sinatra fans who want to remember what the Chairman of the Board was like when he started out in the mailroom.

Classic News on this Review
When you come across something that has caught your eye you don't forget it easily. This classic, "Higher and Higher", caught my eye about 6 years ago, when my mother was introducing her children to a higher plain of movies. Classic Movies! Ah, just let the Words roll off your tounge. The movie will have you in stiches from beginning to end, and asking for more. Romance, comedy, and a mysterious twist at the end, that keeps comming at you minute after minute. Character acting, of course is flawless. The comradery between the actors and actresses seemed to be weaved together like a tightly nit throw blanket designed to comfort and keep you warm in any situation. So, as you rent this Comedic video remember that it will take you Higher and Higher.

Rockin, Radical, Coolness, Fabulous!
Ok so it's highly unlikely that even a scullery maid could make that many stupid mistakes and sure, they sing a tune at the drop of a hat, but the atmposhere is so light and funny. True entertainment comes from classic movies. It's almost impossible to find modern humour, but you put in a movie like "Higher and Higher" and it's so light that it gives you an instant lift. I think it's witty and adorable and I highly reccomend it to old movie lovers like me! :)

Was life really ever this simple?
If you like corny, Frank Sinatra, no plot, crooner movies--this is for you. Not only is it Frank Sinatra's film debut...but also that of Mel Torme' and Barbara Hale aka Della Street-

Frank Sinatra is razor thin and Mel doesn't look like he is old enough to drive--but Mel gets to sing briefly too and there is no denying that Mel is destined to be the Velvet Fog.

This movie is pure corn, but hey....its supposed to be. :) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Oi Vey!!!!
The previous 2 reviewers have outlined the plot very well so not much more can be said about that. I'd just to tell the guys who are considering purchasing the Alpha DVD that the quality here isn't too good. Source material was obviously VHS tape (you can see the occasional video drop-outs) and it looks very much like an LP version at that. Very poor definition. Could have been a lot sharper. Also the print is very contrasty. The blacks are REALLY black and the whites are blinding. There is also a considerable amount of lag. When a white face moves against a black background it leaves a kind of "comet's tail" to put it loosely. Also various other things appear.... like a cluster of white "arrowheads" pointing to the right (as if someone just pressed the fast-forward button on the VCR) or just the occasional flash of pure white jumps out at you. The movie itself is one of the better comedy thrillers with some funny lines... many of them from Bela... but a poor transfer. (sigh!)

Classic B Movie Fun
One Body Too Many a 1944 black and white movie is not an especially good movie. BUT, it is a fun movie. It is a silly horror/comedy type B movie that became the meat and potatoes of so many early studios. I love it. Jack Haley is Albert Tuttle a nose to the grindstone insurance man who has an appointment with an old rich recluse. He arrives at his mansion and is seen in by the butler (Bela Lugosi). He is shown into his clients office and immediately starts his spiel to the back of a chair and smoke coming from a lit cigar. However, unbeknownst to Tuttle the client is dead and in his coffin in the office. Tuttle lays his brief case on the closed coffin before he realizes just what is in the room. When he does try to get out, he can't open the door, etc. This movie is filled with every conceivable cliche imaginable. But that's the fun of it. A huge dark creepy house, a will to be read, a suspicious looking butler and cook, a beautiful damsel in distress, a dim witted detective, a houseful of greedy family members of the deceased, murders, trick doors, screams and noises at night, etc. Of course, a very nervous and reluctant hero. This kind of movie would be nothing without Lyle Talbot and he is here as the family member who thinks timid Jack Haley has something to hide.I have had this movie for years and every once in a while I dust it off to watch it again because sometimes you need a little harmless fun. (~.~)

Several Thrills Too Few...
This is yet another of the gathered-for-the-reading-of-the-will-in-the-spooky-house with-secret-passages-and-a-murderer subgenre. And while I find it hard to believe that there is anyone who legitimately can hate these kind of movies, there are admittedly some that work far better than others. One Body Too Many finds middle ground.

It begins with some cleverness in setting up the scenario. The will's gimmick is farfetched but assured an offbeat night of criminal mayhem: The deceased, an astrologer, wishes to be buried above ground so that the stars shine down on him. If anything happens so that he is not, then the heir who was supposed to get the most will instead get the least, and vice versa. The body disappears, then reappears, then someone else is murdered... it's all expectedly, even appropriately, convoluted.

Our hero is a life insurance salesman who is mistaken for the detective assigned to guard the body from shenanigans. And there is real inventiveness in placing a life insurance salesman in this situation, where people are sure to be bumped off. Unfortunately, this knowing wink to the audience is barely explored at all. The hero himself is an average-looking guy, more likable and less wimpy than many 40's B heroes. And he is surrounded by a capable, if unspectacular, cast.

Lugosi is wasted, although his stock Ominous Butler character is interestingly played for laughs this go-round, ready and willing to bump off anybody who anyone else thinks needs bumping off. Watch out for the coffee.

This is of course, a comedy/mystery, as every picture in this genre has been since The Cat and the Canary in the 20's. And the comedy is generally the determining factor in how watchable these kind of films are. Here it is not too bad, consisting less of the typical scared mugging and awkward pratfalls than many similar efforts. Only in its dull, protracted middle section does the film lose its way, as the hero gets lost in the ubiquitous secret passageways, caught in a wicker basket with a litter of kittens and wearing only a towel. Don't ask.

There are a number of good scenes, including one where the hero, hiding in a coffin, is carried off and dumped in a pool. The movie ends with a suspenseful chase and confrontation atop the observatory. But there is not enough made of the good ideas in the script, and too much damage is done to the whole by the weak or old ideas in the script. You've seen much of it before, so it's not quite worth a purchase. Close but no cigar.

See also: The Cat and the Canary; Black Cat (1941); Night Monster; Old Dark House; The Monster Walks; The Gorilla; Seven Keys To Baldpate; The Bat Whispers; and many, many more, if you are so inclined. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wizard of Oz
Excellent move for the whole family. You don't have to worry about sex or language content. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Okay
This video is Ok. I guess I was expecting that it would be like the book, and was really disapointed.
Other than than, it was ok. Some parts were really funny(you gotta eat your spinich, baby...!)
It had a really suprising ending.
Also, I did not see much point in dressing up in a solger suit and dancing up and down the stairs. How boring!
Now that I've finished my complants, good bye!

Very lively film
This movie is about a girl named Rebecca Wilkins who lives with her step-father because her mother is dead. Uncle Henry, her step-father, wanted Rebecca to try out for Little Miss America, a radio show that was sponsered Crackly Bran Flakes, a popular breakfast cereal. When there's a mix-up at the studio and Rebecca dosen't get to be in the show, Uncle Henry decides it's time for some of Rebecca's other relatives to care for her. So he takes Rebecca to live with her Aunt Miranda on Sunnybrook Farm. But Aunt Miranda is very strict and Rebeccca has to follow rules. Later that day a piglet gets away from their farm and Rebecca goes out to chase it. She meets the director of the Little Miss America program, Tony Kent. So you'll have to see this movie to know the VERY suprising ending. It stars Helen Westly, Jack Haley, and Gloria Stuart. An excellant movie.

O.K movie
This movie is o.k, so I rated it a three out of five. It's about a girl named Rebecca who's step father wants her to become famous on the radio. But when she dosen't make it, she sends her to her Ant Maranda's house. Then she has lots of fun and even meets the director of the radio program himself! She ends up ON the radio and sings beautiful songs. It's a an ok movie if you're in love with Rebecca.

Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm
Rebecca Of Sunny Brook Farm:
This is the absolute best movie! A radio company is urgently trying to locate a young girl to be featured on their new program, Little Miss America. Rebecca (Shirley Temple) and her Uncle Harry (William Demerest) go to the company to audition. After hearing only a few measures of Rebecca's song, Tony, the talent agent, knows Rebecca is perfect. After a misunderstanding, Rebecca does not get the part and is sent to live with her Aunt Miranda.
RATED: G

Shirley Dances Her Way Into Your Heart
This is really cute. When her stepfather does all his best to train her and she doesn't get the part on the radio he decides to dump her with Aunt Miranda. With tme isunderstanding ,they really did want her. She finds her way with the next door neighbor is the talent agent. I love the little pigs in this movie. Its always great to see her dance with Bojangles. This is a sure charmer for everyone! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Lovely
An absolute must see for all age groups, but especially the kids. Has to be Shirley's all time best.

poor little rich girl rich in talent & music
This is one of my favorites, not only an engaging storyline but great music engaging charictors & great dance number at the end. This has great songs like you gotta eat your spinach baby & Oh my goodness.

A TEMPLE OF DELIGHTS.
When eight year old Barbara Barry, the daughter of a wealthy, widowed soap manufacturer, sneezes three times at the dinner table, the strict servant Collins (Sara Haden) sends her off to bed. Woodward, (Jane Darwell) another servant - who has a kinder approach - suggests that little Barbara be sent to a school in the Adirondacks where she can be happy with many other children her own age...A thoroughly delightful Temple vehicle, this colorized video will please children from 5-95. The picture bears little resemblance to the 1912 Eleanor Gates novel because many of the incidents in the movie come from a Ralph Spence story entitled BETSY TAKES THE AIR. A highly successful version - which was much truer to the original book - was filmed as a 1917 silent starring Mary Pickford. Amusingly, Shirley sings the song BUT DEFINITELY in a manner a'la Crosby singing WHERE THE BLUE OF NIGHT MEETS THE GOLD OF THE DAY. By 1939, this movie reaped a $2.5 million profit. One of Shirley's better films, to be sure.

Shirleys talent radiates the screen
In this movie Shirleys talents shine. Her singing and dancing are a cut above. I especially love when she sings to her dolls!
The dance sequence in the end with Alice Faye and Jack Haley is incredible! I just LOVE this movie!!!

Shirley Temple
This movie is so funny it is one of my favorits. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Pick a star aka movie struck
Well, I bought this movie to add it to my Laurel & Hardy collection...however this is in no way a Laurel & Hardy film. They make a cameo in this movie really. The movie overall wasn't bad. It was actually a pretty decent film about a girl dying to make it in Hollywood. I wouldn't recommend this movie to a Laurel & Hardy fan but if you like old movie classics you will probably enjoy this one.

Laurel & Hardy as "guest stars" in a pleasant little musical
"Pick a Star" tells the story of the hopeful young lass from the country, Cecilia Moore (Rosina Lawrence), who comes to Hollywood to be a star with the help of publicity man Joe Jenkins (Jack Haley). The attraction here is Laurel & Hardy, although their screen time adds up to about one reel of this 1937 eight-reeler directed by Edward Sedgwick for Hal Roach-MGM. The boys have "guest roles" playing themselves in two sequences. Of course many exhibitors of the film when it was released advertised them as being the stars of the film, which has certainly hurt its reputation among Laurel & Hardy fans. The first revives the old routine where Hardy swallows a whistle and Laurel pokes him in the stomach to produce various tunes. The second finds the boys filming a western saloon brawl for one of their movies and demonstrating to visitors how everything they use in the fight are special props...or are they? "Pick a Star" is an okay film, obviously an effort by Hal Roach to make Rosina Lawrence a star (she had been the female lead in the boys' previous film, "Way Out West"). Obviously, that did not happen. But since the boys only had these two routines their comic timing comes across as particularly fine-tuned. Laurel & Hardy fans can enjoy these two sequences and fast-forward through the rest of the film, stopping long enough, of course, to listen to Jack Haley talk in his normal voice.

Okay, so Laurel and Hardy aren't the stars.
This is a very entertaining little musical starring Jack Haley, Patsy Kelly, and Rosina Lawrence, with Laurel and Hardy as guest stars. Jack is trying to get Rosina a screen test in Hollywood. When Rosina mistakenly believes the screen test is arranged, she heads for California with her wisecracking sister Patsy. While Jack schemes to arrange the screen test, Rosina meets a famous romantic movie star (played by Mischa Auer), Patsy watches Laurel and Hardy film a scene, and there are several unremarkable, but peppy, musical numbers. Of course, there is a happy ending(I'm not saying what it is, but you can probably figure it out).Laurel and Hardy's two scenes are definite highlights, and Patsy Kelly is very funny throughout. Curiously, musical star Jack Haley barely sings at all! ... Read more

Reviews (339)

A true masterpiece! A 5 star winner and a true classic!
The Wizard of Oz has got to be one of the greatest movies in classical and musical cinema history. For sixty years this movie has been the perfect choice for childeren and adults to watch and enjoy. The story is about Dorthy Gale who lives in Kansas with her aunt and uncle. When Dorthy decides to run away from home because of her feelings being empty a tornado hits and she and her house are taken to another world, the Land of Oz. A place where she finds friends like she never imagined like Glinda the good witch of the north, the beautiful witch who gives her the rubey slippers which posses power like any unknown. The scarecrow, a friendly man of clothing and straw who wants a brian, the tin woodsman, a sweet man made of tin who wants a heart, the lion, a kind and cowardly forest animal who wants courage and the wicked witch of the west, a evil witch who wants the rubey slippers and revenge on Dorthy for accidently killing her sister, the wicked witch of the east. As Dorthy and her friends follow the yellow brick to the emerald city, the place where the great and powerful and mysterious Wizard of Oz lives the magic of this film can tell the rest.

A true masterpiece! Excellent polt, characters, music and more. It holds an emotional presents that will touch everyone's heart and wish they were in the Land of Oz! See it and live through the magic of this timeless classical film of wonders.

An OZ-some DVD Experience
Like most baby boomers, I've watched this film dozens of times in the past on broadcast TV, then VHS tape, then LaserDisc ... but I had never actually SEEN "The Wizard of Oz" until this newly restored DVD came out. It's an amazing transfer. The sepia-tone Kansas sequences are startlingly sharp and clear, and the Technicolored world "Over the Rainbow" is truly dazzling. I found myself fascinated by details I had never noticed before: the glittering corn stalks in the Scarecrow's field; the mirror-like floors of the Emerald City; the polished buttons on the guardsmen's uniforms. Incredibly, even the individual grains of red sand in the Witch's hourglass stood out and glistened! All these minor-but-sumptuous visual details served to heighten the magical spell that the film has always woven, enhancing the performances, the story, and the music.

The DVD extras are a mind-boggling embarrassment of riches. The "Making Of" documentary hosted by the incomparable Angela Lansbury is worth the price of the DVD alone, but there's so much more: an international poster gallery, interviews with cast members, deleted scenes, production stills, radio clips, etc, etc. There's enough material to keep even the most casual viewer fascinated for hours, and a true Oz buff will be occupied for days!

If you only bought a DVD player to watch this one disc, it would well be worth the expense. Treat yourself, and fall in love with this classic film again ... for the first time.

The Wonderful Movie of Oz
I have been enchanted as I now watch the movie as an adult. It is not just a story about a girl from Kansas trying to get back home - actually, that was added into the movie: "There's no place like home" wasn't in the book even. I think it was a story of things that we want, and that we imagine these things may be granted by the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The scarecrow wants a brain, the tinman a heart, and the lion courage. On their journey off to see the wizard, they encounter the wicked witch of the west - who is determined to get the ruby slippers off of Dorothy's feet. Now, the thing I am puzzled by is at the beginning, Glinda is the one who reminds the wicked witch about the shoes. Then she is the one who places them on Dorothy's feet: "There they are and there they'll stay." Had she not had the shoes, her journey to the wizard would not have been so troublesome. Not to mention that the "good witch" sent Dorothy on a journey to a phony wizard. I wonder now if there was some kind of irony in that - since she was also the one who in the end tells Dorothy that all she has to do is click her heels together and say "there 's no place like home." While the movie is totally a classic I love and will watch over and over again, I am wondering about the book: Were the "ruby slippers" (which were silver in the novel) as magical - and - if there was no "no place like home" in the novel then I am wondering how Dorothy got back to Kansas. I think that because each time I watch this film I realize something new, it will always remain one of my favorite movies ever.

The Wizard of Oz is wonderful
The classic film! The Wizard of Oz is wonderful. Judy Garland's breakthrough performance. Beautiful.

Growing Up, Growing On
I knew every line of this as a kid. I loved the books. I even loved the sequel that everyone else hated because I love OZ. I tried to be "over" this movie for a long time as an adult. But every time I see it I re-remember why I couldn't get enough before. The quintessential fairy tale. All kids and all adults should watch it again to remind them that a movie can work without sex, violence or graphic anything really. It's scary -- touching -- and completely engrossing -- more so each year I grow older. ... Read more

Reviews (339)

A true masterpiece! A 5 star winner and a true classic!
The Wizard of Oz has got to be one of the greatest movies in classical and musical cinema history. For sixty years this movie has been the perfect choice for childeren and adults to watch and enjoy. The story is about Dorthy Gale who lives in Kansas with her aunt and uncle. When Dorthy decides to run away from home because of her feelings being empty a tornado hits and she and her house are taken to another world, the Land of Oz. A place where she finds friends like she never imagined like Glinda the good witch of the north, the beautiful witch who gives her the rubey slippers which posses power like any unknown. The scarecrow, a friendly man of clothing and straw who wants a brian, the tin woodsman, a sweet man made of tin who wants a heart, the lion, a kind and cowardly forest animal who wants courage and the wicked witch of the west, a evil witch who wants the rubey slippers and revenge on Dorthy for accidently killing her sister, the wicked witch of the east. As Dorthy and her friends follow the yellow brick to the emerald city, the place where the great and powerful and mysterious Wizard of Oz lives the magic of this film can tell the rest.

A true masterpiece! Excellent polt, characters, music and more. It holds an emotional presents that will touch everyone's heart and wish they were in the Land of Oz! See it and live through the magic of this timeless classical film of wonders.

An OZ-some DVD Experience
Like most baby boomers, I've watched this film dozens of times in the past on broadcast TV, then VHS tape, then LaserDisc ... but I had never actually SEEN "The Wizard of Oz" until this newly restored DVD came out. It's an amazing transfer. The sepia-tone Kansas sequences are startlingly sharp and clear, and the Technicolored world "Over the Rainbow" is truly dazzling. I found myself fascinated by details I had never noticed before: the glittering corn stalks in the Scarecrow's field; the mirror-like floors of the Emerald City; the polished buttons on the guardsmen's uniforms. Incredibly, even the individual grains of red sand in the Witch's hourglass stood out and glistened! All these minor-but-sumptuous visual details served to heighten the magical spell that the film has always woven, enhancing the performances, the story, and the music.

The DVD extras are a mind-boggling embarrassment of riches. The "Making Of" documentary hosted by the incomparable Angela Lansbury is worth the price of the DVD alone, but there's so much more: an international poster gallery, interviews with cast members, deleted scenes, production stills, radio clips, etc, etc. There's enough material to keep even the most casual viewer fascinated for hours, and a true Oz buff will be occupied for days!

If you only bought a DVD player to watch this one disc, it would well be worth the expense. Treat yourself, and fall in love with this classic film again ... for the first time.

The Wonderful Movie of Oz
I have been enchanted as I now watch the movie as an adult. It is not just a story about a girl from Kansas trying to get back home - actually, that was added into the movie: "There's no place like home" wasn't in the book even. I think it was a story of things that we want, and that we imagine these things may be granted by the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The scarecrow wants a brain, the tinman a heart, and the lion courage. On their journey off to see the wizard, they encounter the wicked witch of the west - who is determined to get the ruby slippers off of Dorothy's feet. Now, the thing I am puzzled by is at the beginning, Glinda is the one who reminds the wicked witch about the shoes. Then she is the one who places them on Dorothy's feet: "There they are and there they'll stay." Had she not had the shoes, her journey to the wizard would not have been so troublesome. Not to mention that the "good witch" sent Dorothy on a journey to a phony wizard. I wonder now if there was some kind of irony in that - since she was also the one who in the end tells Dorothy that all she has to do is click her heels together and say "there 's no place like home." While the movie is totally a classic I love and will watch over and over again, I am wondering about the book: Were the "ruby slippers" (which were silver in the novel) as magical - and - if there was no "no place like home" in the novel then I am wondering how Dorothy got back to Kansas. I think that because each time I watch this film I realize something new, it will always remain one of my favorite movies ever.

The Wizard of Oz is wonderful
The classic film! The Wizard of Oz is wonderful. Judy Garland's breakthrough performance. Beautiful.

Growing Up, Growing On
I knew every line of this as a kid. I loved the books. I even loved the sequel that everyone else hated because I love OZ. I tried to be "over" this movie for a long time as an adult. But every time I see it I re-remember why I couldn't get enough before. The quintessential fairy tale. All kids and all adults should watch it again to remind them that a movie can work without sex, violence or graphic anything really. It's scary -- touching -- and completely engrossing -- more so each year I grow older. ... Read more

Reviews (339)

A true masterpiece! A 5 star winner and a true classic!
The Wizard of Oz has got to be one of the greatest movies in classical and musical cinema history. For sixty years this movie has been the perfect choice for childeren and adults to watch and enjoy. The story is about Dorthy Gale who lives in Kansas with her aunt and uncle. When Dorthy decides to run away from home because of her feelings being empty a tornado hits and she and her house are taken to another world, the Land of Oz. A place where she finds friends like she never imagined like Glinda the good witch of the north, the beautiful witch who gives her the rubey slippers which posses power like any unknown. The scarecrow, a friendly man of clothing and straw who wants a brian, the tin woodsman, a sweet man made of tin who wants a heart, the lion, a kind and cowardly forest animal who wants courage and the wicked witch of the west, a evil witch who wants the rubey slippers and revenge on Dorthy for accidently killing her sister, the wicked witch of the east. As Dorthy and her friends follow the yellow brick to the emerald city, the place where the great and powerful and mysterious Wizard of Oz lives the magic of this film can tell the rest.

A true masterpiece! Excellent polt, characters, music and more. It holds an emotional presents that will touch everyone's heart and wish they were in the Land of Oz! See it and live through the magic of this timeless classical film of wonders.

An OZ-some DVD Experience
Like most baby boomers, I've watched this film dozens of times in the past on broadcast TV, then VHS tape, then LaserDisc ... but I had never actually SEEN "The Wizard of Oz" until this newly restored DVD came out. It's an amazing transfer. The sepia-tone Kansas sequences are startlingly sharp and clear, and the Technicolored world "Over the Rainbow" is truly dazzling. I found myself fascinated by details I had never noticed before: the glittering corn stalks in the Scarecrow's field; the mirror-like floors of the Emerald City; the polished buttons on the guardsmen's uniforms. Incredibly, even the individual grains of red sand in the Witch's hourglass stood out and glistened! All these minor-but-sumptuous visual details served to heighten the magical spell that the film has always woven, enhancing the performances, the story, and the music.

The DVD extras are a mind-boggling embarrassment of riches. The "Making Of" documentary hosted by the incomparable Angela Lansbury is worth the price of the DVD alone, but there's so much more: an international poster gallery, interviews with cast members, deleted scenes, production stills, radio clips, etc, etc. There's enough material to keep even the most casual viewer fascinated for hours, and a true Oz buff will be occupied for days!

If you only bought a DVD player to watch this one disc, it would well be worth the expense. Treat yourself, and fall in love with this classic film again ... f