Review of The Wizard of Oz (1925) by Antonius B — 08 Dec 2018

In a word, dreadful. Way too much slapstick that isnâ(TM)t funny, and way too much air time for Larry Semon, who plays the Scarecrow and also produced, directed, and wrote this mess. (Donâ(TM)t put much in to the credit to L.

Frank Baum Jr., thatâ(TM)s the original authorâ(TM)s son who was probably more involved in the business aspects, and regardless, his father must have been rolling over in his grave.) Semon put his real-life fiancà (C) Dorothy Dwan in the role of an 18-year-old Dorothy, courted by two farmhands (himself and Oliver Hardy), but thereâ(TM)s nothing at all interesting in her surprisingly limited role.

Aside from the long list of cool aspects of the 1939 film that are nowhere to be seen in any form here, this is a story that has no charm and often doesnâ(TM)t make a lot of sense. On top of it all, the cowardly lion is played by Spencer Bell, an African-American given the credit G.

Howe Black (sound that out for an ugh), the farmhand name Snowball, and various stereotypes, e.g. simple and easily frightened. There is one nice stunt, a jump from the top of a farm silo shot in slower motion than normal, but that was about it for me.

Very disappointing.