The Wizard of Oz (1925)

Dorothy, heir to the Oz throne, must take it back from the wicked Prime Minister Kruel with the help of three farmhands.

Director:

Larry Semon

Writers:

L. Frank Baum (adapted from his story), Frank Joslyn Baum (adapted by) (as L. Frank Baum Jr.)

Stars:

Dorothy Dwan, Charles Murray, Oliver Hardy

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dorothy Dwan	...	Dorothy / Princess Dorothea
Mary Carr	...	Aunt Em
Virginia Pearson	...	Lady Vishuss
Bryant Washburn	...	Prince Kynd
Josef Swickard	...	Prime Minister Kruel
Charles Murray	...	Wizard of Oz
Oliver Hardy	...	Woodsman / Knight of the Garter / Farmhand (as Oliver N. Hardy)
William Hauber	...	Undetermined Role
William Dinus	...	Undetermined Role
Frank Alexander	...	Uncle Henry / Prince of Whales
Otto Lederer	...	Ambassador Wikked
Frederick Ko Vert	...	Phantom of the Basket (as Frederic Ko Vent)
Larry Semon	...	Scarecrow / Toymaker / Farmhand
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Spencer Bell	...	Cowardly Lion / Rastus / Snowball (as G. Howe Black)

Storyline

A Toymaker tells a bizarre story about how the Land of Oz was ruled by Prince Kynd, but he was overthrown by Prime Minister Kruel. Dorothy learns from Aunt Em that fat, cruel Uncle Henry is not her uncle, and gives her a note due on her eighteenth birthday, which reveals she is actually Princess Dorothea of Oz, and is supposed to marry Prince Kynd. She, Uncle Henry , and two farmhands are swept to Oz by a tornado. Snowball, a black farmhand soon joins them after a lightning bolt chases him into the sky. They land in Oz, where the farmhands try to avoid capture. Semon becomes a scarecrow, Hardy briefly disguises himself as a Tin Woodman, and Snowball is given a Lion suit by the Wizard, which he uses to scare the Pumperdink guards.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | wizard of oz | oz | dorothy gale character | scarecrow of oz character | 

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Taglines:

The happiest film ever made! (1970 Re-release)

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Adventure

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Certificate:

TV-G

Did You Know?

Trivia

First broadcast on television in a three-part serial on 8, 9, and 10 June 1931, by W2XCD, an early broadcaster owned by the DeForest Radio Company and based in Passaic, New Jersey.

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Goofs

The plane that brings Kruel's emissaries from Oz to Kansas is a triplane in the long shots of it in mid-air, but a biplane when it lands.

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Quotes

Title Card: In the spring, a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of - lollypops.

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Alternate Versions

The print used for the Brentwood Home Video DVD release features Jacqueline Lovell reading the title cards as part of a newly-recorded soundtrack. This version also uses a slower print of the film, running approx. 110 minutes compared to the approximately 75 minute print issued on DVD by Warner Brothers.

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Connections

Version of The Witches of Oz (2011)

User Reviews

Oy vey!

I approached this film with great interest. Being a fan of Oz in general and silent film in particular, this seemed like a sure fit. Well, it's hard to put all prejudices aside, having (like most people) been bombarded with various adaptations of L. Frank Baum's book that one naturally has preconceptions.

Now, I won't bother to comment on the liberties taken in this film, the 1939 film bears, in all truth, barely a passing resemblance to Baum's dark and bizarre novel. The problem is, the changes made for this film just don't work. It's really just a standard silent slapstick film, but not a very funny one.

It's hard to sit through 90 minutes of lame jokes and vulgar stereotypes. But, as a historical curiosity, the film merits a once-over. I cannot, however, endorse the release pictured on the IMDb page, with it's "Digital Soundtrack" and "Narration." The music is inappropriate and the narration is silly...I mean, I CAN read for myself thank you! It was like sitting in the theatre with some rude patron talking to the screen! I expect this was added for children watching the films, but I really don't think many young children today would sit through this, sadly.

See it at least once, but don't expect too much from it.

Details

Official Sites:

review of movie review of the film.

Country:

USA

Release Date:

27 January 1925 (UK)

Also Known As:

Der Zauberer von OZ

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chadwick Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min 72 min (2005 alternate)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1