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Wizard of Oz
USA 1925
produced by
Larry Semon, I.E.Chadwick (executive) for Chadwick Pictures
directed by Larry Semon
starring Larry Semon, Dorothy Dwan, Oliver Hardy, Spencer Bell (as G.Howe Black), Josef Swickard, Frank Alexander, Mary Carr, Charles Murray, Bryant Washburn, Virginia Pearson, Otto Lederer, Frederick Ko Vert
screenplay by L.Frank Baum jr (= Frank Joslyn Baum), Larry Semon, Leon Lee, based on the novel by L.Frank Baum
silent
Wizard of Oz
review by
Mike Haberfelner
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Evil Prime Minister Kruel (Josef Swickard) rules Oz with his iron hand,
but now Coronation Day nears, and the people of Oz demand the
return of their rightful queen - and since the Prime Minister fears the
advent of the queen would diminish his power (or worse), he tells his
henchmen to find and get rid of her or at least destroy the documents that
prove her identity ...
Cut to Kansas: Dorothy (Dorothy Dwan) is the rightful queen of Oz, but
she was abandoned on the doorstep of uncle Henry (Frank Alexander) and
aunt Em (Mary Carr) as a baby and has grown up on their farm, where she is
now best friends with the three farmhands (Larry Semon, Oliver Hardy,
Spencer Bell), but she is really in love with only one of them (Semon).
Then the Prime Ministers arrive and try their best to kill her or get
their hands on the documents ... but before you know it, a hurricane takes
Dorothy, her uncle and aunt, their farm, and the three farmhands to Oz,
where she much to the dismay of the Prime Minister, immediately claims her
throne - and she has the three farmhands to fight by her side. However,
the Prime Minister is quick to win one of them (Hardy) over (after Oliver
Hardy did a bit as Tin Woodsman) and throws the others, who are now
dressed up as Scarecrow (Semon) and Lion (Bell) into the dungeon. somehow
though,t he two manage to escape the dungeon and set a few wrongs right -
however loverboy farmhand (Semon of course) has to realize that Dorothy
has since fallen for Prince Kynd (Bryant Washburn) and there is no place
for a farmhand in her realm ... so after yet another chase (that disposes
of Hardy, the rogue farmhand) the two remaining farmhands catch an
airplane back to Kansas while Dorothy and her prince lived happily ever
after.
A rather forgettable version of the Wizard of Oz, which
is made not so much as a fantasy film (as the source would suggest) but a
showcase for its lead (and director), comedian Larry Semon. Unfortunately,
the slapstick and the fantasy elements in the film often clash, and when
that happens Semon invariably goes for comedy, which is not always a great
idea because Semon's slapstick routines (at least in this film) are not
all that special (he certainly was no Buster Keaton). Add to this an
unbalanced and ill-paced script and you pretty much get an idea what
you're in for.
Not really worth your while.
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find Wizard of Oz at adultvideouniverse.com