Plain Dealer: From 'The Wizard of Oz' to 'Gone with the Wind
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 2:16 pm
http://www.cleveland.com/moviebuff/inde ... _wiza.html
From 'The Wizard of Oz' to 'Gone with the Wind,' 1939 may have been the greatest year ever for American films
by Clint O'Connor/Plain Dealer Film Critic
Saturday July 04, 2009, 7:07 PM
The arrival of "The Wizard of Oz" in Cleveland on August 18, 1939, was billed as a major entertainment event. "At Last It's Here!" screamed a huge ad in The Plain Dealer. "Amazing sights to see!"
The Tornado: "Actual photographs of the inside of the tornado that whirled Dorothy to a land more excitingly real than life itself!"
Munchkinland: "A whole city in miniature populated entirely by hundreds of midgets gathered from 42 cities in 29 states!"
Flying Monkeys: "Most amazing camera effects since 'San Francisco'!"
Startling Balloon Ascent: "Up in the stratosphere! What lies beyond the stars? See the glistening Emerald City, the wonderful Palace of Glass!"
Clearly, despite the onslaught of exclamations, the point had not been made. There was additional information about a "Horse of a Different Color," "9,200 living actors," and "trees that talk and throw apples."
Personally, they had me at flying monkeys.
How could you not see this movie?
It opened at the Loew's State Theatre and proved so popular that it was held over for a second week at the Loew's Stillman. A new ad claimed that in just seven days all of Cleveland had become Ozified. "It will take 10 years off your life! No matter how old you are, you will come out of THE WIZARD OF OZ feeling as youthful and spry as if you were 17!"
Sweet.
Judy Garland and that marvelous voice, her effusive trio (the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion), and the stunning visuals of Oz apparently served as a magical fountain of youth. (I would argue that the appearance of the Wicked Witch of the West -- the greenest, meanest, scariest screen villain -- actually deducts years from your life.)
What better way to escape the dreary Depression than to travel from dusty black and white Kansas to a world exploding in Technicolor dreams?
Of course, we have the jaded perspective of having seen "The Wizard of Oz" dozens of times on TV (when Danny Kaye used to introduce it), on video, DVD, even laser disc. It is arguably the greatest Hollywood movie ever concocted, and it was first seen here 70 years ago next month.
But Oz wasn't the most amazing thing about that summer of movies. It's what was playing at the other theaters.
"Wuthering Heights" was showing at the Embassy; "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" was at the Avalon; Ginger Rogers and David Niven were starring in "Bachelor Mother" at Keith's 105th; the University had Henry Fonda as "Young Mr. Lincoln"; the Riverside featured Joan Crawford in "The Women"; while the Hippodrome offered Irene Dunne in "When Tomorrow Comes."
Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy, and Bette Davis all had new releases. Basil Rathbone was Sherlock Holmes, Peter Lorre was Mr. Motto, Johnny Weissmuller was Tarzan, Mickey Rooney was Andy Hardy. All in Cleveland. All in one week.
It was a manic mix of musicals, comedies, love stories, history, espionage, and fantasy. If the 1930s were Hollywood's golden age, then 1939 was its most glittering year.
"Frankly, my dear, 1939 was a very good year." Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh go for the love in "Gone with the Wind."
Saluting 1939: All this month, TCM will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of 1939 with "39 From 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year." The series includes a documentary and classic films from several genres.
On Aug. 8 at 2 p.m., "Gone with the Wind" will get some very big theater treatment at the Palace Theater in downtown Cleveland. It's part of Playhouse Square's Cinema on the Square series.
On Sept. 29, "The Wizard of Oz: Ultimate Collector's Edition" hits stores in DVD and Blu-ray formats (Warner Home Video). A remastered version of the film comes with several extras including four hours of bonus features and a 52-page book.
From 'The Wizard of Oz' to 'Gone with the Wind,' 1939 may have been the greatest year ever for American films
by Clint O'Connor/Plain Dealer Film Critic
Saturday July 04, 2009, 7:07 PM
The arrival of "The Wizard of Oz" in Cleveland on August 18, 1939, was billed as a major entertainment event. "At Last It's Here!" screamed a huge ad in The Plain Dealer. "Amazing sights to see!"
The Tornado: "Actual photographs of the inside of the tornado that whirled Dorothy to a land more excitingly real than life itself!"
Munchkinland: "A whole city in miniature populated entirely by hundreds of midgets gathered from 42 cities in 29 states!"
Flying Monkeys: "Most amazing camera effects since 'San Francisco'!"
Startling Balloon Ascent: "Up in the stratosphere! What lies beyond the stars? See the glistening Emerald City, the wonderful Palace of Glass!"
Clearly, despite the onslaught of exclamations, the point had not been made. There was additional information about a "Horse of a Different Color," "9,200 living actors," and "trees that talk and throw apples."
Personally, they had me at flying monkeys.
How could you not see this movie?
It opened at the Loew's State Theatre and proved so popular that it was held over for a second week at the Loew's Stillman. A new ad claimed that in just seven days all of Cleveland had become Ozified. "It will take 10 years off your life! No matter how old you are, you will come out of THE WIZARD OF OZ feeling as youthful and spry as if you were 17!"
Sweet.
Judy Garland and that marvelous voice, her effusive trio (the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion), and the stunning visuals of Oz apparently served as a magical fountain of youth. (I would argue that the appearance of the Wicked Witch of the West -- the greenest, meanest, scariest screen villain -- actually deducts years from your life.)
What better way to escape the dreary Depression than to travel from dusty black and white Kansas to a world exploding in Technicolor dreams?
Of course, we have the jaded perspective of having seen "The Wizard of Oz" dozens of times on TV (when Danny Kaye used to introduce it), on video, DVD, even laser disc. It is arguably the greatest Hollywood movie ever concocted, and it was first seen here 70 years ago next month.
But Oz wasn't the most amazing thing about that summer of movies. It's what was playing at the other theaters.
"Wuthering Heights" was showing at the Embassy; "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" was at the Avalon; Ginger Rogers and David Niven were starring in "Bachelor Mother" at Keith's 105th; the University had Henry Fonda as "Young Mr. Lincoln"; the Riverside featured Joan Crawford in "The Women"; while the Hippodrome offered Irene Dunne in "When Tomorrow Comes."
Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy, and Bette Davis all had new releases. Basil Rathbone was Sherlock Holmes, Peter Lorre was Mr. Motto, Johnny Weissmuller was Tarzan, Mickey Rooney was Andy Hardy. All in Cleveland. All in one week.
It was a manic mix of musicals, comedies, love stories, history, espionage, and fantasy. If the 1930s were Hollywood's golden age, then 1939 was its most glittering year.
"Frankly, my dear, 1939 was a very good year." Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh go for the love in "Gone with the Wind."
Saluting 1939: All this month, TCM will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of 1939 with "39 From 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year." The series includes a documentary and classic films from several genres.
On Aug. 8 at 2 p.m., "Gone with the Wind" will get some very big theater treatment at the Palace Theater in downtown Cleveland. It's part of Playhouse Square's Cinema on the Square series.
On Sept. 29, "The Wizard of Oz: Ultimate Collector's Edition" hits stores in DVD and Blu-ray formats (Warner Home Video). A remastered version of the film comes with several extras including four hours of bonus features and a 52-page book.