Really, now?Īnd then there’s just plain Larry Semon himself. What can you say about story revisions to the Oz books that make the scarecrow, the tin woodsman and the cowardly lion nothing more than escape disguises for Semon and his homies. Hang Dorothy from a tower by a rope then set alight a fire beneath it? Really? What about Larry’s later escape from death by ladder hanging from a biplane? Really? Is this an Oz film or a serial? Dorothy is terrorized by Kruel’s men who look like a bunch of Zorro wannabees who have seen too many film melodramas. And, is comedy in 1925 really nothing more than a chase? Say, is this an Oz film or a Keystone comedy? Because we lost track of the number of chases. And every lightning strike is a groaner, from deus ex machina conflict resolutions with Kruel’s men and Semon’s indecisive escape for cover, to stupid leaping comic reactions by Semon and Hardy and Snowball’s air pursuit by lightning - which at least harkens back to The Twentieth Century Tramp (1902). The bees business is routinely plotted, lamely executed, and relies too much on the poor effects animation. The farm gags are senseless and predictable. Frank Alexander as Dorothy’s uncle is mean only for the sake of propelling Semon’s need of escape into a series of gags. Bryant Washburn is OK as Prince Kynd, but looks like he’s trying to emulate dapper Norman Kerry. Need we say more? How about dopey visual effects, dumbfounding racial stereotypes, confusing characterization and questionable casting? Dorothy Dwan is too old for her childish character and its ill-defined characterization, as is Semon for his - but he is the star and she is his wife.
But the film was nonetheless made, released, and has survived, which is ultimately bad news for fans of the Baum books.Įverything is wrong with this film: poor direction, poor set-up and choice of shots, lame film business, tired comedy gags, brainless plotting and stupid story structure. The film was a pet project of the comedian’s, who should have been talked out of it.
Frank Baum’s classic childrens’ novel, The Wizard of Oz. Larry Semon is at his unfunniest as a leading man, writer, gag man and director in this misguided final silent era adaptation of L.