Baum, not at his best, but still wonderful
When Scraps, the Patchwork Girl, is brought to life, she accidentally turns her creator's wife and Ojo's uncle to marble. In typical Oz fashion, Ojo, Scraps, and the Glass Cat are set on a mission to obtain the magic ingredients to save the stone people. The journey is full of Baum's trademark unusual creatures and moral complications. Clever, but not as much as his earlier Oz books. Grade: B
Wonderful children's book
The Oz books have been my favorite since I first read them in 3rd grade. I will soon have my education degree and I fully plan on having the entire set for my classroom library. These books are so full of imagination and are so well written. They are books that I still read even now as an adult. I hope to one day inherit my Dad's set, which are the original books from when they first came out. Until then the ones from Amazon will suffice. I definitely recommend these books to everyone who enjoys escaping from the real world for a while or to parents who want a quality book to read to their children.
Patchwork Girl of Oz FILM Review (THIS is NOT a BOOK!!!)
I am reviewing this 'Patchwork Girl of Oz' because it is an old Silent-Black&White Movie, NOT the Novel!!!! Check your items before reviewing!!! I have this Film on the "World of Oz" DVD.
The 1st of L. Frank Baum's 3 S-B&W 'Oz Film Manufacturing Productions', this follows the story closely but with some departures, additions and changes. There is on screen type-writing for scenes where footage is missing such as the (said-to-be) "elaborate" opening, the bringing to life of Scraps the Patchwork Girl & the Petrification of Unc Nunkie etc. and the End Credits, which does Not list the actors/characters or staff/crew. The opening foir this movie includes a longer glance at Ozma's face than the 2 later films. This film goes for 1 hr 6 mins, longer than the later two films. Many (if not all) scenes take a while and are slow, despite excited acting. Unlike the later S-B&W Oz films (including Larry Semon's awful "Wizard") this movie does not have the woman narrating the on-screen writing (thank goodness!).
Violet Macmillian plays Ojo, a young Munchkin boy who lives in poverty & hunger with his munchkin guardian Unc Nunkie (Frank Moore), who both leave for Emerald City for food. Dr Pipt the Crooked Magician is making the Powder of Life so that his wife Margolotte can bring her patchwork girl to life as a servant. Their daughter, Jesseva accepts proposal by her lover Danx the Munchkin. Ojo and Unc Nunkie encounter Mewel the Mule (Fred Woodward, who appears throughout this picture with no real importance and in the later films) and the Munchkins who congratulate Jesseva and Danx. They arrive at Dr. Pipt's house and watch him work, and Ojo sneaks magic brains into the patchwork girl's head. After the Powder of Life is ready, the Liquid of Perification transforms Unc Nunkie, Margolotte and Danx into stone, and Dr Pipt says they must find the ingredients for the antidote: He will find the Dark Well while Ojo and Jesseva look for the other (2) ingredients, shrinking the statue of Danx so that Jesseva will not be separated from him. Ojo and Jesseva are joined by the Munchkins before Scraps the Patchwork Girl finds and helps free the Woozy (also Fred Woodward), who is needed for the antidote and comes along. The group meets Jinjur who guides them through the Wall of Optical Illusion, falls in love with Jesseva's tiny statue of Danx and warns Ojo that plucking a 6-leaved clover is against the Law of Oz. However Ojo still takes the clover and Jinjur uses this opportunity for the Soldier with the Long Green Whiskers to give her the Danx statue and have the Royal Barracks arrest the Woozy & Munchkins, while Scraps chases after Jinjur to retrieve Danx. Dr Pipt meanwhile finds the House of Magic, giving him rest and food. The Lonesome Zoop (another useless un-important character in the 3 films) makes his debut here. Dr. Pipt meets the Hoppers and his leg is saved by Scraps, who only briefly managed to get Danx back. After they have a brief encounter with the Jolly Tottenhotts, Jinjur steals back Danx again, leaving Dr. Pipt and Scraps to be helped finding the Dark Well by the Horners. In the Throne Room of Ozma of Oz, the prisoners are put on trial for breaking the law. The Royal Jury consists of Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Braided-Man (from "Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz" book), a Tottenhot, a Horner and somebody else. Dr Pipt and Scraps make it back to Emerald City and she and Scarecrow fall in love at first sight. Ozma allows the Wizard of Oz to summon the statues so that Dr Pipt can make and use the Powder of Life to restore them, the tiny staue of Danx finally returned and Jinjur arrested. The Petrified are restored to their normal selves and the loved ones are reunited. The End has Ozma's face again.
This is not really a fantastic Oz picture, because of its time and quality: the picture has not only missing footage but some scenes (in beginning) have a white-out on the sides, and the editing is a bit 'scrappy', looking like there is still some (unnoticed) footage missing or just because of the way it was scripted/filmed. But it's a good film to watch because it includes such characters as the Cowardly Lion and Hungry Tiger as Ozma's bodyguards, the Guadian of the Gates and Long Whiskered Soldier of the Emerald City as well as the Palace itself, which is nicely decorated with an outside swimming fountain. The music is okay. This would be a much better film if such unimportance bits like Mewel, Zoop, Jinjur and other slow sequences were abandoned, as well as a closer adaptation, but most of all an impressive and pleasing restoration, so that the picture and sound is more bearable.
a great addition to your "OZ" collection
If you enjoy all of Frank Baum's crazy books, you will love this quirky book. it is a great addition to your collection!
Patchwork Girl leaves you in stitches
This book marks Baum's return to the world of Oz after trying to quit his fabled story land in an attempt to muse upon new subjects--thankfully, it was an unsuccessful attempt, and he came back with delightful vengeance in this remarkable story. "The Patchwork Girl of Oz" is one of Baum's longer Oz books, and it is also very plot-driven, somewhat of an exception for him. Luckily, this plot--the quest of the Munchkin boy Ojo to save his Uncle from a magic spell--does not come at the expense of Baum's usual humor and story-telling style. This book is very funny, mostly due to the introduction of the Patchwork girl herself, who, of course, quickly became an instant favorite with fans of Oz. There are other new characters who are just as delightful, and I'm thinking here of the Woozy. I highly recommend this book, not only to fans of Oz, but to lovers of fantasy.
(21 reviews)
