The Wizard of Oz (U)

Dec 15 2006 By Graham Young, Birmingham Mail

IF you've got something about you as a parent, you'll do anything but inflict either Santa Clause 3, Deck the Halls or Grounded on your children.

Especially in preference to taking them to see the re-release of this classic MGM musical based on L Frank Baum's original 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale and made in 1938/9, it's amazing to think that director Victor Fleming also made Gone With The Wind in the same period, too - winning the best director Oscar for the Civil War epic instead.

Following last week's London tornado and the more destructive one which hit Moseley/Balsall Heath in Birmingham last summer, The Wizard of Oz is certainly still topical from a meteorological point of view.

Though made truly great by its television appearances, this is also a movie which will never date because it's so timeless.

If you can't find Birmingham's own Yellow Brick Road to Cineworld Broad Street, you might like to know it's on satellite TV on Christmas Day (TCM, 3pm).