#10 The Wizard of Oz

1939
Director: Victor Fleming, George Cukor

Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton

Ok, if you've never seen this movie are are over the age of 12, then there's something wrong with you! I haven't seen it in a few years, so it was fun to watch again.  I watched this movie with my best friend and this is her favorite movie ever.  She was saying it's funny how you never forget the lines and the songs after you've seen it so many times.
There were so many interesting stories that instead of writing the synopsis, I'll share some that I found.

- When the wardrobe department was looking for a coat for Frank Morgan (Professor Marvel / The Wizard), they decided they wanted one that looked like it had once been elegant but had since "gone to seed". They visited a second-hand store and purchased an entire rack of coats, from which Morgan, the head of the wardrobe department, and director Victor Fleming chose one they felt gave off the perfect appearance of "shabby gentility". One day, while he was on set in the coat, Morgan idly turned out one of the pockets and discovered a label indicating that the coat had been made for L. Frank Baum. Mary Mayer, a unit publicist for the film, contacted the tailor and Baum's widow, who both verified that the coat had at one time been owned by the author of the original "Wizard of Oz" books. After the filming was completed, the coat was presented to Mrs. Baum.

- While filming the scene where Dorothy slaps the Cowardly Lion, Judy Garland got the giggles so badly that they had to take a break in shooting. The director, Victor Fleming, took her aside, gave her a quick lecture, and then slapped her. She returned to the set and filmed the scene in one take. 

- The horses in Emerald City palace were colored with Jell-O crystals. The relevant scenes had to be shot quickly, before the horses started to lick it off.

Up Next: Vertigo

# 11 City Lights

1931
Director: Charles Chaplin
Starring: Charles Chaplin

Story of a tramp who falls in love with a blind flower girl.  He does anything to save up enough money for her to have an operation so she can see.  He forms a friendship with a wealthy man, who only remembers Chaplin when he's drunk.  Chaplin fears that once his girl is able to see again, she won't love him because he's poor.  I am a fan of silent movies, but this one was just so so for me.  I am a little surprised it's number 11 on the list!

Trivia: At the beginning of the film, a town official and a woman dedicating the statue can be heard uttering nondescript words by way of a paper reed mouth instrument. The sounds were made by Charles Chaplin and this was the first time that his voice was heard on film.

Up Next: The Wizard of Oz