The Magic Cloak

This is not the Wizard of Oz that we all know and love. This is far from it. The only real memorable character is the donkey (which by the way, was a bad costume). It all felt very awkward and was somewhat boring. It was funny at some parts, especially those involving the Donkey. An interesting fact is that Mildred Harris, who was one of Charlie Chaplin's wives, was in this film. The plot overall was decent, but somewhat predictable. The acting was good for its time but was not great. The music was appropriate for the Magic Cloak. There was just enough humor to keep me satisfied.

Overall, I give it a 6/10.

This adaptation of L. Frank Baum's "The Magic Cloak of Oz" is an enjoyable fantasy feature that is also quite resourceful for its era. The settings and costumes are often lavish, and most of the special visual effects work well. The story is complex and lively, making for good entertainment.

A number of sources indicate that Baum himself directed this feature, replacing J. Farrell MacDonald after the first of the three Oz features in this 1914 series. Whether or not Baum actually did the direction, he certainly had a clear image of what he wanted the Oz world to look like, and you can clearly see his influence in the way that the characters and the Oz locations are brought to life.

The story, like all of the Oz stories, is a fun one that takes numerous exaggerated, imaginative characters and weaves them into the same narrative. As the main plot device, the magic cloak is the focus of the characters, and the story wisely makes restrained use of its actual powers so as to keep the focus on the characters themselves.

The cast includes several performers who also appeared in one or both of the other features in the series. Mildred Harris and Violet MacMillan, as Fluff and Bud, make sympathetic main characters. As Nikodemus, Fred Woodward gets the chance to show his skill with animal costumes, and several other good costume animals also appear. Juanita Hansen as Queen Zixi, the silly-looking Rolly Rogues, and the rest of the characters all get some moments of their own.

The movie features plenty of imaginative details, and the settings work well in bringing you into Baum's fantasy world. Although this is not quite a full-length feature, it's quite a bit longer than the average film was in 1914, and much of the production is creative and innovative for its time. It's an enjoyable movie that still holds up rather well for those who enjoy silent movies.

Just finished watching The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914) and it was an interesting proof of concept.

Positives for The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914): There is a lot of intrigue to be had with this proof of concept. The initial idea can lead to some interesting adaptations or version of the stories that can be told in different forms of media. And finally, it was cool to see this ideas brought to life as a silent film.

Negatives for The Magic of Cloak (1914): Because it is a proof of concept, there isn't a lot to explore in this version of the story. Aside from the concept itself, this was a little dull to watch.

Overall, The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914) is an interesting and unique story to tell on screen and I would love to see a modern day version of this story be tolded to a modern audience someday.

A quarter century before Dorothy and her compatriots danced and sang their way down the yellow brick road, L. Frank Baum founded a production company and made some movie versions of his novels. One was "The Magic Cloak", which won't be immediately recognizable as part of the series. It centers on a cloak that grants the wearer a wish, but the story jumps around a lot. The best part is when the Rolly Rogues invade the town: these big fat guys look just like what anyone would toss into a movie for comic relief.

It's an OK movie, but the other two in this series were better. Even better still is the 1925 adaptation of Baum's most famous novel, featuring Oliver Hardy as the Tin Man.

A historical note for this one is that Fluff is played by Mildred Harris, who was married to Charlie Chaplin for a few years. Milla Jovovich played her in Richard Attenborough's "Chaplin".

Whoa....I guess I need to get around to reading those Oz books by Frank L Baum! I haven't yet, but boy are they different from the stuff you saw in the 1939 film!! This film finds a mythical kingdom without a king. Since the dead king had no heirs, the law says that the 47th person to pass through a certain gate will be their new ruler! And, unfortunately, it's Bud--a kid who would rather spend the country's treasury on toys than do anything to help his new subjects. In the meantime, there's a story about a donkey and other animals that are really people dressed up in odd costumes and there is a plot involving a magic cloak. All of this is pretty weird but also pretty entertaining because it is so incredibly strange and oddly entertaining. Overall, it's a really weird but engaging film that made me smile several times due to it's kitschy style and charm. It's NOT a film, however, to show to those unfamiliar with silent films--it might just be too strange and might scare them away from an awesome genre. Fun and weird.