That was the tagline when The Wizard of Oz was released on this day in 1939. It's hard to argue that it wasn't true. Even today it remains one of the best loved American movies of all time.

Rightly so, in my humble opinion.

The special effects were breathtaking for their day. Where else could you see a whole house lifted into a massive tornado? A talking scarecrow, a tin man, and a lion who was afraid of his own tail? Where else would you find a horse of a different color? Or flying monkeys? Or a warty wicked witch and a wizard with his own special effects?

Toto was my favorite character, of course. Because...well...Toto was a dog. And like a lot of dogs his size: Toto was not scared of anyone or anything. Even if they were a lot bigger and definitely a lot badder than him.

Like a lot of kids, I lacked Toto's fearlessness. So, like a lot of kids, the film scared me half to death the first time I saw it. And the second. And probably the third, too. I never told my parents how scary it was because I wanted to see it again and again. I knew if they knew, they wouldn't let me go. Like most parents, they wouldn't have understood. Even when we were petrified to pieces, we loved The Wizard of Oz.

I still do. Every time I see it. And even when it still scares me a little.

Your "Off to See the Wizard Again" Gift Guru,
Linda