THE SLIPPERS (Morgan White, Canada). 90 minutes. Rating: NNN
Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard Of Oz are among the most recognizable items in movie history, evoking all those cozy feelings we associate with the classic.
Who knew that those shoes – rescued from the rubbish heap by costumer Kent Warner when MGM liquidated its assets in the 1970s – would one day be shrouded in theft, mystery and greed?
Director Morgan White can’t avoid his film initially seeming like a minor DVD extra, but he’s got a lot of information to impart and many large personalities to cover, including obsessive collectors and star Debbie Reynolds, whose efforts to open a Hollywood Museum went unrealized for decades.
Historian Rhys Thomas, who wrote a book on the subject, gives the most balanced account of the mystery. And the closing credits are a lovely homage to the film itself.
Apr 30, 3:15 pm, TIFF 1 May 1, 1:15 pm, TIFF 1 May 8, 6:45 pm, Regent
