I have a bunch of favorite movies. A wide array, from several different eras and genres.
Sometimes, I am drawn more to the characters, than the actual movie. But, the best kind of movies have all the elements completely in sync.
It turns into magic… right before your eyes.
I won’t go into the entire list. I’m not sure I really have an entire list, truth be told.
But if it did exist, right there at the top would be The Wizard of Oz. Yes it is a real gem. Like an Emerald, or something.
And two of the reasons I love it so much falls to Bert Lahr and Margaret Hamilton. The Cowardly Lion and The Wicked Witch of the West. They made the movie for me.
Mostly Margaret Hamilton. She had the quintessential villainous face. Oh. And when she was on her bike… as Miss Gulch…. riding into that wind, I would nearly blow a gasket. She reminded me of Sister Adriana.
Shivers down my spine. To this day.
But, here is the thing. I liked her. I still do. I named my very first cat for her. Hamilton. My Bud.
She was born in Ohio. Up in Cleveland. Schoolteacher. Married once with a couple of kids. It didn’t work out with Mr. Wicked Witch, so she ended up raising her kids on her own. She stayed really active in charity work, for children, and for animals. And after here acting career fell away, she went back to teaching.
I didn’t know all this until tonight. I looked it all up because today is her birthday.
Even though she looked wicked on the outside, I bet you she was a totally great person on the inside. She is one of those people I’ve always wanted to meet. Much too late for that now. She died in 1985.
At any rate, I miss Margaret Hamilton. Like I said, her exterior didn’t seem to match up with her interior. Or…. the role she played didn’t do her good heart justice.
That all might be true of us too. Some people may perceive us without really knowing us. They see us on the outside, but not for who we truly are within. The old judging the book by the cover deal.
There is only one thing you can do in those situations….
Be true to yourself.
And… if that doesn’t work…
There certainly is one thing you can say… …….
“I’ll get you my little pretty. And your little dog too.”
A friend is what the heart needs all the time.