Leonard Maltin has been in love with the movies since he was a kid, publishing a magazine, Film Fan Monthly, when he was 15 and at 18 completing the first edition of his long-running Movie Guide, considered essential next to every film buffs’ TV, on their desks, on the bed table, and even as a bathroom reading staple. And more books kept coming. When “Entertainment Tonight” asked him to become their film critic he and his wife Alice moved to Los Angeles and his numerous projects continued, including often appearing on Turner Classic Movies and appearing at the TCM Festivals and Cruises. Probably he and Alice’s proudest “project” is their daughter Jessie who has worked with her dad developing a popular podcast, a film festival, websites and now, FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT MENUS: Recipes & Films for Unforgettable Times Together. Jessie has been seeing movies with her parents as long as she can remember and her daughter Daisy is followong in her footsteps.“Leonard and Jessie team with Turner Classic Movies for the essential guide to 25 family-friendly classic films, paired with delicious and simple recipes to make movie-watching a next-level experience for all ages.

The duo team up to help introduce classics in the same way Leonard did with his own family: by sharing the best of the best that’s fit for the enjoyment of a range of ages from pre-school on up. And just like in the Maltin household, enhancing the experience with easy dishes—from snacks to entrees and desserts—inspired by the films to make together only adds to the experience.

Each entry includes a film profile filled with  behind-the-scenes stories about the production, stars, and filmmakers; moments to watch (or watch out) for; recommended further viewing; and a recipe inspired by the film to make together before the credits roll and enjoy while watching. The movies span one silent entry (The Kid), through classic horror (Bride of Frankenstein), to legendary stories (The Wizard of Oz), musicals (The Sound of Music), can’t miss adventures (Star Wars), and modern must-sees (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone). Other featured titles include: Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), Singin’ in the Rain (1952), To Kill a Mockingbird (1963), Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1973), E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982), Princess Bride (1987), Addams Family (1991), The Secret Garden (1993), Enchanted (2007), and more!

THE WIZARD OF OZ

(1939)

101 MINUTES

Directed by Victor Fleming | Produced by Mervyn LeRoy

Screenplay by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, Edgar Allan Woolf

Cinematography by Hal Rosson | Musical direction by Herbert Stothart

Songs by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg | Cast: Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Frank Morgan, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charley Grapewin, Clara Blandick

In late 2024, a private collector paid $28 million for a prop from a classic movie made more than eighty years ago. The bounty was the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, a rare example of a classic film that has never left the psyche or the hearts of its many fans. Wicked is just the latest variation on the original story, based on L. Frank Baum’s 125-year-old book.

The story centers on a Kansas girl named Dorothy Gale who yearns for a more colorful life than the one she leads on her drab family farm. She wishes she were over the rainbow, in a magical place that forms in her imagination. Suddenly, a tornado erupts all around her and a piece of debris knocks her out cold. When she awakens, she finds herself in Oz, where her house has landed upon (and killed) the Wicked Witch of the East—making her a heroine to the resident Munchkins. They advise her to follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City, where she will find the wizard, who can send her safely back home. Along the way she meets a rusted Tin Man who wants a heart, an overworked Scarecrow who wishes he had a brain, and a Cowardly Lion who yearns for the one thing he lacks: cour­age. They lock arms and head off together to see the wonderful wizard who can make their dreams come true. Naturally, complications arise.

This 1939 feature is about as perfect as any film can hope to be. It’s certainly one of the most quoted movies of all time. “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.” “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” “And your little dog, too.” You’re as likely to hear one of those dialogue snippets in a television episode as you are in everyday conversation. How many older films have retained that level of awareness in a generation that wasn’t born when it first appeared?

One reason this lavish fantasy holds up so well is that it doesn’t talk down to its audience; its screenplay is intelligent and witty. Another major aspect is the once-in-a-lifetime cast, led by sixteen-year-old Judy Garland. She was nothing like Dorothy in real life, so what you’re see­ing is a beautifully sincere performance. When she sings “Over the Rainbow,” you believe every word of it. And when she starts traveling on that yellow brick road, you’re right alongside her.

A few safety warnings for parents of young children: there are some scary scenes involving the Wicked Witch of the West and her army of flying monkeys, and a nightmarish sequence in which trees in the forest come to life. But like many such films, this one includes frightening moments to make its heartfelt story that much richer and deeper.

Next, a strong suggestion: The Wizard of Oz has been examined more closely than almost any other movie of its time. Entire books have been written about its creation, but don’t let your family read anything before they see it. Everyone should have a chance to let it weave its magic spell without thinking about how its effects were achieved or what was going on off-camera. After a showing, you can consult a variety of sources to learn about the unprecedented effort that went into its production as Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer (MGM) Studios’ most expensive movie up to that time.

The film was not a smash hit when it was first released. It crept into the zeit­geist because of its annual airings on tele­vision. In the days long before cable TV, home video, or streaming, it could only be seen once a year on a broadcast network in prime time. Families circled the date on their calendars so as not to miss out. Anticipation was keen, to put it mildly.

My wife remembers watching the film on her family’s black-and-white televi­sion set. It wasn’t until the 1960s, with the growing popularity of color TV, that folks at home were finally able to appre­ciate one of the greatest moments in all of movie history: Dorothy’s first sight of Oz. The transition from the humdrum, sepia-tinted Kansas world to the dazzling Tech­nicolor land of Oz is unforgettable. Time hasn’t dimmed the impact of this reveal, which we dare you to compare to any modern-day computer-generated effect. See if your family doesn’t audibly react to this incredible moment.

Every year a different star or group of stars was recruited to host the TV presen­tation, and for a time these introductory segments were produced and directed by Jack Haley Jr., whose father played the Tin Man. When I worked at Entertainment Tonight, I realized that no one had ever turned the camera on Jack, who visited the enormous set at MGM when he was a boy. So I did. His clearest memory was walking on the yellow brick road and bumping into a wall: the painted set created an illusion for the viewer, but he confronted reality in that moment.

Judy Garland was never more endear­ing than she is in Oz. Her singing voice is so appealing that we may take her work as an actress for granted. If you and your family fall in love with Judy, the other film that’s a must-see is Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), which is also covered in this book.

A quick trip to YouTube will enable you to enjoy performances, mostly from tele­vision variety shows, featuring Garland’s talented costars Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, and Ray Bolger. If you tune in to Turner Classic Movies, you will have many opportunities to see Frank Morgan, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, and the other players who were so well cast in this pic­ture. See if your family can identify Mor­gan, who in addition to Professor Marvel appears briefly in three other roles. Sub­tle changes in his makeup may cast doubt that he’s the same fellow—but he is.

Margaret Hamilton reveled in playing the Wicked Witch of the West and signed photographs to fellow cast members and fans alike “W.W.W,” which tells you a lot about her sense of humor. In real life, she was nothing like the villainess she plays so vividly. Everyone who met her held her in the highest regard. She even was a guest of Fred Rogers on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood to prove she wasn’t a real-life meanie. Following an appearance at the Telluride Film Festival in 1981, I wit­nessed flight staff tripping over them­selves to take special care of her once they realized who she was.

A well-timed fire drill enabled me (Leonard) to meet another of Oz’s lead­ing lights at the Lincoln Center branch of the New York Public Library. I was tak­ing a break from staring at old newspa­pers on a microfilm viewer when I real­ized that the man sitting right next to me was Jack Haley Sr. I managed to say hello but didn’t want to disrupt him or anyone else. Just then a horn sounded loudly over the public-address system, and we were told to leave the building. I took advan­tage of this to ask Haley about his life and career, and he was happy to oblige as we wandered over to the fountain plaza. He explained that he developed the voice of the Tin Man from reading stories to his son at bedtime in a breathless way. He demonstrated it for me, and it was as if thirty years melted away.

“Over the Rainbow” is the most famous song to emerge from the score but not the only piece of music com­missioned for it. The suite of songs per­formed for Dorothy by the Munchkins represent a banquet of ingenuity: “Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are,” “The House Began to Pitch,” “As Mayor of the Munchkin City,” “As Coroner, I Must Aver,” “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead,” “Lullaby League,” “Lollipop Guild,” and “We Welcome You to Munchkinland.” You may think you know these songs, but their wordplay is so clever that you will find yourself discovering new delights upon each hearing. (If you’ve never heard Bobby McFerrin sing the entire medley a cappella, go look it up right now.) All hail E. Y. “Yip” Harburg and Harold Arlen for their wonderful words and music. They won an Oscar for “Over the Rainbow,” and MGM workhorse Herbert Stothart earned another for his brilliant musical adaptation, including themes not connected with the songs that I, for one, have running through my head all the time.

The Wizard of Oz is eternal, and most attempts to copy it pale in comparison. The original is the one you want to share with your loved ones. Why? “Because, because, because, because, because!”

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Pizza

The Wizard himself would be impressed with this festive meal. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make the dough yourself—but a store-bought base works just fine. Same goes for your sauce. The focus on this pizza is bringing the rainbow to life, so let the ROYGBIV in your heart soar.

Amount depends on the size of your pizza

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Orange, green, red, and yellow bell peppers, sliced

Broccoli or broccolini, chopped

Red onion, sliced

Eggplant, chopped

Store-bought pizza dough

1 jar red pizza or pasta sauce

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Balsamic glaze

(Go here to see the Rainbow Pizza.)

Preheat your oven to 400°F before you start prepping your vegetables. This doesn’t have to be a test of knife skills—and don’t be embarrassed if that onion makes you cry.

Roll out your dough to the desired size. Carefully move the dough to a large sheet pan.

In a medium bowl, mix your red sauce and ricotta cheese together, then spread them over the pizza base, leaving space at the edges for the crust. Sprin­kle a bit of mozzarella cheese on top.

Now is the fun part. Create your rainbow of veg­etables. You can mix everything together or go by color, starting with your red cherry tomatoes, then your bell peppers. Next up is your green broccoli or broccolini, followed by your onions and eggplant.

You should now have a gorgeous rainbow in front of you. You can add more mozzarella cheese here or leave it as is. The final touch is drizzling some balsamic glaze on top of your creation.

Bake the pizza for about 18 minutes—a little longer if you like it crispy.

Pull out when finished and slice it up.

Excerpted from by Leonard Maltin & Jessie Maltin. Copyright © 2026. Available from Running Press, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

From the Leonard’s website.

“We have joined forces to produce a book which is now available for pre-order online. FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT MENUS is part of the TCM library of books published by Running Press. In it you will find essays on 25 films—from Charlie Chaplin to Harry Potter—that we consider classics worth sharing with your family, along with recipes for snacks and meals inspired by those movies. If you’re thinking that Jessie handled the food and I tackled the films, you’re wrong. Jessie has contributed to my Movie Guides since she was an adolescent and in recent years has become my editor—and a darn good one, too. She goosed my sometimes prosaic prose and helped to enliven my writing.

The book’s official publication date was April 7, 2026. That night we proudly to be hosted an entire evening on Turner Classic Movies with their Noir Alley stalwart Eddie Muller. We had such a good time chatting about National Velvet, Meet Me in St. Louis, and Sounder. After hours the theme continues with screenings of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Kid, which is the oldest movie in the book. (Our food recommendation for that film is Coogan Cakes, to replicate the pancakes that little Jackie Coogan makes for his sleeping papa, Charlie Chaplin.)

I’ve always admired the look and feel of these TCM books, and ours is no exception. It’s a handsome package and a durable one, too, which will come in handy if you plan to follow Jessie’s recipes and keep the book open while cooking or baking. We encourage you to sit down with your family and your friends to have a good old fashioned movie night. Make something to eat together then put your devices away, and let yourself be swept away.

Et voila! The first book to announce on its spine that it is the work of Maltin and Maltin. I couldn’t be more proud.”