Maybe we are living in Oz now? And perhaps not much has changed since 1939. Or maybe The Wizard of Oz finds meaning in every generation it touches based on the world surrounding it at the time.
For 85 years, The Wizard of Oz has captivated audiences with catchy tunes, charm and technicolour beauty. On its release in 1939, it sat at the cutting edge of filmmaking, wowing audiences with its use of colour, grand sets, and flying monkeys.
MGM’s lavish adaptation of Baum’s book was not the first to grace the silver screen; a silent movie version had been released in 1910. However, MGM’s adaptation was a world away from anything that had come before, and as a result, it was plagued by technical problems and turbulence from the outset. Costumes were so restrictive that actors could barely move, toxic paints were used as makeup, leading to burns and chest problems, effects went wrong and caused injuries, and the young Judy Garland was fed uppers and downers to keep her awake and thin.
Meanwhile, the ever-increasing budget for The Wizard of Oz would only add to MGM’s woes, as it reached the unheard-of cost of $ 2.7 million, double the cost of any previous MGM picture to that date.
Hopes were high that Victor Fleming’s film would attract large cinema audiences upon its release, but despite positive reviews, hardly any butts ended up in seats, leading to re-releases in 1949 and 1955 to try and recoup some of the cost. Yet, despite its problems and failings at the time, it has become one of the most beloved cinematic treasures of Hollywood’s Golden era. Its songs have become legendary, its themes of found family, equality and hope timeless, and its performances eternally endearing.
But look deeper, and Dorothy’s journey through Oz is a journey through a changing social landscape, one where political deceit had become the norm, new cities offered dreams they couldn’t fulfil, and people followed leaders who claimed to have all the answers but in reality, had none, as they hid behind tricks and curtains.
Maybe we are living in Oz now? And perhaps not much has changed since 1939. Or maybe The Wizard of Oz finds meaning in every generation it touches based on the world surrounding it at the time. If that’s the case, there’s no denying that Victor Fleming’s troubled yet beautiful film is one of the greatest moving pictures ever made.
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