The Wizard of Oz

The film The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939. Even though Judy Garland and Edgar Yip Harburg won Oscars it was not a commercial or a critical success, the New Yorker said of it that it had “No trace of imagination, good taste or integrity” and the New Republic said it was full of “Freak characters”. The success and the cult of the Wizard of Oz was to come later when in 1956 CBS leased the film from MGM for television. They had been after Gone With The Wind but settled for The Wizard Of Oz. The films popularity took of with television

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Harburg was a lyricist, he wrote all of the songs for The Wizard Of Oz.  The most famous song Over the Rainbow was almost thrown out several times but was in the end saved by Louis B Mayer. Harburg was a social activist and his songs were often songs about struggle and hope. I believe his lyrics resonate with the average Joe and the song Over the Rainbow is sometimes interpreted as what we are forever struggling for.

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The book and the film has had many interpretations and is seen as a story that is rich in symbolism. Henry Littleton used the imagery in the book to teach political history to his students. Using the book as a political allegory of the populist movement of its time. Other people have interpreted it as a spiritual journey. Others see it as a fairy story in the same vein as Hans Christian Andersen and the brothers Grimm. Baum acknowledged the influence of their fairy stories. The Wizard of Oz is an American fairy story and as such mirrors the dark and the light side of American Society.First and foremost though it is a ripping yarn for kids of all ages.

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From a philosophical perspective Baum explored the concepts of appearance and reality. For example in the book the emerald city was not emerald; the characters were made to wear green glasses that give the city the appearance of being emerald.

The 1939 film managed to stay reasonably true to the novel no mean feat all things considered. In conclusion some trivia. It is said the cast did not have a happy time onset in contrast to the happy essence of the film. The actors who played the lion the tinman and the scarecrow were not allowed to eat in the canteen when in their costumes because it is said their appearance upset and disturbed other people. The little people who acted the munchkins were paid less that the dog, earning roughly $50.00 a week and room and board. Judy Garland was one of the least well paid main actors earning $500.00 a week. The dog had to have a stunt double after being blown across the room by the wind machine.  Margaret Hamilton (wicked witch of the west) nearly died when her makeup caught fire and her stand in was injured after being blown of the broomstick

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Most of the cast are dead now but the film endures. It has become a lasting part of American and western culture.