5. THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)

There is very little to say about The Wizard of Oz that hasn't already been said. A cautionary fable of a little girl learning that there's no place like home, it has become a classic, especially because of the extensive play it receives on CBS every year. It's a story about growing up, leaving home, and eventually appreciating what home represents.

But what many people don't realize about The Wizard of Oz is that when author L. Frank Baum created the tale, it was actually a hidden analysis of the Populist agenda in the late 1800s. Here are some of the clues:

  • Dorothy's slippers were originally made of silver (they were changed to ruby slippers for the movie to show off the Technicolor). When Dorothy is trotting down the yellow (gold) brick road, it ultimately leads to a false salvation (the Wizard won't help her). In the late 1800s, the Populists argued that a silver standard (coinage based on the silver economy) would benefit the country better than the gold standard.

  • The Scarecrow represents the Midwestern farmer who, if you give him the chance, really is the foundation of the country. The Tin Man represents the working man who is reduced to a heartless machine by society. The Cowardly Lion represents William Jennings Bryan, a pacifist famed for feisty oration. Dorothy represents the "little guy," Oz represents Washington D.C., and the Wizard represents the President (who looks scary, but really can't keep his promises).

  • The Wizard sends Dorothy to defeat the Wicked Witch of the West (the untamed nature of the Western U.S.). In the end, Dorothy learns that she could have returned home whenever she wanted to. In other words, we all have to solve our own problems, instead of turning to the government every time something goes wrong.

A little far-fetched of an analysis? Perhaps. But it's certainly more interesting than your standard movie review. And if you don't buy all of it, then just enjoy The Wizard of Oz for what it also is: a fantastic musical adventure that will turn you back into a 7-year-old.

Notes:

  • Nominated for 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
  • Won 2 Academy Awards: Best Music and Best Song ("Over the Rainbow").
  • Judy Garland was awarded an special Outstanding Juvenile Performance Academy Award.
  • L. Frank Baum came up with the name "Oz" by looking at a filing cabinet and noting that the top drawer was labeled A-N, the bottom O-Z.
  • Buddy Ebsen was supposed to be the original Tin Man, but he developed a severe allergic reaction to the aluminum makeup. He almost died and was hospitalized for months. He was replaced by Jack Haley.
  • The song "Over the Rainbow" was almost cut from the film, because the studio felt that it dragged the pacing down.
  • Margaret Hamilton, the Wicked Witch of the West, had to be hospitalized for a month after she got severely burned by pyrotechnics during her disappearance from Munchkinland.
  • Placed #6 on the American Film Institute's "100 Greatest Movies" List.