Review #474 - The Wizard of Oz (1939)
THE SCOOP
Director: Victor Fleming
Cast: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger
Plot: Dorothy Gale is swept away to a magical land in a tornado and embarks on a quest to see the Wizard who can help her return home.
Genre: Adventure / Fantasy / Musical
Awards: Won 2 Oscars - Best Original Score and Best Original Song. Nom. for 4 Oscars - Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Special Effects. Nom. for Golden Palm (Cannes).
Runtime: 101min
Rating: G
IN RETROSPECT (Spoilers: YES)
A masterpiece of the classical Hollywood studio system, The Wizard of Oz is one of the best American films ever made.
Directed by Victor Fleming, who takes
sole directorial credit despite some sequences shot by other filmmakers like
King Vidor (who shot the Kansas
1939 represents the pinnacle of Fleming’s directing
career, helming this and the beloved Gone
with the Wind in a one-two success unrivalled in contemporary cinema,
perhaps only mirrored by the triumph that is Spielberg’s Schindler’s List and Jurassic Park in 1993.
Based on the book by L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz tells the story of a farm girl named Dorothy
Gale (Judy Garland) who gets swept away by a tornado into the Land of Oz. There she meets three unforgettable characters
– Scarecrow (lacking a brain), Tin Man (lacking a heart), and the Cowardly Lion
(lacking courage) – who accompany her to find the Wizard to get her back to Kansas .
At the same time, they have to face a
nasty Witch hell bent on getting that magic ruby slippers Dorothy is wearing.
The Wizard of Oz is
a story told with energy and vigour. Its
characters are live-action but seem animated because they exaggerate their
movements and behave queerly. The Tin
Man gets rusty easily and needs to be oiled often. The Scarecrow walks with difficulty as he is
stuffed with straw. The Cowardly Lion
whimpers and would hide at the sight of a mouse (if there is one). Each of them is developed so vividly that in
the end when Dorothy has to part ways, it leaves us with a genuinely emotional
farewell scene.
As a musical, The
Wizard of Oz offers
numerous song-and-dance numbers such as “Off to See the Wizard” which never
fail to enlighten, almost coaxing viewers to stand up and groove to the rhythm.
These occur in the scenes in the Land of Oz, bringing out the jovial,
stress-free, and optimistic mood of the place which is fantastically realized
through the use of beautiful physical sets and colourful matte paintings. Although a keen observer can tell where the
set ends and the matte begins, the picturesque-ness of it all eliminates any
negative thoughts of the film’s visual quality.
Fleming’s picture has its moments of splendour and a fair
share of quotable quotes. Yet the most
unforgettable sequence does not occur in sumptuous colour. It occurs in Kansas Garland .
The Wizard of Oz is highly rewatchable and has a universal appeal. While this is considered Fleming’s work, it is important to note that its success is largely “the triumph of the producer’s art.” (Newman). MGM’s Mervyn LeRoy should take equal, if not more, credit for this gem of a film.
GRADE: A+ (9.5/10 or 5 stars)
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