Revisiting Oz

Surrender Dorothy

The Wizard of Oz (MGM 1939) is one of my favorite movies, of all time. Much of the magic in this movie lies in the creative genius of the moviemakers -- not just the textual imagery of L. Frank Baum's novel. Oz is also perhaps one of the most quoted, beloved movies in anyone's book. The quotes are too many to list all, but here are some good ones:

"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore".
"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?".
"There's no place like home".
"Surrender Dorothy!". (writing in sky)
"I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too".

This movie didn't come off without a hitch. Director George Cukor was replaced with Victor Fleming midway through the filming, but not without Cukor making two important fixes. Judy Garland's character was initially buxom, blonde and wearing a lot of makeup. Cukor deemed that inappropriate for a little Kansas girl. At 15, Garland really was buxom, and probably 5 years older than the role in the book, but still -- Cukor had a point. Initially, the wicked witch was also a stunning brunette beauty -- casting was probably influenced by the beautiful evil queen in Snow White. Cukor thought that Margaret Hamilton's snarling visage was more convincing -- also people wouldn't want to see a beautiful woman cackle or melt. Oz brought together some of the finest acting, directing, song-writing talents ever, to one MGM movie set. It's hard to say how much less it would be if you took away any part of it (for example) Bert Lahr, Ray Bolger or the songs of Harold Arlen.

Everyone sees some type of morality tale, some type of symbolic presence in the movie -- and I'm no exception! :-) Many people liken the Wizard to God, but my own symbol scheme is a bit different:

Ruby slippers - symbolize ultimate truth, which is mostly unobtainable and useless to someone with inferior, selfish motives
Emerald City - Man's limited concept of Heaven; also it might symbolize what money can buy
The Wizard - Man's limited concept of God; his angry mockup might also be some type of indictment of organized religion
The Yellow Brick Road - Symbolizes a path of righteousness, recommended good behavior (i.e. 10 commandments, Golden Rule)
Good Witch Glenda - God, actually - the source of ultimate knowledge and Dorothy's real rescuer. (Recall that the Wizard's hot air balloon doesn't work).

There are many other things in the movie (munchkins, cowardly lion, etc) that can also be symbolic of something, but this blog can only go a few paragraphs or I wear out. The movie presented such fantastic flip side to the ordinary view of life -- a monochrome Kansas gave way to a technicolor Oz. The Kansas farm hands had alter egos as a scare crow, a tin man and a cowardly lion.

Couple of things to note. When Dorothy’s house first lands in Oz, it crushes the Wicked Witch of the East. Dorothy is unaware, and when she steps into Oz, someone is already mad at her (The Wicked Witch of the West). This is so much like my life – I visit some place, and someone is already pissed off. Dorothy asks the Good Witch at the end, “Why did we have to go through all of this? Why didn’t you just have me click my heels to begin with?” The witch replies, “You wouldn’t have believed me”. Some of us have to be shown. Over or under the rainbow, Wizard of Oz is one of the most thought-provoking, enjoyable, witty-remark inducing movies ever made.