Director: Victor Fleming
Year: 1939
Country: U.S
Langage: English
"Somewhere over the rainbow..." Wizard of Oz, like It's a Wonderful Life, seems to be one of those timeless movies that has been seen by generations among generations of people. By the age of ten I had seen this film at least ten times. It seems to always be a movie special on kid related television networks. A fantasy that both young and old enjoy, surprisingly I've never seen a kid complain at how old this film is. At 73 years old, it often baffles us with its surprising lack of age. Wizard of Oz is a film that sees boundaries and breaks them, laughs and then goes on its merry way.
Dorothy (Judy Gardland) is faced with a crisis, give up her dog or lose her farm. Any adult would pick the obvious decision, move the hell away from a sociopath that loves seeing children cry. However Dorothy cannot make such adult decisions, so she attempts to run away. Soon comes a monstrous Tornado, running back to speak to her family she ends up trapped in her home as it's picked up in the fierce wind. Enter head trauma. She wakes up to find herself in a mysterious colorful world in the strange new land of Oz. Accidentally murdering the Wicked Witch of the East she finds herself being worshiped by midgets and hunted down by the Witch of the West, which I find understandable as Dorothy did kill her sister and steal her shoes. Wouldn't you be upset? She meets adults in the land of Oz but they have enormous problems of their own. It isn't until Dorothy breaks bad and becomes an adult that she finally is able to come home.
While watching Wizard of Oz again, I kept saying aloud "Boy, these adults are really stupid!" Then it hit me with a bolt of lightning. That's the message of the film! Someday a child will be on their own, they won't have adults to guide them, they won't need adults to guide them. Children look up to adults as all knowing and all powerful, like the "great" Oz, but in reality adults are only human. They make mistakes and have troubles of their own. Wizard of Oz is about the transition from childhood to adulthood and the important decision a child must make. Dorothy must make all her decision on her own because the adults in charge of her well being are incredibly stupid. The midgets have insatiable bloodlust, the tinman has no heart, the lion has no courage, the scarecrow has no brain, the wicked witch of the west and the "good" witch can't keep their own personal rivalry to themselves without playing headgames with some poor little girl.
Judy Garland was perfect for the role of Dorothy, because like her character she had spent her childhood among foolish adults. MGM nutjobs who would shoot her full of speed to be prepped up for the morning and feed her tranquilizers so she could get a "good" rest. She had the perfect projection of a young lady who deperately wanted to escape. Vulnerable and uncertain, any other child star would be the death of this film, as they might approach the role with too much optimistic energy.
While the special effects are fairly noticeable, it helps create the dream-like structure of Oz. If the film was made with modern effects, it wouldn't have the same impact and emotion we feel. CGI these days either makes the film look too realistic or too cartoon-ish. This film's set is a positive medium of both. The simple story elements in this film, such as the want to go "over the rainbow" certainly is quite appealing to children. For anywhere away from home, their safe haven, is a thrilling adventure full of danger and fun. A child's imagination runs wild when they are anywhere but home. The use of colour and sepia tone to contribute to the film's story is quite brilliant and works really well though it might be lost on the children who likely don't notice the difference. I can only think of two films that have used this technique to heighten the story: Wizard of Oz and Schindler's List.
The only problem I have with this film is that 1939 was an uncertain time in the world. World War II had just begun, the nazis were taking out countries left and right. The horror of the concentration camps were becoming more and more known in America. I feel the studios had a certain responsibility to address these issues, but then again film is often used as escapism. Can I blame MGM from helping people escape from the horrors that were about to unfold? Not every film can be like Rules of the Game.
In conclusion, Wizard of Oz is a brillaint coming of age story about the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is a fantasy that will likely be seen by generations living a hundred years from now. Well made & well directed there is no wonder why this is regarded as one of the best films of the 1930's. While I'm sick of seeing this film, I have seen it over 20 times, I urge that anybody with a child to show this film to their kid.Praise it! 4.5/5
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