The Wizard of Oz Review

The Wizard of Oz


Release Date: 18th April 1940 - Australia


Production Companies
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)


Genre: Family/Fantasy/

Musical

Rating: G

Runtime: 101 minutes


Budget: $2,777,000

Box Office Gross: $29,691,826 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Dorothy Gale's ordinary life turns upside down when a tornado hits her hometown of Kansas and plunges her into an unfamiliar world, the land of Oz. Here, she encounters new friends, such as a Scarecrow with no brain, a Tin Man with no heart and a lion without courage. Together, they journey to find the Wizard, who is
said to hold great power
so that all of them can

grant what they are

missing (in Dorothy's
case, to get back home).
All the while, they are
chased by the Wicked
Witch of the West and her
animal cronies.

Cast
Judy Garland - Dorothy Gale
Terry - Toto
Ray Bolger - Hunk/The Scarecrow

Jack Haley - Hickory/The Tin Man
Bert Lahr - Zeke/The Cowardly Lion
Margaret Hamilton - Miss
Elmira Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West
Frank Morgan - The Wizard/
Professor Marvel/Doorman/
Cabbie/Guard
Billie Burke - Glinda the Good Witch of the North
Clara Blandick - Aunt Em
Charley Grapewin - Uncle Henry

Pat Walshe - Nikko
The Singer Midgets - Munchkins

Crew
Director - Victor Fleming
Based on the Book" The Wonderful Wizard of

Oz" - L. Frank Baum
Adaptation/Screenplay - Noel Langley
Screenplay - Florence Ryerson and
Edgar Allan Woolf
Director: Kansas Scenes - King Vidor

(Uncredited)

Associate Producer - Arthur Freed

(Uncredited)
Producer - Mervyn LeRoy

Art Directors - Cedric Gibbons

and Wade B. Rubottom (Uncredited)

Set Decorations - Edwin B. Willis

Costume Designer - Adrian

Creator: Character Makeups - Jack Dawn

Photographer: In Technicolor - Harold Rosson

Associate: Technicolor Photography -

Allen M. Davey

Special Effects - A. Arnold Gillespie,

Mack Johnson (Uncredited), Jack McMaster

(Uncredited) and Hal Miller (Uncredited)

Songs & Lyrics - Harold Arlen and

E.Y. Harburg

Film Editor - Blanche Sewell

Recording Director/Sound Designer

(Uncredited) - Douglas Shearer

Musical Numbers Staged - Bobby Connolly

Musical Adaptation/Composer:

Original Music - Herbert Stothart


Awards

1940 Academy Awards
Best Original Song "Somewhere Over the

Rainbow" - Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg (Won)
Best Original Score - Herbert Stothart (Won)
----------------------------
Best Picture (Nominated)
Best Cinematography, Color - Harold Rosson (Nominated)
Best Art Direction - Cedric Gibbons and
William A. Horning (Nominated)
Best Special Effects - A. Arnold Gillespie
and Douglas Shearer (Nominated)

Review
Victor Fleming's THE WIZARD OF OZ doesn't seem as grand as it used to be due to the many advancements in film production since its release. It's been decades since the premiere of THE WIZARD OF OZ. It is still a popular classic with historical value. Incidentally, the film was overrated, even though it's a colourful fantasy musical for all ages. The most obvious example of the underwhelming elements would be the acting and the songs sung by the Munchkins, the latter in particular, whose voices are too weird.

However, Margaret Hamilton shines the wickedness in her role as the Wicked Witch. The fact her performance with the intentional accent that creeps me out shows she was good at playing that part. Not to mention the make-up that will surely scare off young kids and tiny tots, I was never a big fan of Judy Garland. She looks a bit grown up to play the 11-year-old Dorothy Gale. Quite simply, I enjoyed her performance and singing. The film's photography is splendid. I like how it changes through its sepia tone into colour to show how magical is the land of Oz. The songs were great and timeless, including "Over the Rainbow".

Somebody will likely one day remake THE WIZARD OF OZ with CGI and motion capture. I can't say that THE WIZARD OF OZ is a bad musical fantasy. The film may have ups and let-downs, but it's at least refreshing to re-experience the Yellow Brick Road.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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