The Wizard of Oz (Puffin Classics) - L. Frank Baum [53]
Sixteen-year-old Judy Garland starred as Dorothy. She was too old for the part and MGM (the studio) originally wanted the child film-star Shirley Temple, but Garland won it with her vocal abilities and was made to look younger than her age. This film made her into a star. She was given an honorary juvenile Academy Award for her performance and, to this day, the song ‘Over the Rainbow’ is rated one of the greatest movie songs ever.
Interestingly, although the film is thought to be one of the all-time classic family movies, it was not especially well received in 1939. It was considered technically advanced (the Kansas scenes were shot in black and white, while the Oz scenes were filmed in Technicolor) and for many children it was one of the first films they had seen in colour — which gave it even more of a fantastical quality. Nevertheless, not many people went to see it, and it was not until the 1950s showings on television that it became a real hit. The film is still shown annually on TV (and sometimes twice), usually around the holidays.
Despite this, it still enjoyed some instant critical acclaim: at the 1940 Oscars it won the categories of Best Music, Original Score; and Best Music, Original Song (for ‘Over the Rainbow’). And it was nominated for Best Picture; Best Effects, Special Effects; Best Cinematography, Colour; and Best Art Direction.
Although essentially the same story, there are numerous differences between the original book and the 1939 movie. These include:
⋆ Glinda (the Good Witch of the South) appears at the beginning of the film in the Land of the Munchkins, i.e. as the Good Witch of the North, and gives Dorothy a pair of ruby slippers rather than silver shoes. Ruby red showed up better in Technicolor than silver.
⋆ Dorothy is often portrayed as a damsel in distress in the film, whereas in the book she is frequently rescuing her companions.
⋆ The film suggests that the whole adventure is a dream -unlike the book, in which Dorothy actually travels to Oz.
⋆ The film has a more straightforward plot than the book and has various omissions. For example, it does not include the Hammer-Heads or the town made of china. There are also some additions – e.g., an evil schoolmistress called Miss Gulch, the farmhands Hunk, Hickory and Zeke, and the fortune-teller Professor Marvel.
WHO’S WHO IN THE WIZARD OF OZ
Dorothy – The main character. A straightforward, kind girl who is loyal to her friends and shows real determination, Dorothy’s greatest desire is to return home to Kansas.
Toto – Dorothy’s companion (transported with her in the cyclone), Toto is a plucky little black dog with a playful nature. Unlike the other animals in the story, he does not speak.
Scarecrow – The first friend that Dorothy makes in Oz, the Scarecrow accompanies her on her journey along the yellow brick road to fulfil his ambition to have a brain instead of a head stuffed with straw. He is, in fact, a very thoughtful character.
Tin Woodman – Once human, but turned into a tin man by the Wicked Witch of the East, his desire is to be given a heart by the Wizard of Oz — believing it to be the most valuable possession of all. However, he shows an already tender and kind-hearted nature along the way.
Lion – Also known as the Cowardly Lion, he wishes to reach the Emerald City so that he can gain the bravery he thinks he lacks. He is a real help to the friends on their dangerous journey and, ironically, performs many acts of courage that the bravest creatures would be proud of.
Wizard of Oz – The ruler of the Emerald City (which lies at the centre of the Land of Oz), he is known for his great deeds but also for his impressive and sometimes terrifying manner. He turns out to be a clever opportunist — or a ‘humbug’ as he calls himself — who is no more than an ordinary man from Omaha. But he is a good man and he finds a way to help Dorothy and her friends.
Wicked Witch of the West – A one-eyed, ruthless woman, she is the evil presence in the story. Oz himself fears her and sends Dorothy and her friends on what he believes