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The Wizard of Oz (1939) 8.2
Ratings:
8.2/10 from 174,230 users
Metascore: 100/100
Reviews: 444 user | 174 critic | 4 from Metacritic.com 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. Director:Victor Fleming |
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Title: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Judy Garland | ... | ||
| Frank Morgan | ... | ||
| Ray Bolger | ... | ||
| Bert Lahr | ... | ||
| Jack Haley | ... | ||
| Billie Burke | ... | ||
| Margaret Hamilton | ... | ||
| Charley Grapewin | ... | ||
 |
Pat Walshe | ... | |
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Clara Blandick | ... | |
| Terry | ... |
Toto
(as Toto)
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The Singer Midgets | ... |
The Munchkins
(as The Munchkins)
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
In this charming film based on the popular L. Frank Baum stories, Dorothy and her dog Toto are caught in a tornado's path and somehow end up in the land of Oz. Here she meets some memorable friends and foes in her journey to meet the Wizard of Oz who everyone says can help her return home and possibly grant her new friends their goals of a brain, heart and courage. Written by Dale Roloff
Taglines:
We're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful [Wizard of Oz]! (UK release) See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
25 August 1939 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
El mago de Oz See more »Box Office
Budget:
$2,777,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
$5,354,311 (USA) (6 November 1998)Gross:
$14,792,232 (USA) (1 January 1999)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Dorothy: She isn't coming yet, Toto. Did she hurt you? She tried to, didn't she? Come on. We'll go tell Uncle Henry and Auntie Em.
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(1939) (uncredited)
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg
Music by Harold Arlen
Sung by Bert Lahr, Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley and the singing voice of Buddy Ebsen
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Dorothy's hair changes lengths throughout the course of the film, most noticeably in the Scarecrow cornfield sequence. This was the first sequence to be shot. As production progressed, refinements were made to Judy Garland's hair and make-up. At the end of filming, reshoots were done of the cornfield sequence and, thus, the shots do not match. The reshoots are believed to have been done by King Vidor, who also directed the Kansas sequences, including "Over the Rainbow", after director Victor Fleming left the production to direct Gone with the Wind. See more »Goofs
The amount of straw hanging out of the Scarecrow's shirt constantly changes. Also, when the Wicked Witch vanishes off the roof of the cabin, the straw hanging from the shirt changes from right to left and back again. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Dorothy: She isn't coming yet, Toto. Did she hurt you? She tried to, didn't she? Come on. We'll go tell Uncle Henry and Auntie Em.
See more »
Crazy Credits
In the opening credits, The Singer Midgets, who portray the Munchkins, are not billed under their real name, but as simply The Munchkins. In the cast list at the end, they are billed as The Singer Midgets. None of the actors who play Munchkins are given an individual credit. In the posters and advertising publicity for the film, the group was billed as The Munchkins. See more »Soundtracks
"If I Only Had the Nerve/We're Off To See The Wizard"(1939) (uncredited)
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg
Music by Harold Arlen
Sung by Bert Lahr, Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley and the singing voice of Buddy Ebsen
See more »
Where to begin? MGM's elaborate adaptation of L. Frank Baum's 1900 fantasy classic THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ not only became an institution among itself (and practically defined the concept of modern popular culture), but is reported to be the most viewed film ever made. A sharp screenplay effectively condenses the novel's text into a workable film, and director Victor Fleming (along with countless other behind-the-scenes technicians) craft a visually stimulating fantasy world that surpasses the expectations of even the most imaginative viewers. Brimming with stunning visual effects (the film's fierce tornado is an FX feat that has yet to be surpassed by CGI), witty dialogue, and eye-popping Technicolor, THE WIZARD OF OZ truly lives up to it's reputation as a once-in-a-lifetime film where every element comes together flawlessly.
The cast could not be improved upon. The quivery-voiced, solemn-faced Judy Garland will always be Dorothy, the little lost farm girl on the road to Oz, clutching her beloved Toto (impressively portrayed himself by the female canine performer Terry, the terrier). It seems inconceivable that MGM had originally wished to cast Shirley Temple in the role, as Temple's doe-eyed, cutesy-voiced shtick would have been a catastrophic ill-fit for the tone of this picture. Conversely, Garland is perhaps the screen's quintessential woman/child; always seemingly just one step away from reaching full emotional maturity. It is her sadness that transfixes viewers to the screen, the exact same quality that made the film's most memorable Harold Arlen/E. Y. Harburg number "Over the Rainbow" into one of the most exquisite marriages between artist and song ever to be recorded.
The remainder of the cast is similarly exceptional, many of whom perform perfectly even under the most debilitating make-up and costumes. Frank Morgan is marvelously versatile in no less than five roles, the insanely energetic Bert Lahr mugs brilliantly, the handsome Jack Haley swoons sweetly, Billie Burke lends the film an ornate ethereality, and Ray Bolger's gravity-defying physical presence nearly steals the entire picture on several occasions. Perhaps most notable is former schoolteacher Margaret Hamilton's transformation into the wickedest of wicked witches, which certainly remains among the vilest and most terrifying portrayals of full-throttle evil ever to be seen. No matter how it is analyzed, scrutinized, or satirized, the 1939 production of THE WIZARD OF OZ is a top-notch example of how to turn a great story into a fabulous, milestone of a film.