The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Director:

Victor Fleming
(more)

Writers:

Noel Langley (screenplay) and
Florence Ryerson (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 August 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Tagline:

"The Wizard" Musical Returns By Unprecedented Demand! [UK re-release]

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Witch | Wizard | Dog | Cyclone | Tornado

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 8 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Dec. 20	5:45 PM	TNT
Sun. Dec. 27	8:00 PM	TNT
Sun. Dec. 27	10:00 PM	TNT

Cast

Judy Garland	...	Dorothy Gale
Frank Morgan	...	Professor Marvel / The Gatekeeper / The Carriage Driver / The Doorman / The Wizard of Oz
Ray Bolger	...	Hunk / The Scarecrow
Bert Lahr	...	Zeke / The Cowardly Lion
Jack Haley	...	Hickory / The Tin Man
Billie Burke	...	Glinda
Margaret Hamilton	...	Elmira Gulch / The Wicked Witch of the West / The Wicked Witch of the East
Charley Grapewin	...	Uncle Henry
Pat Walshe	...	Nikko
Clara Blandick	...	Auntie Em
Terry	...	Toto (as Toto)
The Singer Midgets	...	The Munchkins (also as The Munchkins)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dorothy Barrett	...	Emerald City Manicurist (uncredited)
Amelia Batchelor	...	Inhabitant of Emerald City (uncredited)
Charles Becker	...	Munchkin Mayor (uncredited)
Billy Bletcher	...	Mayor / Lollipop Guild (voice) (uncredited)
Lorraine Bridges	...	Ozmite / Lullaby League (voice) (uncredited)
Buster Brodie	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Tyler Brooke	...	Ozmite (uncredited)
Mickey Carroll	...	Munchkin Fiddler (uncredited)
Adriana Caselotti	...	Juliet (voice) (uncredited)
Harry Cogg	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Tommy Cottonaro	...	Bearded Munchkin (uncredited)
Jimmy the Crow	...	Crow in Cornfield (uncredited)
Billy Curtis	...	Munchkin City Father (uncredited)
Ken Darby	...	Munchkinland Mayor (voice) (uncredited)
Sid Dawson	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Abe Dinovitch	...	Apple Tree / Munchkin (voice) (uncredited)
Jon Dodson	...	Lollipop Guild (voice) (uncredited)
Daisy Earles	...	Munchkin Villager (uncredited)
Harry Earles	...	Lollipop Guild Member (uncredited)
Fern Formica	...	Munchkin Villager / Sleepyhead (uncredited)
Sig Frohlich	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Phil Harron	...	Winkie (uncredited)
Charles Irwin	...	Tin Polisher (uncredited)
Lois January	...	Emerald City Manicurist (uncredited)
Eleanor Keaton	...	Ozmite (uncredited)
The King's Men	...	Munchkin Voices (uncredited)
Karl 'Karchy' Kosiczky	...	Munchkin Herald #1 / Sleepyhead (uncredited)
Nita Krebs	...	Lullaby League Member (uncredited)
Ethelreda Leopold	...	Emerald City Manicurist (uncredited)
Mitchell Lewis	...	Captain of the Winkie Guard (uncredited)
Bud Linn	...	Lollipop Guild (voice) (uncredited)
Jerry Maren	...	Lollipop Guild Member (uncredited)
Dona Massin	...	Emerald City Manicurist (uncredited)
George Ministeri	...	Munchkin Coach Driver (uncredited)
Yvonne Moray	...	Lullabye League Member (uncredited)
Lee Murray	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
George Noisom	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Jack Paul	...	Winged Monkey (uncredited)
Margaret Pellegrini	...	Munchkin Villager / Sleepyhead (uncredited)
Meinhardt Raabe	...	Munchkin Coroner (uncredited)
Freddie Retter	...	Munchkin Fiddler (uncredited)
'Little Billy' Rhodes	...	Munchkin Barrister (uncredited)
The Rhythmettes	...	Themselves (uncredited)
Elvida Rizzo	...	Ozmite (uncredited)
Rad Robinson	...	Munchkin Coroner (voice) (uncredited)
Ruth L. Robinson	...	Munchkin Villager (uncredited)
Ambrose Schindler	...	Winkie (uncredited)
Helen Seamon	...	Woman with Cat (uncredited)
Rolfe Sedan	...	Oz Balloon Ascensionist (uncredited)
Oliver Smith	...	Ozmite (uncredited)
Robert St. Angelo	...	Winkie (uncredited)
Parnell St. Aubin	...	Munchkin Soldier (uncredited)
Ralph Sudam	...	Ozmite (uncredited)
August Clarence Swenson	...	Munchkin Soldier (uncredited)
Harry Wilson	...	Winkie (uncredited)
Johnny Winters	...	Munchkin Navy Commander (uncredited)

Directed by
Victor Fleming
Mervyn LeRoy		(uncredited)
Richard Thorpe		(footage unused and completely reshot) (uncredited)
King Vidor		(Kansas scenes) (uncredited)

Writing credits
Noel Langley		(screenplay) and
Florence Ryerson		(screenplay) and
Edgar Allan Woolf		(screenplay)
Noel Langley		(adaptation)
L. Frank Baum		(novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz")
Irving Brecher		uncredited
William H. Cannon		uncredited
Herbert Fields		uncredited
Arthur Freed		uncredited
Jack Haley		additional dialogue (uncredited)
E.Y. Harburg		uncredited
Samuel Hoffenstein		uncredited
Bert Lahr		additional dialogue (uncredited)
John Lee Mahin		uncredited
Herman J. Mankiewicz		uncredited
Jack Mintz		uncredited
Sid Silvers		uncredited

Produced by
Mervyn LeRoy	....	producer
Arthur Freed	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Harold Rosson		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Blanche Sewell

Casting by
Leonard Murphy		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Malcolm Brown		(uncredited)
William A. Horning		(uncredited)
Jack Martin Smith		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons
George Gibson		(uncredited)
William A. Horning		(uncredited)
Wade B. Rubottom		(uncredited)
Elmer Sheeley		(supervising art director) (uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Adrian

Makeup Department
Jack Dawn	....	creator: character makeups
Del Armstrong	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Holly Bane	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Don L. Cash	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Jack Dawn	....	makeup artist: Frank Morgan (uncredited)
Lyle Dawn	....	makeup artist: Billie Burke (uncredited)
Max Factor	....	wig supervisor (uncredited)
Fred Frederick	....	wig designer (uncredited)
Sydney Guilaroff	....	braids: Dorothy (uncredited)
Cecil Holland	....	makeup department head (uncredited)
Jack Kevan	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Lou LaCava	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
George Lane	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Beth Langston	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist: Jack Haley (uncredited)
Betty Masure	....	body makeup artist (uncredited)
Norbert Miles	....	makeup artist: Ray Bolger (uncredited)
Gustaf Norin	....	prosthetic technician (uncredited)
Josef Norin	....	prosthetic sculptor (uncredited)
Web Overlander	....	makeup artist: Judy Garland (uncredited)
Fred B. Phillips	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Eddie Polo	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Bob Roberts	....	wig designer (uncredited)
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Charles H. Schram	....	makeup artist: Bert Lahr (uncredited)
Howard Smit	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Lee Stanfield	....	makeup artist: Jack Haley (uncredited)
William Tuttle	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Edith Wilson	....	body makeup artist (uncredited)
Jack H. Young	....	makeup artist: Margaret Hamilton (uncredited)

Production Management
Ulric Busch	....	unit production manager (uncredited)
Charles Chic	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Joe Cook	....	assistant unit manager (uncredited)
Louis B. Mayer	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)
Keith Weeks	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Al Shenberg	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
William A. Horning	....	associate art director
Jack E. Ackerman	....	props (uncredited)
E. Preston Ames	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Leo F. Atkinson	....	painter: clouds (uncredited)
Hugo Ballin	....	sketch artist (uncredited)
John Bossert	....	designer: castle (uncredited)
Malcolm Brown	....	sketch artist (uncredited)
Edward C. Carfagno	....	draftsman (uncredited)
John Coakley	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Conklin	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Marvin Connell	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Randall Duell	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Harry Edwards	....	property master (uncredited)
A.D. Flowers	....	set dresser: trees (uncredited)
Jack Gaylord	....	propmaker foreman (uncredited)
George Gibson	....	lead scenic artist (uncredited)
William Gibson	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Harvey T. Gillett	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Henry Greutert	....	head sculptor (uncredited)
Clem Hall	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
William Hellen	....	draftsman (uncredited)
F. Wayne Hill	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
K. Johnson	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Ray Perry Sr.	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Clark M. Provins	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Ted Rich	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Arthur Grover Rider	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Gerald F. Rocket	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Jim Roth	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Billy H. Scott	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Jack Martin Smith	....	principal sketch artist (uncredited)
Duncan Spencer	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
J. Russell Spencer	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Steffgen	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Charles B. Steiner	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Marvin Summerfield	....	draftsman (uncredited)
John J. Thompson	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Leonid Vasian	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Woody Woodward	....	draftsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director
James Burbridge	....	sound technician (uncredited)
G.A. Burns	....	production sound mixer (uncredited)
Earl Cates	....	playback operator (uncredited)
O.O. Ceccarini	....	sound designer (uncredited)
William Edmondson	....	boom operator (uncredited)
James F. Gaither Jr.	....	boom operator (uncredited)
James Graham	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
T.B. Hoffman	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Van Allen James	....	apprentice sound editor (uncredited)
Lowell Kinsall	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Standish J. Lambert	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Frank McKenzie	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Franklin Milton	....	special sound effects (uncredited)
Ralph A. Pender	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
George G. Schneider	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Douglas Shearer	....	sound designer (uncredited)
Robert Shirley	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Ralph Shugart	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Newell Sparks	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
William Steinkamp	....	supervising re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Michael Steinore	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)
P. Richard Stevens	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
R.L. Stirling	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Don T. Whitmer	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
John A. Williams	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
A. Arnold Gillespie	....	special effects (as Arnold Gillespie)
Edwin Bloomfield	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)
Marcel Delgado	....	miniatures (uncredited)
A.D. Flowers	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Donald Jahraus	....	miniatures (uncredited)
J. McMillan Johnson	....	senior special effects technician (uncredited)
Mack Johnson	....	special effects (uncredited)
Jack McMaster	....	special effects (uncredited)
Hal Millar	....	special effects (uncredited)
Bob Overbeck	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Glen Robinson	....	special effects prop shop (uncredited)
Don Trumbull	....	special effects rigger (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Rik Panero	....	technical support (1998 release, credited on theatrical prints only)
Chris Bayz	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Kevin Braun	....	digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Christopher Rogers Costa	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Gregory Creaser	....	camera operator: digital restoration (uncredited)
Chris Crowell	....	digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Sandy DellaMarie	....	digital production coordinator (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Max Fabian	....	director of photography: visual effects unit (uncredited)
Max Fabian	....	special photographic effects (uncredited)
Chris Flynn	....	digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Mark Freund	....	visual effects supervisor (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Jack Gaylord	....	assistant visual effects supervisor (uncredited)
George Gervan	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Richard Gervan	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
A. Arnold Gillespie	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)
Maureen Healy	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Heather Hoyland	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Matt Linder	....	lead digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Warren Newcombe	....	director of matte painting staff (uncredited)
Candelario Rivas	....	matte painter: castle (uncredited)
Rasha Shalaby	....	digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited)
Jack Smith	....	camera operator: visual effects unit (uncredited)
Lynn Tigar	....	digital paint artist: restoration (uncredited)

Stunts
George Bruggeman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Aline Goodwin	....	stunt double: Margaret Hamilton, broom-riding stunt (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Allen M. Davey	....	associate photographer (as Allen Davey)
Virgil Apger	....	still photographer (uncredited)
John Arnold	....	camera department head (uncredited)
Pop Arnold	....	key grip (uncredited)
Chris Bergswich	....	assistant electrician (uncredited)
A.W. Brown	....	chief unit electrician (uncredited)
Clarence Sinclair Bull	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Eric Carpenter	....	still photographer: Kodachrome stills (uncredited)
Bill Chapman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Sam Cohen	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Nelson Cordes	....	camera technician: Technicolor (uncredited)
Fred Detmers	....	camera technician: Technicolor (uncredited)
Raymond Griffith	....	electrician (uncredited)
George Hommel	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Henry Imus	....	camera technician: Technicolor (uncredited)
Paul 'Shug' Keeler	....	electrician (uncredited)
W.E. Pohl	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Ray Ramsey	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera: Technicolor (uncredited)

Casting Department
W.L. Gordon	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mrs. Cluett	....	costumer (uncredited)
Agnes Imes	....	costumer (uncredited)
Sam Kress	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)
Rose Meltzer	....	costumer (uncredited)
Vera Mourdant	....	costumer (uncredited)
Sheila O'Brien	....	dresser: women (uncredited)
Marianne Parker	....	seamstress (uncredited)
Jack Rohan	....	dresser: men (uncredited)
John Scura	....	costumer (uncredited)
Marie Wharton	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Margaret Booth	....	supervising editor (uncredited)
George Cave	....	color timer (uncredited)
Ernest Grooney	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Tom Held	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
George Bassman	....	orchestrator
Bobby Connolly	....	staging of musical numbers
Murray Cutter	....	orchestrator
Ken Darby	....	vocal arranger
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator
Herbert Stothart	....	music adaptor
Leo Arnaud	....	orchestrator: Munchkinland musical sequence (uncredited)
Edward Baravalle	....	assistant scoring mixer (uncredited)
George Bassman	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Peter P. Decek	....	music recording engineer (uncredited)
Roger Edens	....	music arranger: vocals (uncredited)
Nat W. Finston	....	music supervisor (uncredited)
Skitch Henderson	....	musician: piano (uncredited)
Bud Linn	....	singing voice: Lollipop Guild (uncredited)
M.J. McLaughlin	....	music mixer (uncredited)
William Saracino	....	music editor (uncredited)
Herbert Stahlberg	....	assistant music mixer (uncredited)
George Stoll	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Herbert Stothart	....	composer: original incidental music (uncredited)
Herbert Stothart	....	conductor (uncredited)
Robert W. Stringer	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Roger Wagner	....	assistant chorus director (uncredited)

Other crew
Henri Jaffa	....	associate technicolor color director
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor color director
Paul Adams	....	stand-in: Mr. Morgan (uncredited)
Arthur Appell	....	assistant: Mr. Connolly (uncredited)
Maud Gage Baum	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Eddie Becker	....	rehearsal accompanist (uncredited)
Busby Berkeley	....	choreographer: scarecrow's dance (uncredited) (deleted from final print)
Harlan Briggs	....	double: Uncle Henry (uncredited)
Stafford Campbell	....	stand-in: Scarecrow (uncredited)
William H. Cannon	....	assistant: Mr. LeRoy (uncredited)
Betty Danko	....	stand-in: Wicked Witch (uncredited)
Howard Dietz	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Roger Edens	....	rehearsal piano (uncredited)
Frances Edwards	....	caterer (uncredited)
Jim Fawcett	....	stand-in: Mr. Lahr (uncredited)
Arthur Freed	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Freddie Gilman	....	animal trainer: horse (uncredited)
Aline Goodwin	....	stand-in: Ms. Hamilton (uncredited)
Jane Harrison	....	secretary: Mr. Fleming (uncredited)
Andy Hervey	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Bobbie Koshay	....	stand-in: Ms. Garland (uncredited)
Harry Link	....	agent: Leo Feist Music Publishing (uncredited)
David Marks	....	assistant script supervisor (uncredited)
Caren Marsh	....	stand-in: Judy Garland (uncredited)
Dona Massin	....	assistant: Mr. Connolly (uncredited)
Harry Master	....	stand-in: Tin Woodman (uncredited)
Pat Moran	....	stand-in: Mr. Lahr (uncredited)
John M. Nickolaus	....	laboratory supervisor (uncredited)
Barron Polan	....	assistant: Mr. LeRoy (uncredited)
Freddie Retter	....	stand-in: Mr. Walshe (uncredited)
Bill Richards	....	animal wrangler: birds (uncredited)
Si Seadler	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Leo Singer	....	coordinator: Munchkins (uncredited)
Carl Spitz	....	dog owner and trainer: Terry (uncredited)
Georgia Stark	....	rehearsal assistant (uncredited)
Howard Strickling	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Norman Taurog	....	director test scenes (uncredited)
Curly Twiford	....	animal trainer: birds (uncredited)
Jack Weatherwax	....	trainer: Terry (uncredited)
Frank Whitbeck	....	publicity chief (uncredited)
Wallace Worsley Jr.	....	script clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Loew's (as "Loew's Incorporated")

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1983) (USA) (video)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1956) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1960) (UK) (theatrical) (reissue)
• MGM/CBS Home Video (1980) (USA) (VHS) (Original Home Video Release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1989) (USA) (VHS) (50th Anniversary Release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1989) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Action Gitanes (1999) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• British Film Institute (BFI) (2006) (UK) (theatrical) (digitally remastered re-release)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1970) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (MGM Children's Matinees)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1971) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (MGM Children's Matinees)
• Varus Video (????) (Russia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (collector's edition)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (collector's edition)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Brittingham Commissary  catering (uncredited)
• Max Factor  makeup and hairstyling (uncredited)
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  sound re-recording (uncredited)
• Turner Entertainment  package design (1989 release)

Also Known As:

Das zauberhafte Land (Austria) (Germany) (West Germany) [de]
El mago de Oz (Argentina) (Peru) (Spain) [es]
Le magicien d'Oz (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
бНКЬЕАМХЙ ЯРПЮМШ нГ (Soviet Union: Russian title) [ru]
Óz, a csodák csodája (Hungary) [hu]
Carodej ze zeme Oz (Czechoslovakia: Czech title) [cs]
Czarnoksieznik z krainy Oz (Poland) [pl]
Der Hexer von Oz (Austria) [de]
Der Zauberer von Oz (West Germany) [de]
Ha-Kossem M'Eretz Ootz (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Ihmemaa Oz (Finland) [fi]
Il mago di Oz (Italy) [it]
O Feiticeiro de Oz (Portugal) [pt]
O Mágico de Oz (Brazil) [pt]
O magos tou Oz (Greece) [el]
Oz büyücüsü (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Ozu no mahôtsukai (Japan) [ja]
Troldmanden fra Oz (Denmark) [da]
Trollkarlen från Oz (Sweden) [sv]
Trollmannen fra Oz (Norway) [no]

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone) | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (re-release) | Dolby Digital (re-release) | Mono (Western Electric Sound System) | SDDS (re-release)

Certification:

Singapore:G | Canada:F (Ontario) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/6 (DVD rating) | South Korea:All | Philippines:G | Brazil:Livre | USA:Approved (certificate #5364) (original rating) | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1970) | USA:Passed | New Zealand:G | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Hong Kong:I | Netherlands:AL (video rating) | Norway:A | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/4 | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The pre-release 112 minute version was only seen once, while the film was in test showings before its official release.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the scene where Glinda appears in Munchkinland and meets Dorothy, she asks Dorothy whether she is a "good witch or a bad witch". Seconds later, when Dorothy learns that Glinda herself is a witch and comments on her beauty ("I've never heard of a beautiful witch before"), Glinda replies with "Only bad witches are ugly", a statement from which she herself should have been able to deduce Dorothy's morality (good or bad).

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Red Green Show: Magnetic Lake (#3.4)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

We're Off to See the Wizard

Still Has Its Magic

Judy Garland's portrayal of Dorothy, Dorothy's oddball Oz friends, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", and the rest of this fine production of "The Wizard of Oz" have lost little of their magic over the years. While it has become oddly fashionable in recent years to deride this kind of classic, innocent fantasy, the movie itself has aged very well, and it is likely to retain an appreciative audience for some time to come.

There's no doubt that part of the appeal of the story and the characters comes from them being such old friends to so many cinema fans, but there are also good reasons why they have endured for so long, and have been able to hold up even after becoming so familiar. Although Dorothy is not a particularly complex character, she represents an innocent but deep yearning that is easy to identify with. Likewise, the 'Oz' characters are bizarre enough to remain interesting, but there is a core of substance that again is easy to believe in. Who does not feel that he or she could use at least one of the things that Dorothy's friends want?

The adaptation from the original story is done quite well, making fine choices for the characters and episodes that would work on film. The settings and visual effects may not impress the devotees of today's computer imagery, but in their time they certainly demonstrated a great deal of skill and planning, and even now, in their own way they are more believable than are most of the computer tricks that have become so overused.

The popular story has also been used for a number of more recent adaptations, and some of them have had some good points of their own. But this Wizard remains by far the most wonderful of the versions of the classic tale.