Wizard of Oz

Victor Fleming directed The Wizard of Oz in 1939, based on the novel by L. Frank Baum. Judy Garland was the star of the film playing Dorothy, and her helpers were played by Frank Morgan (Prof. Marvel/Wizard of Oz), Ray Bolger (Hunk/the Scarecrow), Bert Lahr (Zeke/The Cowardly Lion), Jack Haley (Hickory/The Tin Man), and Billie Burke (Glinda, Good Witch of the North). The evil genius was Miss Gulch in the normal world and the Wicked Witch of the West in the adventure world, played by Margaret Hamilton. This film won three academy awards in 1939- Best Song: Over the Rainbow, Best Original Score: Herbert Stothart, and Special Award- Screen Juvenile: Judy Garland.

The Wizard of Oz begins with a young girl (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto running to a farmhouse. Dorothy is distraught over what a woman, Miss Gulch, had done to her dog, which was bothering the woman’s cat, but no one seems to pay much attention to her, they are too occupied with their business. “Find yourself a place where there isn’t any trouble,” this is the call to adventure. Dorothy answers this call by singing the song Over the Rainbow, a place that Dorothy seems to want to be. Miss Gulch comes to the house and wants to put the dog down because it had bit her. Toto is put into a basket, and as the woman is riding away, manages to escape and sprints home. Dorothy, realizing that the woman will be back, packs her bag and runs away with Toto. Dorothy meets Professor Marvel who realizes that Dorothy’s problem is that her family does not understand her or appreciate her and that she wants to see other lands. Marvel looks into his crystal ball and manages to convince Dorothy to go back home. A twister can be seen approaching the farmhouse as Dorothy scampers back to her home. This is the obstacle at the entrance portal. She tries to go into the storm cellar, but is unable to do so. A window hits her in the back of her head and she goes unconscious. In what seems to be a dream, the house is lifted up into the twister and Dorothy awakes to see that she is stuck in the middle of it. (She sees Miss Gulch turn into a horrible looking witch) The twister ends and Dorothy walks out of the house only to find a wonderful exotic world outside her home (Now everything is in color, rather than the plain looking grey before). Dorothy meets Glinda, the Witch of the North and finds out that her house dropped on the Wicked Witch of the East. The celebration that occurs is that the “munchkins” are happy because the Wicked Witch has been slain. Of course this celebration is accompanied by a musical piece, and Dorothy is a sort of National Hero. However, not all is happy, The Wicked Witch of the West appears (Miss Gulch) inquiring who has killed her sister, and she seems to want her sister’s ruby slippers, which dissipate and appear on Dorothy’s feet.

The Western Witch disappears in a cloud of red smoke. Now the call to adventure in the adventure world happens, Glinda tells Dorothy that she must go to the Wizard of Oz to inquire about getting back to Kansas. Oz lives in Emerald City. The munchkins will accompany her up until the end of their territory. Dorothy must then follow the yellow brick road to reach her destination. She meets a talking scarecrow that does not have a brain, and he cannot even scare anything because of this. The scarecrow will accompany her on this journey, and will ask the Wizard for a brain. The two stumble upon an apple grove (the wicked witch can be seen lurking), when Dorothy tries to pick an apple, the trees come alive and start throwing their apples. In this place she meets another strange fellow, a man made of tin. The Tin Man is rejuvenated with a bit of oil. This man has no heart, he is all hollow. Dorothy asks him to join the party to see the Wizard. The Wicked Witch appears and warns Dorothy’s buddies to stay away from Dorothy or risk death. They come about a dark forest, and here they run into a lion, a Cowardly Lion. The group asks him to go with them to meet the Wizard and get some courage. The Wicked Witch seems