Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming et al, 1939) is a musical fantasy film that was based on a children’s novel named The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum and published in the 1900s. In a nutshell, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto (Terry) are whisked away from their home in Kansas after a tornado. They are taken along to the lovely and magical land of Oz, where they meet new friends and visit unforgettable places.
The aesthetics from Wizard of Oz mirrors the artistic movement of Surrealism as well as the visuals in Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll, 1865) to a certain extent. It was the first Hollywood film to present technicolour, which is the process of making colour motion pictures, by superimposing the three primary colours (red, green and blue) to produce a final print. Even 82 years after its theatrical release, the film has influenced many subsequent productions of reputed names in pop culture, such as Elton John's song "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and Broadway's famous musical Wicked. On the other hand, the film might not have aged so well, what with the abuses suffered by Judy Garland. However, it’s fundamental to highlight the importance of her character as an early feminist female icon and the story’s strong messages that still resonate generation after generation. Undoubtedly, it is a timeless classic.
The movie was released in 1939, the beginning of the Second World War, the Great Depression and Dust Bowl droughts were still in recent memory. That’s why its main aim, especially for the American audience, was to entertain and provide an escape for them, not exclusively for children. However, arguably there are some visual elements (props) and colours used that add a deep meaningful layer to the story. In addition, some of them are a part of the adaptation to technicolour, like the Wicked Witch’s green skin and Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers.
The book is a political allegory of the United States during the turn of the century with the decline of the Populist movement. In American history, it is defined as the popular engagement of citizens in political decision making. In other words, the farmers' revolt in the South and Midwest in favour of their rights that were ignored by the Democratic and Republican Parties. Baum’s story is symbolised by the cyclone. Dorothy can portray the American everyman, led astray and seeking the way back home, with her silver shoes depicting Silverite. This was a group of people from a 19th-century political movement in the US that argued that silver should continue to be a monetary standard along with gold, as authorised under the Coinage Act of 1792. Deeply, she could personify the United States, as a young nation that won independence and who idealistically believed in opportunity and a better future. By that approach, the Yellow Brick Road could be seen to illustrate the gold standard with Oz being an abbreviation of ounces in which gold and silver are measured. The Emerald City could represent greenback paper money, which cannot be redeemed in exchange for precious metals and even shares a resemblance with Washington, D.C. The city is ruled by Wonderful Wizard, a scheming politician, who uses publicity devices to manipulate its citizens and present a false image of him.
Each character could represent a different social group. The first time Dorothy met the Tin Man, he was rusty, which could represent the unemployment of the American economic depression of the late 1800s. The character himself can represent industrialisation, while the Scarecrow depicts Agriculture (especially Midwestern farmers). Cowardly Lion could personify the populist politician William Jennings Bryan, who was a candidate of the Democratic Political Party in 1896 and 1900. The Witches could arguably demonstrate the interests of the American regions and how they could affect the American political life of the time. The Wicked Witch of East represents the industrial and banking interest of the Easters and when she stole the Tin Man’s heart could symbolise the deterioration of industrial labourers. The Munchkins could be a representation of the average American citizens who were enslaved by factory owners and the Lollipop Guild could portray child labour. On the other hand, the Good Witch of the North could be an illustration of the evil imperialist foreign policy during the late 1800s. Even Toto, Dorothy’s sidekick, could represent the Prohibitionist movement, which was a political ally of the Populists.
Despite the 4o year gap between the book and film, there are some interesting parallels in historical events and the storyline. During the transition from Kansas to Oz, there is a clear change visually, from sepia tone to vivid colours, which might reflect the end of the Dirty Thirties to ideas of hope in the new decade. The Yellow Brick Road highlights this with its connotations of happiness and optimism; however, when she arrives at the Emerald City, it is dominated by the colour green which has a toxic connotation. When Dorothy met Oz, his controversial figure is in some respects similar to Adolf Hitler in Germany during the early stages of his government. The Tin Man could mirror the American Depression. Even nowadays, 100 years after the story was written, there are still some analogies like the Winkies and Winged Monkeys portraying the poor work conditions of some ethnic minorities in Uncle Sam’s land, with the Munchkins being the victims of the Capitalist system.
Throughout these many years, there are countless interpretations of the story with diverse approaches and it still conquest many hearts worldwide; however, we must be aware of the reality it mirrors, definitely not a mere dream and follow some of the film's pillars being to think and act.
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