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The Wizard of Oz (1939) 8.1
Ratings:
8.1/10 from 265,530 users
Metascore: 100/100
Reviews: 521 user | 210 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. |
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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 | ... | |
|
|
Clara Blandick | ... | |
| Terry | ... |
Toto
(as Toto)
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The Singer Midgets | ... |
The Munchkins
(as The Munchkins)
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Edit
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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See more »
See full technical specs »
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:
$22,202,612 (USA) (11 October 2013)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Black and White (Kansas sequences) (1949 re-release)| Black and White (Kansas sequences) (1955 re-release)| Black and White (Sepiatone)| Color (Technicolor)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.
See more »
(1829) (uncredited)
Written by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Played by The MGM Symphony Orchestra conducted by Herbert Stothart
Heard as background music during the scene in which Toto escapes from the Witch's castle and runs to fetch Dorothy's three friends
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The famous "Surrender Dorothy" sky writing scene was done using a tank of water and a tiny model witch attached to the end of a long hypodermic needle. The syringe was filled with milk, the tip of the needle was put into the tank and the words were written in reverse while being filmed from below. See more »Goofs
At the beginning of the film as Dorothy and Toto run down the dirt road toward the farmhouse, Dorothy bends down to pick Toto up and you can see a grease spot on the front of Dorothy's apron, but by the time they reach the farm, the spot has disappeared. 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
As in some other M-G-M musicals of the '30's and '40's, the heading "Musical Program" appears at the top of the card listing all the music credits (arranger, composer, lyricist, conductor, choreographer, and so on). See more »Soundtracks
Scherzo in E-Minor, Op. 16, No. 2(1829) (uncredited)
Written by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Played by The MGM Symphony Orchestra conducted by Herbert Stothart
Heard as background music during the scene in which Toto escapes from the Witch's castle and runs to fetch Dorothy's three friends
See more »
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.