Title: The Wizard of Oz
Directed by: Victor Fleming
Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley
Number on the AFI List: 10
Year: 1939
Another movie I watched over and over again as a child, The Wizard of Oz never fails to capture my attention and imagination. Now that I'm older, I can clearly see the ways director Victor Fleming subtly alludes to Dorothy's trip down the yellow brick road and the friends she will meet while still in Kansas, and the transformation that needs to take place for Dorothy to be content with the life she leads. I also noticed while on the yellow brick road journey, all four characters already have what they are seeking within themselves: the scarecrow makes wise decisions along the way, the tin man cries in sad and difficult situations, and the lion finds courage within himself whenever he needs to rise to the occasion to save Dorothy. And of course, we learn at the end that all Dorothy needed to get home were the ruby slippers on her feet. What a beautiful picture of life; in order to discover all that is great within us, we need to go through difficult journeys, face the "wicked witch" that would seek to destroy us, and fight for what we need with our friends supporting us. The man behind the curtain is someone we think we need when we really don't; we can easily follow people who promise us great things as long as we do what they want. In reality, we don't need them, we just need contentment in the love that we already have for our family and friends at home.
Another thing I noticed as I re-watched the film was a very subtle almost break in character by Dorothy when she meets the Cowardly Lion. Go to 1:00 and watch her slight smile as the Lion wipes his face with his tail for the first time:
A quick note on the director: Victor Fleming had a few huge years of filmmaking considering that he directed BOTH Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz. Both released through MGM in "glorious Technicolor," these two movies set a high bar for filmmaking in full color, and they're both in the top 10 of the AFI top 100 list! Kudos, Mr. Fleming. You're a mastermind at storytelling, proven by these films continuing to be two of the most well loved films of all time.
Favorite moment: Always and forever will be when Dorothy opens the door of her house and sees Munchkinland for the first time:
Will I watch it again: Absolutely!
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