There’s No Place Like Home! Publicity Still From THE WIZARD OF OZ

The Wizard Of Oz has moved from being a film into being a part of the DNA for the human race. Victor Fleming’s film is so etched into our psyche that it’s hard to isolate it as a single piece of art. However, this adaptation of L.Frank Baum’s novel is able to transcend these obstacles and it’s still a remarkable cinematic achievement more than 80 years after it was first released in 1939.

Everything about this film works – the visuals, casting, acting and music all connect to make a sensory feast. From the opening sepia scenes to its spectacular Technicolor moments, The Wizard Of Oz connects on a level like few other films. It’s remarkable to think this was released the same year as Gone With The Wind – which was also directed by Victor Fleming. To direct one classic is remarkable, to direct two in the same year is mind-boggling.

This publicity image from the film shows Judy Garland’s Dorothy, Ray Bolger’s Scarecrow, Jack Haley’s Tin Man, Frank Morgan’s Wizard, Bert Lahr’s Cowardly Lion standing beside a giant copy of L.Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz. 

Budgeted at $2.7 million, The Wizard Of Oz grossed $24.7 million at the US box office and $26.1 million globally.