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Wizard of Oz Script
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131 PAGES. 1939
DID YOU KNOW??
Ultimately it took 14 writers and five directors to bring L. Frank Baum's story to the screen.
The song "Over the Rainbow" was ranked #1 by the American Film Institute in 2004 on the 100 Greatest Songs in American Films list.
Ranked #1 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the genre "Fantasy" in June 2008.
In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked this as the #10 Greatest Movie of All Time.
The producers at one point considered using a live lion for the Cowardly Lion, and then dubbing in an actor's voice.
The movie's line "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain." was voted as the #24 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.
The movie's line "There's no place like home." was voted as the #11 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.
For the film's 1998 theatrical re-release, Warner Brothers was considering editing the extended Scarecrow "If I Only Had A Brain" sequence into the movie (it was deleted from the film before its 1939 premiere) but ultimately decided not to.It is available as a supplemental feature on the Warner Bros Special Edition DVD of the film.
The color of the yellow brick road first showed up as green in early Technicolor tests. It was adjusted so that it would read properly as yellow in the early 3-strip color process, which in 1938-39, was still in its experimental stage.
The film started shooting on 13 October 1938 and was completed on 16 March 1939 at a then-unheard-of cost of $2,777,000. It earned only $3,000,000 on its initial release.
The ruby slippers were silver (like in the book) until MGM chief Louis B. Mayer realized that the Technicolor production would benefit from the slippers being colored.
In the movie Glinda is the good witch of the North. However, in L. Frank Baum's book, Glinda is the good sorceress of the South.
References to elements in the book not included in the script can be seen in the movie: (1) It is the kiss Glinda gives Dorothy on the forehead that protects her from the Wicked Witch, as none dare harm someone who bears the kiss of the Good Witch. (2) The golden cap Nikko hands the witch is explained in the book to be how she summons the Winged Monkeys. It can only be used three times, and this is the Witch's third time using it. (In the book, Dorothy takes the cap and the Winged Monkeys, grateful to be freed from the Witch's tyranny, become her allies.)
During the "Wash and Brush Up Co." scene, the lyrics "We can turn a dimpled smile into a frown/Can you even dye my eyes to match my gown" are sung in counterpoint to the orchestra playing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."
L. Frank Baum's novel is considerably more gruesome than MGM's rendition. For example, the Tin Woodsman uses his axe to lop off the heads of beasts, and the Wizard sends Dorothy and the gang to actually kill the Wicked Witch of the West.
The theatrical trailer for the 1998 theatrical re-release (viewable on the 2000 Warner Bros. DVD) features the Kansas footage in black and white instead of its proper sepia tone. The sepia tone footage was restored to the film during its 1988 restoration and was thus available; but Warner Bros. choose to show it in its black and white form for the trailer.
For its 1998 theatrical re-release; Warner Bros. had considered re-inserting the extended Scarecrow dance number into the film (which had been removed for its 1939 release) but they ultimately decided against it.
The pre-release 112 minute version was only seen once, while the film was in test showings before its official release.
"Over the Rainbow" was nearly cut from the film; MGM felt that it made the Kansas sequence too long, as well as being too far over the heads of the children for whom it was intended. The studio also thought that it was degrading for Judy Garland to sing in a barnyard. In 2004, the song was ranked #1 by the American Film Institute on the 100 Greatest Songs in American Films list.
At the end of the sequence in which Dorothy and the Scarecrow first meet the Tin Man, as the three march off singing "We're Off to See the Wizard", there is a disturbance in the trees off to the right. This was long rumored to be one of the crew (or, by some accounts, one of the dwarf actors) committing suicide by hanging himself, but it is in fact a large bird stretching its wings.
The Cowardly Lion's facial makeup included a brown paper bag. Actor Bert Lahr couldn't eat without ruining his makeup. Tired of eating soup and milkshakes, he decided to eat lunch and have his makeup redone.
When filming first started, Judy Garland wore a blond wig and heavy, "baby-doll" makeup. When George Cukor assumed the role of intermediate director (after MGM fired the original director and before they found a replacement), he got rid of the wig and most of the makeup and told her to just be herself.
The "tornado" was a 35-foot-long muslin stocking, photographed with miniatures of a Kansas farm and fields.
The horses in Emerald City palace were colored with Jell-O crystals. The relevant scenes had to be shot quickly, before the horses started to lick it off.
Although no footage of Buddy Ebsen as the Tin Woodsman has to date been released, surviving still photos taken on the set suggest he filmed at least part of the Wicked Witch's castle sequence.
Judy Garland had to wear a painful corset-style device around her torso so that she would appear younger and flat-chested.
Charley Grapewin came out of retirement to play Uncle Henry.
During the haunted forest scene, several actors playing the Winged Monkeys were injured when the piano wires suspending them snapped, dropping them several feet to the floor of the sound stage.
Judy Garland very much wanted to adopt 'Terry (III)' after the two spent so much time together shooting the film. Unfortunately, the owner of the dog wouldn't give her up, and Terry went on to a long career in films.
The much quoted line "Fly my pretties, fly" doesn't actually appear in the movie. The Wicked Witch of the West actually says, "Fly, Fly, Fly."
The movie's line "Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" was voted as the #4 movie quote by the American Film Institute
The movie's line "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!" was voted as the #99 movie quote by the American Film Institute (out of 100).
The movie's line "There's no place like home." was voted as the #23 movie quote by the American Film Institute (out of 100).
A small sign to the left of the door of Professor Marvel's wagon lists "Exhibition Balloonist" as one of his talents.
The Munchkins are portrayed by the Singer Midgets, named not for their musical abilities, but rather for Leo Singer, their manager. The troupe came from Europe, and a number of the Munchkins took advantage of the trip to immigrate and escape the Nazis.
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