6. The Wizard of Oz (1939) "There's no place like home." Director: Victor Fleming Stars: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger & Jack Haley Oscars: Best Music: Original Score, Best Music: Song

Synopsis: Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) has grown tired of her bucolic lifestyle and longs for adventure outside of her uncle’s farm. During a wicked tornado, Dorothy gets her wish as she gets conked on the head and her entire farmhouse is transported to the magical Land of Oz. Her house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East, making her an instant hero to Oz’s tiny inhabitants, the Munchkins, and a sworn enemy of the Wicked Witch of the West. Desperate to get back home, Dorothy sets out on the Yellow Brick Road to find the fabled Wizard of Oz. During her journey, she befriends a scarecrow, a tin man and a cowardly lion, who all join her on the trip to the Wizard’s home in Emerald City. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, Dorothy.

He said: This might be the most recognizable film in AFI's top 100. The Wizard of Oz revolutionized the moviemaking industry with its implementation of color after Dorothy touched down in Oz. Elaborate sets, creative characters, terrific music and an easy-to-follow plot make The Wizard of Oz a favorite of kids and adults alike. The Wicked Witch always scared me stiff and The Lollypop Kids always made me laugh.

She said: A true classic on anyone’s list. I also loved the use of black and white changing to color. But, the thing that really sticks in my mind about this film is the fact that it introduced me to the most magnificent actress…ummm…what’s her name again?

He said: Uh, would that be Judy Garland?

She said: Yeah, that’s the one. And, I’ll always remember singing “Beyond the Rainbow” as a little girl.

He said: What’s that, the B-side of “Over the Rainbow”?

She said: Oh yeah, that’s the one I meant. I’m not too on the ball tonight. I’ve tried to classify this movie into a genre, but I can’t do it. Maybe that’s the brilliance of it. It’s like The Grapes of Wrath meets Alice in Wonderland.

He said: Whoa, I just got a freaky image of the entire Joad Family tumbling down the rabbit hole. Pretty creepy stuff, Ma. Speaking of creepy stuff, you know something that has always baffled me about the Wicked Witch?

She said: No, please tell.

He said: What did she drink? I mean, she melted if water touched her skin. So how did she stay hydrated up there in her spooky castle?

She said: I dunno. Maybe she drank juice or tea or maybe beer.

He said: Nice try. Juice and tea are both like 95% water. And, beer? C’mon now. This is a family film we’re talking about. No way the Wicked Witch was a booze hound.

She said: Honey, it’s a movie. It’s fantasy. It’s PRETEND. Even our three-year-old understands the difference between reality and fantasy. I think it’s time to wrap up this review before you start asking me who laid all the bricks for the Yellow Brick Road.

He said: Ah, yes. I see you’ve stumbled upon the whole “Yellow Brick Road Enigma.” While who made the YBR is interesting, I think the why and the how is even more intriguing. I mean, where did the money come from for such a costly project? We’re talking the Big Dig of the 1930s, here. Can you imagine the tax rate that must have been imposed on all of the Ozians? Makes you wonder how the Munchkins even survived with such a terrible tax burden. And why go through all the trouble in the first place? It’s not as if the road from Munchkin Land to the Emerald City was the Appian Way. On their way to the Wizard, Dorothy and company didn’t even come across anyone else on the YBR. Perhaps, the YBR had become outmoded or Ozians didn’t like to travel. But if that were true, then why was the YBR so well maintained...

She said: Okay, okay. Enough already. Sorry I even brought it up. I don’t know how to conclude this because everything about this film touched me. This movie should be a lesson to those searching for happiness in far off horizons that maybe you should look in your backyard first.

He said: Despite all my rumblings, The Wizard of Oz isn't quite as superficial as it seems. I agree with “her” closing sentiments about the film that while we're all searching for something (Dorothy: A Way Home, The Cowardly Lion: Courage, The Tin Man: A Heart, The Scarecrow: A Brain) we need to look inside ourselves to find it, rather than expecting it to come from some outside source. Dorothy and company realize this after exposing the seemingly omnipotent Wizard as nothing more than two-bit carnival swindler using smoke and mirrors. The Wizard of Oz finds a home just outside my top 10.