Wizard of Oz facts: the 1939 film that lasted

The 1939 film behind the search for wizard of oz facts

If you’re looking for wizard of oz facts, the story starts with a 1939 American musical fantasy film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and it paired fantasy storytelling with a musical score and characters that people still recognize.

The film was produced by MGM and became known for its visual style, especially its use of three-strip Technicolor. The Oz sequences were filmed in that process, while the opening and closing credits and the Kansas sequences were filmed in black and white and colored in a sepia-tone process.

Who made The Wizard of Oz?

Victor Fleming was the film’s primary director, and he left production to take over Gone with the Wind. Production had already begun on October 13, 1938, under Richard Thorpe.

The film starred Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Billie Burke, and Margaret Hamilton. The music was composed by Harold Arlen and adapted by Herbert Stothart, with lyrics by Edgar “Yip” Harburg.

That combination of cast, music, and visual design helped shape the movie’s identity. The film is celebrated for its fantasy storytelling, musical score, memorable characters, and its use of three-strip Technicolor.

Which songs and awards made it stand out?

The most notable award for the film’s music was Best Original Song for “Over the Rainbow,” and Best Original Score for Stothart at the Academy Awards. Judy Garland also received the Academy Juvenile Award.

Those honors sit alongside the film’s reputation for its songs and score. Harold Arlen’s music, Stothart’s adaptation, and Harburg’s lyrics helped create the sound of the movie, while Garland’s performance became one of the film’s defining features.

Why did The Wizard of Oz become such a lasting classic?

The film failed to make a profit until its 1949 re-release. Even so, its reputation continued to grow. According to the U.S. Library of Congress, The Wizard of Oz is the most seen film in cinematic history.

That long life also shows up in formal recognition. In the inaugural class of 1989, it was selected as one of the first 25 films for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. In 2022, Variety ranked it second in its inaugural 100 Greatest Movies of All Time list.

The movie’s mix of three-strip Technicolor, black-and-white and sepia-tone Kansas scenes, a well-known cast, and award-winning music gives it a very specific place in film history. It came from a 1939 release, but its reputation stretches far beyond that year.

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