Everytime I look at this 1939 classic, I see something new. Even the great director James Cameron has said The Wizard of Oz may be one of the best films ever made. It was a fantasy that was grounded in the harshest of realities. The world of a Kansas farm family living during the time of the Great Depression and on the precipice of the Great War in Europe that became World War II was the backdrop for the start of this story.
Then fantasy and reality are combined to create this blending of two worlds. The opening scenes of the movie create a metaphor within for the black & white of reality that soon gives way to this beautiful and fantastically magical world created as only Hollywood could have done. The beauty & color of the sets, the talented cast interspersed with a musical score that has endured for generations is the thing that gives this film an edge over almost all fantasy and storybook movie scripts ever filmed after this one. Quite simply, the film offers something for everyone.
The cynical can see a world that grinds home the harsh truths. A charlatan and a fraud came into a magical land and somehow managed to hoodwink the citizens. (Sound familiar?) The childlike simplicity of the message from Dorothy-wanting to go home-is a universal one. And the dreamers and the young-at-heart can all relate to the venerable message of friendship and persistence winning the day.
All of these factors combine in a once in a lifetime blending that created a universal appeal for this film. And yet….there is a beautiful simplicity to the theme and the underlying message.
One cannot look for anything without starting with the simple truth: There is no place like home. You must always begin at home and your entire existence will bring you back to the beginning of your life and your roots. It doesn’t tell us you can’t go home again, but instead, you cannot go anywhere until you acknowledge who you really are and where you began your journey!
