She is energetic and delights in her dog Toto. Bryan was even referred to as a lion in the press. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The Wizard of Oz is a beloved favoritehere are 75 wonderful facts about the Wizard of Oz, including the cast, characters, costumes, Dorothy trivia and more. 1 h 35 min. Margaret Hamilton's portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West has to be one of the most iconic aspects of the film. JoinBBC Culture Film Clubon Facebook, a community for film fanatics all over the world. Baum however, never gives Uncle Henry's surname in his books, nor indicates whether Henry or Em is Dorothy's blood relative. In a gloriously gonzo final flourish, he floats off into the sky with a cheerful cry of: I cant come back. Though Littlefields theory seems acceptable, L. Frank Baums introduction claims that "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written solely to pleasure children today. Moreover, doubts and other theories have arisen, questioning whether or not Braum was intentionally trying to convey a hidden truth. Travers gained early experience acting in repertory theatre in England. [citation needed], The Maltings Theatre in Berwick-upon-Tweed has a performance space, The Henry Travers Studio, named after him.[10]. Apart from the abuse that Judy Garland endured, there are plenty of other things in The Wizard of Oz that wouldn't fly today, including racism. Aside from working for Collider, he has also done work for other small, independent companies all around his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. The Scarecrow's costume too had to be layered and flame-proofed with asbestos, as the character was involved in a few scenes involving contact with fire. The very same year that Dorothy left her homestead in tornado-blasted Kansas and journeyed to a twinkling metropolis, Tom Joad and his family set out from the Oklahoma Dust Bowl towards California in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath. In the trios moaning and blubbing as they prepare to sneak into the witchs castle, you can see a foreshadowing of Westley, Inigo and Fezzik invading Humperdincks castle in The Princess Bride. Bryan was even referred to as a lion in the press. He died in 1869. Frank Alexander portrayed him as a villain in Larry Semon's Wizard of Oz. From the far north they heard a low wail of the wind, and Uncle Henry and Dorothy could see where the long grass bowed in waves before the coming storm. This is a memorable line in L. Frank Baum's renowned childrens book: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (published in 1900). As instructed by the Good Witch of the North and the Munchkins, Dorothy sets off on the yellow brick road to try and find her way to the Emerald City and the Wizard of Oz, who can help her get home. What's more, when Dorothy arrives back home, her Uncle Henry (Charley Grapewin) has built an entirely new farmhouse on the foundations of the old one. The story features Dorothy (Judy Garland), a young girl who is whisked away to a magical, yet unfamiliar land, and her desperate struggle to get back home to Kansas. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. The Wicked Witch in the novel, is in fact, a cyclops of sorts, as she only sports one gigantic eyeball in the centre of her forehead. Although Capri went with more established actors in the Oscar winning film, in 1945, when casting for a new production, he found a role for Travers as. In MGM's 1939 musical adaptation The Wizard of Oz, Uncle Henry is played by Charley Grapewin. RELATED: 10 Movies From the 1930s Everyone Should See At Least Once. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The Witch of the North informs her that she is in the land of the Munchkins, who are grateful to her for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East (the house having landed on the witch), thus freeing them. "They'd make Judy's life miserable on set by putting their hands under her dress The men were 40 or more years old. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The studio ended up being furious at Ebsen and cast Jack Hayley instead. 1. Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Things are a little more concise in the novel. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly American setting, a delightfully levelheaded and assertive heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of children's literature. She creates a snowfall to rouse the sleeping travelers, and the crisis is averted quickly. He is played by Matt Clark opposite Piper Laurie. The Wizard of Oz ( Ozu no Mahotsukai) is a 1982 Japanese anime feature film directed by Fumihiko Takayama, from a screenplay by Yoshimitsu Banno and Akira Miyazaki, based on the 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum and W. W. Denslow, produced by Yoshimitsu Banno and Katsumi Ueno for Toho Co, Ltd. . The Wizard of Oz (1939) is one of the greatest movies of all time, and is considered by cinephiles and critics alike to be a classic and essential movie. The Wizard of Oz (1939)Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr and Jack HaleyDirector: Victor Fleming Won 2 Oscars for Best Original Scor. Jerry Maren, the last surviving Munchkin actor at the time, discussed these claims with writers and reporters who had written about the munchkins. So it's surprising then to find the Scarecrow wielding a gun in a harmless children's fantasy like The Wizard of Oz. Her sister, the Witch of the West, symbolizes the financial elite who lived in the western region of the country such as railroad magnates, bankers, etc. The Cowardly Lion is, according to Littlefield, a representation of William Jennings Bryan, who was a hero of the Populist movement at the time. Travers' character saves Stewart's from committing suicide, and then shows him how wonderful his life really is. Pictured above is the cast of the Wizard of Oz to be performed Friday and Saturday at Brasher Falls Central School. It is then that she is told to seek the help of Glinda, the Witch of the South. Its easy to mistake the 1939 classic as traditional family entertainment but 80 years on from its release, the musical is more radical and surreal than ever, writes Nicholas Barber. PG. . When a cyclone carries Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), a teenaged orphan living on a Kansas farm with her Auntie Em (Clara Blandick) and Uncle Henry (Charley Grapewin), to the magical Land of Oz, she meets a brainless scarecrow (), a heartless tinman (), and a cowardly lion (), all of whom agree to accompany her to the Emerald City in hopes that the great and powerful Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan . Sometimes she is known as Locasta or Tattypoo, but the fact still stands that her name was most certainly not Glinda. He also received an Academy Award nomination for his supporting role in Mrs. Miniver (1942). But in both cases, Dorothy is instantly hailed as a conquering heroine, just as the Wizard was when he touched down in Oz. Professor Marvel and the three farmhands simply do not exist, and the tornado appears almost immediately after opening the front cover. It is a feel-good story of a lost girl finding her way back home, as she makes new friends in a fantasy realm known as Oz. The Tin Man was said to represent a dehumanized and mistreated factory worker, who, through no fault of his own, has had his self-worth chipped away by outside forces. The witch sends wolves, crows, bees, and armed Winkies to stop them, all to no avail. Unlike Em, who is questioning everything about the Land of Oz, Henry accepts his new life and home with surprising ease, having traveled and seen the world a lot more than his wife had. It's quite aconfusing and unnecessary detail that doesn't fit well with the rest of the film's aesthetic. For its time, The Wizard of Oz had quite the ensemble but it was obvious that the protagonist Dorothy carried the crux of the movie, be it through her monologues or the songs. Then in the 1970s, three decades after its release, the movie gained a newfound interest and dedicated fans. The films Technicolor adventures are so engaging its easy to mistake The Wizard of Oz for traditional family entertainment (Credit: Alamy). Travers specialized in portraying slightly bumbling but friendly and lovable older men. Travers' first wife was actress Amy Forrest-Rhodes. However, by the late 20th century the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz had become more familiar than the book on which it was based. . (Any water-soluble witch who leaves buckets of the stuff sitting around her castle is asking for trouble.) Dorothy goes to fetch him as her aunt and . I n the book on which the 1939 film The Wizard Of Oz was based, Dorothy lived in a one-room shack on the Kansas prairie with her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, a defeated . That same year, Travis retired from acting. Fri 24 Jul 2009 19.01 EDT. Dorothy arrives at her farmhouse and chats with three farmhands, HIckory (Jack Haley), Hunk (Ray Bolger), and Zeke (Bert Lahr). 21. The pig-tailed Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) is so wholesome, the Harburg and Arlen songs are so delightful, and the Technicolor adventures are so exciting that its still easy to mistake The Wizard of Oz for traditional family entertainment, 80 years on from its release in August 1939. Their glory has fled, their spirit broken, their manhood effaced; better that they die than live the miserable wretches that they are," reads one of his shocking editorials from 1890. This leads them to elect him King of the Beasts. And yet, what's surprising is that Judy Garland was paid less than her male co-stars. To examine the mummy, we used to rip the coffin apart and damage it in order to look through. It came out three years after a major Surrealism exhibition opened at New Yorks Museum of Modern Art, and the way its scenario spirals into a frantic fever dream of flying monkeys and green-faced guards is nothing if not surreal. .The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Travers didn't live long enough to see his character "Clarence" become so revered. Her character represented the best of what was valued as the American character; she was kind, showed spunk, was level-headed, straightforward, and was willing to face the unknown to find answers to the issues she was faced with. 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