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Ranked by the American Film Institute as one of the ten best American films, THE WIZARD OF OZ is deceptive. The first description would be to call it a family film then a fantasy. But few would call it a musical first. How many other musicals can step beyond being a musical, first and foremost? This grand production transcends the constraints of genre. In 1939, family films were often weighed down by an overly earnest message, or dumbed down by a simple light adventure plot. While OZ has adventure and some preachy moments, such as the Wizard’s pep talk and Dorothy’s closing “no place like home” speech, the development of the characters and the themes are worked into the corners of the fantastic journey. Who would have expected such subtle complexity from a film about a girl and her little dog Toto?

But indeed Dorothy Gale’s story is more than a simple adventure. It’s a coming of age story of sorts, but mostly a parable about learning that home is where the heart is. Dorothy is brought to life in an effervescent performance from Judy Garland. Beside her soulful singing voice, she gives Dorothy the naïve pluck that the role needs. She’s a young girl who dreams of something more than her little farm in Kansas. But when she is whipped away in a twister and ends up in Oz, she wants nothing more than to return to her beloved Aunt Em (Clara Blandick, 1939’s THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN).

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