The Wizard of Oz, released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1939, is a timeless film which follows young Dorothy's adventure from her home on a small farm in Kansas into the magical Land of Oz. This film is based on L. Frank Baum's fairytale entitled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (later changed to The Wizard of Oz), which was published in 1900. The film is a brilliant spectacle which not only continues to amaze audiences around the world, but also offers insight into the political and economic situations in the United States during the both the late 1900s and the 1930s. While some of the allegories found in Baum's original work were irrelevant by the time the film was released, many of the interpretations can be reapplied to the post-Depression era. And, moreover, there are new elements in the film, such as music, which add increased symbolism to the 1939 version of this fantastic story.

Ziaukas, Tim. "100 Years of Oz: Baum's 'Wizard of Oz' as Gilded Age Public Relations." Public Relations Quarterly. Vol. 43. No. 3 (Fall 1998). 28 November 2008 <http://www.halcyon.com/piglet/books8-Ziaukas.htm>.

Ziaukas' article is an explanation of L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz, the storybook upon which the film is based. This article, like Hugh Rockoff's famous article entitled "The ‘Wizard of Oz' as a Monetary Allegory," discusses the story in light of the "financial question" which was the center of American politics when Baum wrote the fairytale in 1899.In the 1890s a heated debate consumed the United States; should the amount of money in circulation be tied to silver, gold, or a combination of the two? This dispute divided American into two camps. East Coast, urban, industrialists generally favored the gold standard and poor, Midwestern, workers and farmers supported a silver or bimetallic system. William Jennings Bryan ran for president in 1896 on a platform which promoted tying money to silver, but ultimately lost the candidacy and money became completely backed by gold. Ziaukas suggests that Baum's story is highly politicized and overtly promotes the silver standard. In Baum's version, Dorothy's slippers are silver and are the tool which eventually allows her to return home. On the contrary, the yellow brick road, which represents the gold standard, leads Dorothy to the Land of Oz, which is actually filled with false promises. The Wizard cannot help Dorothy return to Kansas, instead she must rely on the help of her silver slippers. The symbolism in Baum's text provides the necessary evidence to assume that Baum's greatly favored the silver standard over the gold. Furthermore, Ziaukas' article offers something new because it not only discusses the monetary allegory, but also suggests that Baum's story was a piece of political propaganda, or an early form of public relations in the United States.

While this article is specific to Baum's story, it also offers insight into the film version of The Wizard of Oz. Although the slippers are changed from silver to ruby red, they yellow brick road remains a symbol for the gold standard in the United States. This was again relevant in 1939 during the post-Depression era, when the film was produced, because the United States temporarily went off of the gold standard during the tumultuous years of the Depression. As a result, it is possible that the yellow brick road in the film also reflects the false promises of the gold standard. Furthermore, this analogy remains relevant without Dorothy's silver slippers because by 1939 a return to the silver standard, or a bimetallic system, was irrelevant. The Wizard of Oz, the story and the film, are clearly symbolic of political and economic tensions in the United States during the 1890s and the 1930s respectively. Ziaukas' discussion of the story as political tool is also relevant here; as film began to reach an increasing number of viewers throughout the 1900s, it is likely that the medium also began to have a greater impact on audiences' beliefs and attitudes toward American politics, economics and society.

Turner, George. "Behind the Curtain." American Cinematographer. Vol. 79, No. 12 (December 1998), pp. 100-106. 30 November 2008. <http://proxy.library.upenn.edu:2659/hww/results/results_single_fulltext.jhtml;hwwilsonid=QTVLBPRU40CVFQA3DIMCFF4ADUNGIIV0>.

George Turner's article, entitled "Behind the Curtain," details the various advanced technical processes required for the production of The Wizard of Oz. Included in these production techniques were the use of Technicolor, pyrotechnics and smoke machines. When added together, production costs for the film exceeded $2,700,000. While this does not seem like an excessive film budget today, Turner notes that this was an enormous expenditure at the time, especially in light of the Great Depression and the prospect of another World War. Turner also discusses many of the mishaps, accidents and necessary retakes that occurred during production of the film. Turner seems to maintain a point of view which suggests that while the costs involved with creating The Wizard of Oz were a bit excessive, the film ultimately did achieve great success, notwithstanding immediate negative reactions by many film critics.

Turner fails to explain why critics reacted to poorly to the initial screenings of The Wizard of Oz, however, there is a possible explanation for this occurrence. As Turner says himself, many film viewers "claimed that color films gave them headaches" (Turner, 100). Audiences were simply unaccustomed to viewing such elaborate, multicolored sets and may have found the drastic change quite discomforting. This would also explain the films eventual widespread success in the decades following its initial release because as color films became the norm, audiences could re-watch the film without the potential feelings of discomfort experienced in previous viewings. It is also interesting that Dorothy not only returns home but also to a land of black and white. This may represent a desire in the late 1930s to cease progressing forward with advancements in color film and, instead, return to the black and white medium. While this does not directly reflect the economic or political situation of the United States, it does showcase that Americans were constantly affected by cinema, both by its technical advancements as well as by its subject matter.

Steinfels, Peter. "Following the Yellowbrick Road, and Finding a Spiritual Path." The New York Times, 28 November 2001. Published November 28, 2001. 28 November 2008 <http://proxy.library.upenn.edu:2101/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T5253876110&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T5253876113&cisb=22_T5253876112&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&selRCNodeID=24&nodeStateId=411en_US,1,23&docsInCategory=65&csi=6742&docNo=17>.

This article offers a religious interpretation of The Wizard of Oz and, further, posits that the film is a direct reflection of traditional American values. Steinfels recounts a speech given at the Convention of the American Academy of Religion during which Dr. Paul Nathanson suggested that Dorothy's journey mirrors a routine religious story about origin and destiny. In the film, Dorothy's adventure is split up into three sections-Kansas, Oz and Kansas-and ultimately she ends up right where she began. Nathanson claimed that Dorothy's homecoming is like the Israelites return to the Promise Land after years of exile. Nathanson also emphasized that while religiosity is not overt in the film, these values are also deeply ingrained in the American tradition. Steinfels explains Nathanson's second assertion which proposes that Dorothy's journey also represents a desire in the United States to return to a traditional, agrarian-based society. In 1939 America was still recovering from political and economic corruption and it is possible that Americans yearned for a more traditional lifestyle, like Dorothy's experience in Kansas.

This article's religious references are interesting because, as Nathanson says, numerous religious values are in fact embedded in traditional American culture. Furthermore, it is likely that many Americans turned to their respective faiths extensively during the Depression, and the years immediately following the disaster. If what Nathanson suggested about Dorothy's journey following a religious storyline is also correct, then it is likely that religious Americans found solace in Dorothy. Americans could identify with her quest and eventual return to Kansas, just as they wished to return to their pre-Depression lifestyles. Notwithstanding the utility of Nathanson's religious references, it seems unlikely that his idea about Americans in 1939 desiring a return to an agrarian society is correct. They may have sought traditional values, family structures and workplaces, but not an eradication of technology. Steinfels' retelling of Nathanson's speech offers insight into the ability of Americans to relate to Dorothy in light of dire economic circumstances. Interestingly, this high level of identification may have also led to the immense success of the film.

Erisman, Fred. "L. Frank Baum and the Progressive Dilemma." American Quarterly. Vol. 20, No. 3 (Autumn, 1968), pp. 616-623. 28 November 2008.<http://proxy.library.upenn.edu:2097/stable/2711021?&Search=yes&term=baum&term=dilemma&term=progressive&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dbaum%2BAND%2Bthe%2Bprogressive%2Bdilemma;gw%3Djtx;prq%3Dbaum%2BAND%2Bthe%2Bprogressive%2Bdilema;Search%3DSearch;hp%3D25;wc%3Don&item=1&ttl=503&returnArticleService=showArticle>.

Fred Erisman suggests that L. Frank Baum's series of books about the magical Land of Oz reflect Progressivism in the United States. According to Erisman, The Wizard of Oz is grounded in a series of traditional values, including the ideal of a simple America. This principle is also a tenet of American Progressivism, along with the importance of individualism. In The Wizard of Oz, the characters have the utmost respect for the individual. For example, the Lion states "to be individual, my friends, to be different from others, is the only way to become distinguished from the common herd" (quoted in Erisman, 618). Throughout the story, individualism and simplicity are intertwined with necessary interplay of work and leisure, so as to reflect the Progressive Movement, which began in the late 1800s, but only grew in popularity in the beginning of the 20^th century. In Baum's story, utopia is achieved in Oz; the Ozians "practice the ideals of generosity, simplicity, individualism and industry as part of their daily lives," (Erisman, 620). However, these ideals are unattainable outside of Oz. Erisman proposes that Baum's decision to create a successful utopia which mirrors progressivism was perhaps a way for him to present his hope for the future of America. In 1899, when Baum wrote the story, Progressivism had not achieved great success. However, throughout the early and mid 1900s, these ideals began to have an impact on American politics.

Erisman's assertion that Baum may have utilized the Land of Oz to project this vision for America is particularly interesting in light of the events which followed both the release of the book and of the film. For example, one of the main platforms of the Progressive Movement was the conservation of the environment and, by 1909 President Theodore Roosevelt had established over 40 million acres of national forest. Following the release of the film, Henry Wallace became a leader of the Progressive movement as he advocated better relations with the Soviet Union and could envision a world in which everyone lived in peace. Although Baum's utopia is never attained in America, some of the ideals woven throughout the story do become tenets of mainstream American politics. Whether or not The Wizard of Oz led to this transformation is unknown. However, either way, the film did reflect the Progressive Movement which regained popularity in the late 1930s and 1940s.

Rockoff, Hugh. "The 'Wizard of Oz' as a Monetary Allegory. The Journal of Political Economy. Vol. 98, No. 4 (Aug. 1990), pp. 739-760. 28 November 2008 <http://proxy.library.upenn.edu:2097/stable/2937766?&Search=yes&term=Allegory&term=Monetary&term=%22Wizard+of+Oz%22&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DThe%2B%2522Wizard%2Bof%2BOz%2522%2Bas%2Ba%2BMonetary%2BAllegory;gw%3Djtx;prq%3DBaum%2527s%2B%2527Wizard%2Bof%2BOz%2527%2Bas%2BGilded%2BAge%2Bpublic%2Brelations;Search%3DSearch;hp%3D25;wc%3Don&item=2&ttl=35&returnArticleService=showArticle>.

This article offers an economic interpretation of The Wizard of Oz. First, Rockoff outlines the history of the debate over whether or not money should be tied to gold or silver, which ensued while L. Frank Baum wrote the story. Rockoff continues, throughout the article, to suggest that almost every main character and event symbolize something of the free silver movement. For example, "the cyclone is the free silver movement itself. It came roaring out of the West in 1896, shaking the political establishment to its foundations" (Rockoff, 745). And, the Scarecrow represents the typical Midwestern farmer during this era, who proved that "the people, the farmer in particular, were capable of understanding the complex theories that underlay the choice of a standard" (Rockoff, 746). Moreover, the Yellowbrick Road is a direct allegory of the gold standard, which many Democrats believed were hindering the growth of the United States economy at the time. Rockoff proposes that Baum's story is a definite promotion of a bimetallic standard (as was also advocated by the free silver movement), which would have allowed for the release more cash into the economy.

Hugh Rockoff's article is important to this discussion because it was the first analysis of The Wizard of Oz in light of the battle over free silver that was waged in the late 1890s and early 1900s. It departs from previous critiques of the film by not only discussing the politics in the film, but the economics too. It also, probably, allowed for the writing of Ziaukas' article, which discusses The Wizard of Oz in light of the great "financial question" as well. More importantly, this article can also lead to an interpretation of the film version in light of the "financial question." While the cyclone probably did not stand out as a reference to the free silver movement to viewers in 1939, the Yellowbrick Road as a representation of the gold standard was still highly relevant when the film was released. As discussed through Ziaukas' article above, during the Great Depression, the United State temporarily went off of the gold standard and, therefore, once again, people did not have great faith in the system. In Baum's story, and MGM's timeless film, the Yellowbrick Road leads Dorothy to a land of artificial promises and unattainable grandeur. In both cases Dorothy eventually wishes to return to her traditional lifestyle, away from the spectacle (or gold standard) and, as a result, this allegory functions well in both the 1890s and in the post-Depression era.

Harmetz, Aljean. The Making of The Wizard of Oz. New York: Knopf, 1977.

The third chapter of Aljean Harmetz' The Making of the Wizard of Oz, entitled "The Brains, The Heart, The Nerve, and The Music," discusses the way in which E. Y. Harburg (the lyricist) and Harold Arlen (the composer) worked together to develop the soundtrack for The Wizard of Oz. Harburg, who was hand picked by Arlen, had previously recorded "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?," which became the "battle hymn of the Depression" (Harmetz, 76). When confronted with the challenge of composing a ballad for The Wizard of Oz, Harburg maintained his desire to reflect reality through music and created "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to showcase the possibility of exploring new places. Harburg attached deep emotion to this song and hoped audiences would realize his message. Technically, the rainbow offers Dorothy "a visual reason for going to a new land and a reason for changing to color" (Harmetz, 77). However, Harburg also intended the song to represent an opportunity to flee the black and white Kansas farm and enter a new city full of vibrant color. After the first screening of The Wizard of Oz, L.B. Mayer, the head of MGM, removed "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from the film. Harburg was angry not only because that meant losing a beautiful ballad, but also because it meant eliminating a dramatic political statement. After much deliberation, however, the song was put back into the film and has since become one of the most easily recognizable songs in history.

Harmetz' discussion of Harburg as a lyricist can be analyzed further in light of Harburg's past accomplishments and the political and economic landscape in the Untied States in 1939. Harburg's "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" is an overt representation of the economic crisis that overtook America in the 1930s. It is therefore probable that included in Harburg's intentions for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was the goal of representing Dorothy's entrance into a new land, full of color, as America's emergence into a new era of economic prosperity. In this light, it is probable that Kansas represents the Depression-era and the Land of Oz correlates with Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal. When FDR became president in 1933, he instituted the New Deal strategy in an attempt to restore America's reputation as a land of affluence. His efforts helped farmers across the Midwest reestablish themselves as successful workers and, ultimately, recreate their old lifestyles. The New Deal offered America the chance to reinvent itself and become vibrant country, full of Technicolor. Dorothy's desire to escape the dullness and squalor of Kansas and experience a new, exotic locale reflects Harburg's hope that America would once again be the land of opportunity where the streets are paved with gold.

 

Sloan, Dan. "The Wizard of Oz Unmasked at the President." The New York Times, 25 December 1990. Published November 25, 1990. 28 November 2008 <http://proxy.library.upenn.edu:2101/us/lnacademic/auth/checkbrowser.do?ipcounter=1&cookieState=0&rand=0.7210335993701273&bhcp=1>.

This article, published by The New York Times, in 1990, is a reflection on the network television program entitled "The Dreamer of Oz." This show intended to discover the man behind the story, L. Frank Baum, and the origins of Dorothy's magical adventure through Oz. The author of this article, however, was disappointed with the limited references to Baum's political stances in the program and, therefore, proceeds here by exploring them himself. Sloan predominantly references Littlefield's work "The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism," and points out the allegorical symbols represented by each of the main characters in The Wizard of Oz. The second last line of this article, however, is the most significant. It reads: "Had Baum lived exactly one century later, his ‘Wizard of Oz,' with just about all the same characters in place, would be as timely." Sloan suggests that Baum's work, and specifically his representation of the President through the Wizard, is timeless.

Sloan's article helps allow for the application of Baum's symbolism in other eras. While this article addresses 1990 as a year in which the political landscape possibly mirrored that of the late 1890s, this article is also relevant to the 1930s/1940s. Sloan says that the Wizard "acted and spoke in a manner that made him appear just as the people wanted him to," which mirrored "Baum's cynical view of all politicians." In 1939, when the film was released, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President. He aimed to be everything to everyone and solve everyone's problems; therefore, it is possible to conclude that the Wizard in the film represents the then current President of the United States, just as in Baum's story the Wizard symbolized president McKinley. The timelessness of The Wizard of Oz is part of what makes the story so alluring. No matter the era in American history, it is feasible to apply at least some of the symbols from the book to the current decade.

Littlefield, Henry. "The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism." American Quarterly. Vol. 16, No. 1 (Spring, 1964), pp. 47-58. 28 November 2008 <http://proxy.library.upenn.edu:2097/stable/2710826?&Search=yes&term=%22parable+on+populism%22&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3D%2522parable%2Bon%2Bpopulism%2522;gw%3Djtx;prq%3Dbaum%2BAND%2Bthe%2Bprogressive%2Bdilemma;Search%3DSearch;hp%3D25;wc%3Don&item=1&ttl=18&returnArticleService=showArticle>.

Henry Littlefield's "The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism," is one of the most, if not the most, frequently referenced and significant pieces of literature written about The Wizard of Oz. Littlefield, in 1964, was one of the first scholars to write about symbolism in L. Frank Baum's story. Littlefield proposes that Baum's characters each represent a different political figure, or group of people, important to the political landscape of the United States in the late 1890s. For example, the Lion represents William Jennings Bryan, who won the support of the Populist movement in 1896, but lost the general election to McKinley, and the Tin Man reflects many Eastern workers who, according to the Populist movement, became dehumanized through excessive industrialization. Littlefield also suggests that the Wizard can represent any president from Grant to McKinley as he "comes straight from the fair grounds in Omaha, Nebraska, and he symbolizes the American criterion for leadership-he is able to be everything to everybody" (Littlefield, 54). This article suggests that the Populist movement was, although not overwhelmingly successful, a gentle, innocent approach to politics, within which its supporters believed that the government could solve all of their personal problems (Littlefield, 57). Littlefield's innovation led to an explosion of theories relating to The Wizard of Oz and his work continues to be relevant to any discussion of the story.

Like Ziaukas' article, elements of Littlefield's analysis of Baum's work may also be applied to the film version of The Wizard of Oz. For example, in light of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal and the expansion of government-run programs, people in the United States may have once again begun to seek comfort in the president. The late 1980s, just as the 1930s, were a volatile time for the United States economy and it is generally true that during times of economic hardship, citizens turn to their governments for support. As a result, it is possible that in the film, the Wizard once again represents the president, this time FDR, to whom everyone turns. Furthermore, Littlefield's suggestion that the Tin Man represents mechanized workers in Baum's story may correlate to workers in the 1930s who became disenchanted as they watched their dreams of prosperity vanish before their eyes. Even though Littlefield's discussion is limited to Baum's The Wizard of Oz, it is evident that a significant amount of symbolism remains relevant to the political and economic situation of the 1930s.

Griswold, Jerry. "There's No Place But Home: The Wizard of Oz." Antioch Review. Vol. 45, No. 4 (Autumn, 1987), pp. 462-475. 30 November 2008 <http://proxy.library.upenn.edu:2097/stable/4611799?&Search=yes&term=%22there%27s+no+place+but+home%22&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3D%2522there%2527s%2Bno%2Bplace%2Bbut%2Bhome%2522%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26wc%3Don&item=1&ttl=4&returnArticleService=showArticle>.

"There's No Place But Home: The Wizard of Oz," written by Jerry Griswold, outlines the differences between the book and the film versions of The Wizard of Oz and then reflects upon the most significant message found in the film. MGM's production of The Wizard of Oz eliminated L. Frank Baum's obsession with 2's and 4's and offers a more linear narrative structure. Important additions to the film include containing Dorothy's adventure in a dream, the increased presence of the Wicked Witch, and the fusing of two potential mother figures, the Good Witch and the Bad Witch, as a reflection of Auntie Em (Griswold, 468). Most significantly, however, is that in the film, Dorothy desires to go "somewhere over the rainbow," while in Baum's version she is taken away against her wishes. Griswold points this out in order to reflect a common wish to be transported to another place where "troubles melt like lemon drops." Griswold ultimately suggests that notwithstanding one's belief that solutions may be found elsewhere, in reality, one must look within oneself to find the answers. Griswold changes one world in the famous line "there's no place like home" and titles his article "There's No Place But Home." He concludes that "we already have what we [generally] think we lack" (Griswold, 474). The central message of this article is that one must only look within one's self to find what one needs.

Home, and Dorothy's ultimate return to Kansas, is central to understanding The Wizard of Oz in a broader context. Griswold's interpretation supposes that home is not only Dorothy's preference but actually her only option. This is interesting because it leads to the possibility that, in light of the start of World War II in 1939, and the lead-up to the war in the years prior, the film may be a tool to promote an isolationist position. After witnessing the horrors of World War I, most Americans preferred a neutral stance in World War II (until the attack on Pearl Harbor). America looked within itself for answers instead of jumping into the international conflict, just as Griswold suggests that individuals must look within themselves in order to find what they believe they are missing. This may be a slightly bold assertion; however, considering the impending doom of another international crisis in 1939, it is possible that the desire and need for home in the film reflects isolationism, which was supported by most Americans at the time.  

 

Paige, Linda Rohrer. "Wearing the Red Shoes: Dorothy and the power of the female imagination in The Wizard of Oz." Journal of Popular Film and Television. Vol. 23 (Winter 1996). pp. 146-153. 28 November 2008 <http://proxy.library.upenn.edu:2659/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.20#record_5>.

Linda Paige's article discusses the Wizard of Oz from a feminist perspective and suggests that the ruby red slippers, which Dorothy inherits from the Wicket Witch of the East, represent the power of the female imagination and the possibility of escaping mainstream, patriarchal society. When Dorothy puts on the slippers and begins her journey down the yellow brick road she is on her way to liberating herself from the traditional, domestic female role, which is reflected through Auntie Em's character. Paige reminds readers that when Dorothy is wearing the slippers she shows her strength and power as a female who has the ability to help her male counterparts find the essential elements of life which they lack. Moreover, Paige suggests that the color red represents passion, and spilled blood, and, as a result, Dorothy's journey in the slippers may be viewed as an act of rebellion against conventional society. However, when Dorothy decides to return home at the end of the film and, in turn, give up the slippers, she succumbs to the comfort of a traditional, male-dominated society.

This article is interesting because is offers an entirely new framework within which to view this classic film. During the 1930's the United States was riddled with unemployment and, as a result, women who went to work were seen as un-American for taking jobs away from unemployed men. In the case of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is "un-American" for attempting to revolt against conventionality and break the shackles of patriarchy. Paige's article coincides with the desire in America to maintain the traditional family because ultimately Dorothy takes off the slippers, leaves her powerful imagination behind, and regresses toward the traditional female role. Dorothy's overt desire to return home, which is exemplified when she clicks her heels and says "there's no place like home" three times, promotes conventional American values and suggests to viewers that the traditional, middle America family is the ideal. Paige's ideas about the slippers and, more importantly, Dorothy's final decision to return to Kansas, accurately reflect sentiments in the United States during the 1930s.