The Wizard of Oz

1939

Action / Adventure / Family / Fantasy / Musical

167
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 89% · 170 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 89% · 250K ratings
IMDb Rating 8.1/10 10 463831 463.8K

l. frank baum witch adolescence dreams dream based on novel or book

Plot summary

Young Dorothy finds herself in a magical world where she makes friends with a lion, a scarecrow and a tin man as they make their way along the yellow brick road to talk with the Wizard and ask for the things they miss most in their lives. The Wicked Witch of the West is the only thing that could stop them.

Director

George Cukor Photo
George Cukor

Top cast

Ethelreda Leopold Photo
Ethelreda Leopold as Emerald City Manicurist
'Little Billy' Rhodes Photo
'Little Billy' Rhodes as Munchkin Barrister
Candy Candido Photo
Candy Candido as Angry Apple Tree
Lois January Photo
Lois January as Emerald City Manicurist
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay 2160p.BluRay
751.31 MB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 42 min
Seeds 15
1.40 GB
1920*1080
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 42 min
Seeds 90
4.91 GB
3840*2160
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 42 min
Seeds 100

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by bigticket-36199 9 / 10

"There's no place like home."

"The Wizard of Oz" is a musical fantasy adventure based on L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.The story takes us to Kansas, where we meet Dorothy Gale, a girl who has lost her parents and lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on a modest farm. Their unpleasant neighbor, Miss Gulch, strikes Dorothy's dog Toto, and is bitten in return. Furious, she returns with an order from the sheriff to have Toto put down. But Toto escapes from her bicycle basket and runs back to Dorothy. Fearing even greater retaliation, Dorothy decides to run away - preferably somewhere over the rainbow...Behind-the-scenes directorial changes are a story in themselves, but Victor Fleming, with help from other contributors, managed to create a cinematic act of magic. The transition from sepia-toned Kansas to the vibrantly colored land of Oz remains one of the most beautiful moments in film history. That transformation pulled me into this magical world - with all its sorrow and wonder.As a child, I was drawn in by the opening tension, and I mourned alongside the orphaned girl who sang "Over the Rainbow." But as the story unfolded, the shift from a modest, rural reality to a fantastical realm of dreams and wishes - frightening yet captivating - felt like pure cinematic enchantment. In that moment, my adventurous spirit awakened. I longed to hop along the Yellow Brick Road beside Dorothy.Years later, after several rewatchings, I came to understand how important home, family, and a safe environment are for a child's peace and security. Fear or abuse often manifest in dreams, projecting inner anxieties into familiar people and places - transforming them into fantastic figures and magical landscapes, where we search for something, or try to escape from something.The film's set design is striking, Herbert Stothart's musical score is brilliant, and the use of color, makeup, and costumes is simply enchanting. Still, I would especially highlight the visual and special effects by Arnold Gillespie. Nearly every scene in Oz bears his signature, but the tornado sequence stands out to me as the most thrilling moment in the film.Thematically, the story is rich - cleverly hidden beneath fairy-tale layers. Beneath its vibrant exterior lies a search for selfhood, a confrontation with one's deepest desires, fears, and challenges. Fleming crafts a gentle trap: the film's "journey" is not just for children - it's for anyone who's ever felt lost.Judy Garland's Dorothy Gale wins us over with warmth, honesty, and longing. Every movement and every note of her voice - especially in "Over the Rainbow" - carry that tender kind of magic, both fragile and strong. Dorothy leads us not because she knows the answers, but because she has the courage to seek them. Frank Morgan portrays multiple roles - from Professor Marvel in Kansas to the Wizard himself - forming a chameleon-like figure of authority, wit, and gentle deceit. He is an ordinary man with no magic powers, but one who inspires others to find their own strengths.Ray Bolger's Scarecrow brings physical comedy and tenderness, his expressions full of subtle wisdom. Jack Haley's Tin Man plays a gentle loner, caught between sadness and joy, while Bert Lahr's Cowardly Lion shows us that true bravery lies in showing our vulnerability.Billie Burke as Glinda embodies light, peace, and protection. Her angelic voice and gliding presence offer healing and guidance - then disappear when no longer needed. In contrast, Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West leaves a powerful impression. Her voice, posture, and energy create fear and tension - she dominates the film even when off-screen."The Wizard of Oz" is a film we needed as children, but one that also finds us in adulthood. It may stir a little melancholy, but that's no weakness - for all great people were once children, only few remember it.
Reviewed by 851222 8 / 10

Classic

Greetings from Lithuania.Surely it is impossible to review a movie like "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) when first time seeing it in 2022 - 83 years after it was released. I don't think this movie aged that well, but probably this is my cynical heart is speaking. On the other hand i could easily vote this movie a 10/10 because i believe that people who saw i back at its initial release were blown away by the experience. Yet like i said as seen today for a first time one can only admire it.Overall, "The Wizard of Oz" is surely is a Hollywood product of its time. One can not properly view it now in 2022, given that cinema since then has changed many times. There is only a charm of innocence left to it that is long gone from cinema now.
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