11-06-2012, 06:26 PM
Kim Myers
MGM's THE WIZARD OF OZ: Political Satire of FDR and His "New Deal"
MGM's film version of The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939. The basic storyline was left intact (from the original novel published in 1899), and again it seemed to be some sort of political satire, but this time the focus was not on the bimetallism issues popular at the turn of the century. This time the focus seemed to be on Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal and optimism for the damaged American recently hit hard by the Great Depression. There were many factors contributing to this change in the underlying meaning which constituted the new version. First, the fact that it was now forty years later meant that the audience would have a new set of values and social/political concerns on their minds while trying to connect to the author's work (Lifton). Second, the story was taking the form of a completely different text, a musical instead of a novel, so that there would be a new type of audience and no longer one author, but in-fact many "authors" who contribute to the content, form, style, and overall tone of the piece. Some of the influential "authors" of this text include: (1) L. Frank Baum, author of the novel, (2) Mervyn LeRoy and Arthur Freed, producers, (3) at least four different directors, including Victor Fleming who left after just a few weeks to work on Gone With The Wind, and (4) E.Y. Harburg,"Yip", songwriter (Rushdie, 16).
Perhaps the most influential in the shaping of the underlying meaning was Yip Harburg, the lyricist for the musical. A Socialist who actively supported F.D.R.'s policies, Harburg frequently used fantasy to make a political point. He has been quoted as saying:
"Through fantasy, I feel that a musical can say things with greater effectiveness about life . . . of course I want to send people out of the theatre with a glow of having a good time, but I also think the purpose of a musical is to make people think (MacDonnell, 72)."
Although a songwriter is not usually seen as someone with much control over a film, this was not the case for The Wizard of Oz. With more than four different directors and two producers, no single one of these "authors" had much individual power over the outcome of the film. Meanwhile, Harburg was selected as songwriter because of his experience with fantasy. He was given total freedom in his songwriting and by the films end, he had written the cue-ins to all the songs, a good portion of the rest of the script, and had edited the entire script (MacDonnell, 72). Therefore, it is not surprising that Harburg believed he was in a good position to "express myself in terms I had never been offered before" though he realized the satirical elements would have to be fairly subtle because MGM wouldn't stand for it otherwise (MacDonnell, 72).
After completion of the film, though under scrutiny, Harburg maintained that "the Emerald City was the New Deal" (MacDonnell, 72) and even Variety magazine thought "Oz has a message well timed to current events" (Variety, 14).
In the film, a tornado rips Dorothy from the security of her previous life and she abruptly enters a strange, harsh, new world. Audiences in the thirties would have easily related to this tornado as the Great Depression stripping them of their economic security and thrusting them into a strange, uncertain, new America. Also, for the Midwestern farmer of the thirties, another connection could be made, for in the time of the Dust Bowl, it was a common tall tale that "a farmer could sit by his window during a dust storm and watch all the Kansas farms as they blew by" (MacDonnell, 73).
Although Kansas obviously represented a landscape recognizable to Americans of the period, so too, were the landscapes of Oz. Three rural landscapes were shown: farmland (fields of corn), orchards (apple trees), and meadows (poppy fields). Along with the rural landscapes were the wilderness (Lion's forest), the small town (Munchkin City), and the metropolis (Emerald City). The "Yellow Brick Road" is a symbolic landscape signifying hope and freedom, just as it had for the pioneers who set out for a better life. "No matter what perils Dorothy and her friends encounter along the way, after all, they are free and hopeful as long as they . . . 'follow the Yellow Brick Road'" (Nathanson, 124).
Once in Oz, Dorothy begins her search for home just as Americans were searching for a way out of the economic crisis. Dorothy and her three companions: the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Lion, put faith in the all-mighty Wizard to solve their problems, much like the Americans: the Midwest farmer, the unemployed industrial worker, and the bankrupt businessman, had faith in Roosevelt to spring them from the Depression. Indeed, the Wizard was able to restore confidence in the three symbolic characters and make them realize they possessed the necessary qualities for success all along. Similarly, F.D.R. restored confidence in the American people.
Near the end of the film, the Wizard gives symbols or trophies to the three characters to represent the qualities which he claims they possessed all along. These trophies were supposed to help them remember that they were in-fact already blessed with their respective strengths. This scene signifies Roosevelt's New Deal which "promised to give Americans a brain, a heart, and courage" (MacDonnell, 74).
The president's flooding of Washington with experts from Columbia and Harvard in essence gave the nation the "brains" necessary to deal with the national crisis. He referred to them as the "Brain Trust" (World Book, N, 169). Later this "Brain Trust" is literally formed in the movie when the Wizard is about to leave in his balloon and he puts the Scarecrow in charge of Oz "by virtue of his truly superior brain . . . assisted by the Tinman by virtue of his magnificent heart, and the Lion by virtue of his courage" (Fleming).
Roosevelt gave America a "heart" with his massive relief programs. It was indeed much kinder than the "trickle down" policies of the Hoover administration (MacDonnell, 74). For instance, a lot of farm aid was provided in the Agricultural Adjustment Act which rewarded farmers with money if they limited their production so that supply would decrease, increasing produce prices and eventually increasing farmer's income. In this way, the farmers improved purchasing power would create a stronger market for the industrial products of the east (Life, v.11, 12). Also, the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 created the National Recovery Administration (NRA) which set minimum wages and maximum hours for industrial workers. It also supported the workers' rights to form labor unions (World Book, N, 170). Note that these unions are also illustrated in the film through the "Lullabye League" and "Lolipop Guild" of Munchkin City.
THE LOLIPOP GUILD
Finally, the president's determination throughout the hard times, and his famous phrase, ". . . the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" helped give the nation the courage to lift itself from the Depression (MacDonnell, 74).
Frank Morgan's main character, the Wizard ( along with the several other characters he played in the movie), was created to possess characteristics similar to F.D.R. The actor's character copied the president's "colorful personality, friendly smile, flashing bright eyes, genial manner, and warm pleasing voice" (World Book, R, 413).
Indeed, it was normal to refer to representatives of the New Deal as "strange and mysterious magicians" (MacDonnell, 74). The audience's first view of the "great and powerful Oz" showed a large green head on a screen that was certainly mysterious and looked somewhat like a large brain. This, again, may signify the fact that most of F.D.R.'s know-how came from his "Brain Trust" (note: the picture shown was a version of the "Oz" that was later modified because this one was deemed too scary for children). Though Frank Morgan's character is unveiled as a "humbug" the Wizard is nonetheless a charming and beloved leader. He also seems to be an experienced political leader, just like Roosevelt, in that:
"He makes promises he's not quite sure he can deliver on, he has a speech ready for every occasion, and he is quite literally an expert at pulling levers from behind the scenes (MacDonnell, 74)."
It has already been explained that the Wizard restored confidence in the characters, just as Roosevelt did for his Americans. In addition, the Wizard's willingness to attempt to float Dorothy back to Kansas in his balloon after admitting that he didn't even really know much about balloons is a tribute to F.D.R., the great experimenter, who was willing to try anything which may help America out of its economic troubles.
When Dorothy and her three friends approach the Emerald City, the audience hears the song, Optimistic Voices: "You're out of the woods, You're out of the dark, You're out of the night, Step into the sun, Step into the light." Harburg was quoted as saying he especially liked this tune because "it heralds not only the four principals' escape from the woods and an evil spell but, on another level, the end of the Depression" (MacDonnell, 73).
In summary, the tornado, which ripped Dorothy from the safety of her home, parallels the Depression which was an upheaval for Americans. The landscapes seen in the movie could be recognized by the audience as representations of the United States during that time period. The journey to the Emerald City by the four characters along with their blind faith in the Wizard, signifies the faith that the Americans had in Roosevelt to lift them from the Depression. Finally, the Wizard portrayed by Frank Morgan in the film is a warm-hearted rendition of F.D.R. both physically, and through his actions.
Note: both pictures came out of The Wizard of Oz: The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History
REFERENCES
Fricke, J., J. Scarfone, and W. Stillman. The Wizard of Oz: The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History. New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1989.
Leuchtenburg, W. E. 1933-1945: New Deal And War. Vol. 11 of The Life History Of The United States. 12 vols. New York: Time-Life Books, 1964.
Lifton, M. Professor, Comparative Literature, University of Maryland. Personal interview. 17 Apr. 1995.
MacDonnell, F. " 'The Emerald City was the New Deal': E.Y. Harburg and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Journal of American Culture 13.4 (1990): 71-76.
Nathanson, P. Over The Rainbow: The Wizard of Oz as a Secular Myth of America. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1991.
"New Deal." The World Book Encyclopedia. 1971 ed.
Rushdie, Salman. Wizard Of Oz. London: British Film Institute, 1992.
The Wizard of Oz. Dir. Victor Fleming. Lyricist E.Y. Harburg. MGM, 1939.
"The Wizard of Oz." Variety 16 Aug. 1939: 14.
MGM's THE WIZARD OF OZ: Political Satire of FDR and His "New Deal"
MGM's film version of The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939. The basic storyline was left intact (from the original novel published in 1899), and again it seemed to be some sort of political satire, but this time the focus was not on the bimetallism issues popular at the turn of the century. This time the focus seemed to be on Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal and optimism for the damaged American recently hit hard by the Great Depression. There were many factors contributing to this change in the underlying meaning which constituted the new version. First, the fact that it was now forty years later meant that the audience would have a new set of values and social/political concerns on their minds while trying to connect to the author's work (Lifton). Second, the story was taking the form of a completely different text, a musical instead of a novel, so that there would be a new type of audience and no longer one author, but in-fact many "authors" who contribute to the content, form, style, and overall tone of the piece. Some of the influential "authors" of this text include: (1) L. Frank Baum, author of the novel, (2) Mervyn LeRoy and Arthur Freed, producers, (3) at least four different directors, including Victor Fleming who left after just a few weeks to work on Gone With The Wind, and (4) E.Y. Harburg,"Yip", songwriter (Rushdie, 16).
Perhaps the most influential in the shaping of the underlying meaning was Yip Harburg, the lyricist for the musical. A Socialist who actively supported F.D.R.'s policies, Harburg frequently used fantasy to make a political point. He has been quoted as saying:
"Through fantasy, I feel that a musical can say things with greater effectiveness about life . . . of course I want to send people out of the theatre with a glow of having a good time, but I also think the purpose of a musical is to make people think (MacDonnell, 72)."
Although a songwriter is not usually seen as someone with much control over a film, this was not the case for The Wizard of Oz. With more than four different directors and two producers, no single one of these "authors" had much individual power over the outcome of the film. Meanwhile, Harburg was selected as songwriter because of his experience with fantasy. He was given total freedom in his songwriting and by the films end, he had written the cue-ins to all the songs, a good portion of the rest of the script, and had edited the entire script (MacDonnell, 72). Therefore, it is not surprising that Harburg believed he was in a good position to "express myself in terms I had never been offered before" though he realized the satirical elements would have to be fairly subtle because MGM wouldn't stand for it otherwise (MacDonnell, 72).
After completion of the film, though under scrutiny, Harburg maintained that "the Emerald City was the New Deal" (MacDonnell, 72) and even Variety magazine thought "Oz has a message well timed to current events" (Variety, 14).
In the film, a tornado rips Dorothy from the security of her previous life and she abruptly enters a strange, harsh, new world. Audiences in the thirties would have easily related to this tornado as the Great Depression stripping them of their economic security and thrusting them into a strange, uncertain, new America. Also, for the Midwestern farmer of the thirties, another connection could be made, for in the time of the Dust Bowl, it was a common tall tale that "a farmer could sit by his window during a dust storm and watch all the Kansas farms as they blew by" (MacDonnell, 73).
Although Kansas obviously represented a landscape recognizable to Americans of the period, so too, were the landscapes of Oz. Three rural landscapes were shown: farmland (fields of corn), orchards (apple trees), and meadows (poppy fields). Along with the rural landscapes were the wilderness (Lion's forest), the small town (Munchkin City), and the metropolis (Emerald City). The "Yellow Brick Road" is a symbolic landscape signifying hope and freedom, just as it had for the pioneers who set out for a better life. "No matter what perils Dorothy and her friends encounter along the way, after all, they are free and hopeful as long as they . . . 'follow the Yellow Brick Road'" (Nathanson, 124).
Once in Oz, Dorothy begins her search for home just as Americans were searching for a way out of the economic crisis. Dorothy and her three companions: the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Lion, put faith in the all-mighty Wizard to solve their problems, much like the Americans: the Midwest farmer, the unemployed industrial worker, and the bankrupt businessman, had faith in Roosevelt to spring them from the Depression. Indeed, the Wizard was able to restore confidence in the three symbolic characters and make them realize they possessed the necessary qualities for success all along. Similarly, F.D.R. restored confidence in the American people.
Near the end of the film, the Wizard gives symbols or trophies to the three characters to represent the qualities which he claims they possessed all along. These trophies were supposed to help them remember that they were in-fact already blessed with their respective strengths. This scene signifies Roosevelt's New Deal which "promised to give Americans a brain, a heart, and courage" (MacDonnell, 74).
The president's flooding of Washington with experts from Columbia and Harvard in essence gave the nation the "brains" necessary to deal with the national crisis. He referred to them as the "Brain Trust" (World Book, N, 169). Later this "Brain Trust" is literally formed in the movie when the Wizard is about to leave in his balloon and he puts the Scarecrow in charge of Oz "by virtue of his truly superior brain . . . assisted by the Tinman by virtue of his magnificent heart, and the Lion by virtue of his courage" (Fleming).
Roosevelt gave America a "heart" with his massive relief programs. It was indeed much kinder than the "trickle down" policies of the Hoover administration (MacDonnell, 74). For instance, a lot of farm aid was provided in the Agricultural Adjustment Act which rewarded farmers with money if they limited their production so that supply would decrease, increasing produce prices and eventually increasing farmer's income. In this way, the farmers improved purchasing power would create a stronger market for the industrial products of the east (Life, v.11, 12). Also, the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 created the National Recovery Administration (NRA) which set minimum wages and maximum hours for industrial workers. It also supported the workers' rights to form labor unions (World Book, N, 170). Note that these unions are also illustrated in the film through the "Lullabye League" and "Lolipop Guild" of Munchkin City.
THE LOLIPOP GUILD
Finally, the president's determination throughout the hard times, and his famous phrase, ". . . the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" helped give the nation the courage to lift itself from the Depression (MacDonnell, 74).
Frank Morgan's main character, the Wizard ( along with the several other characters he played in the movie), was created to possess characteristics similar to F.D.R. The actor's character copied the president's "colorful personality, friendly smile, flashing bright eyes, genial manner, and warm pleasing voice" (World Book, R, 413).
Indeed, it was normal to refer to representatives of the New Deal as "strange and mysterious magicians" (MacDonnell, 74). The audience's first view of the "great and powerful Oz" showed a large green head on a screen that was certainly mysterious and looked somewhat like a large brain. This, again, may signify the fact that most of F.D.R.'s know-how came from his "Brain Trust" (note: the picture shown was a version of the "Oz" that was later modified because this one was deemed too scary for children). Though Frank Morgan's character is unveiled as a "humbug" the Wizard is nonetheless a charming and beloved leader. He also seems to be an experienced political leader, just like Roosevelt, in that:
"He makes promises he's not quite sure he can deliver on, he has a speech ready for every occasion, and he is quite literally an expert at pulling levers from behind the scenes (MacDonnell, 74)."
It has already been explained that the Wizard restored confidence in the characters, just as Roosevelt did for his Americans. In addition, the Wizard's willingness to attempt to float Dorothy back to Kansas in his balloon after admitting that he didn't even really know much about balloons is a tribute to F.D.R., the great experimenter, who was willing to try anything which may help America out of its economic troubles.
When Dorothy and her three friends approach the Emerald City, the audience hears the song, Optimistic Voices: "You're out of the woods, You're out of the dark, You're out of the night, Step into the sun, Step into the light." Harburg was quoted as saying he especially liked this tune because "it heralds not only the four principals' escape from the woods and an evil spell but, on another level, the end of the Depression" (MacDonnell, 73).
In summary, the tornado, which ripped Dorothy from the safety of her home, parallels the Depression which was an upheaval for Americans. The landscapes seen in the movie could be recognized by the audience as representations of the United States during that time period. The journey to the Emerald City by the four characters along with their blind faith in the Wizard, signifies the faith that the Americans had in Roosevelt to lift them from the Depression. Finally, the Wizard portrayed by Frank Morgan in the film is a warm-hearted rendition of F.D.R. both physically, and through his actions.
Note: both pictures came out of The Wizard of Oz: The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History
REFERENCES
Fricke, J., J. Scarfone, and W. Stillman. The Wizard of Oz: The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History. New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1989.
Leuchtenburg, W. E. 1933-1945: New Deal And War. Vol. 11 of The Life History Of The United States. 12 vols. New York: Time-Life Books, 1964.
Lifton, M. Professor, Comparative Literature, University of Maryland. Personal interview. 17 Apr. 1995.
MacDonnell, F. " 'The Emerald City was the New Deal': E.Y. Harburg and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Journal of American Culture 13.4 (1990): 71-76.
Nathanson, P. Over The Rainbow: The Wizard of Oz as a Secular Myth of America. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1991.
"New Deal." The World Book Encyclopedia. 1971 ed.
Rushdie, Salman. Wizard Of Oz. London: British Film Institute, 1992.
The Wizard of Oz. Dir. Victor Fleming. Lyricist E.Y. Harburg. MGM, 1939.
"The Wizard of Oz." Variety 16 Aug. 1939: 14.
"Let me issue and control a nation's money and I care not who writes the laws. - Mayer Rothschild
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass
"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience! People are obedient in the face of poverty, starvation, stupidity, war, and cruelty. Our problem is that grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem!" - Howard Zinn
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will" - Frederick Douglass