Skies are Blue

At some point in my childhood, I caught myself in the unthinkable act of enjoying The Wizard of Oz.

Today, of course, I’m proud to say that I love this magical film with all my heart and that the 1939 classic takes me over the rainbow every time I watch it.

It was a much different story when I was a kid.

Back then I absolutely hated this flick. I couldn’t stand Dorothy and her nitwit friends: the Tin Woodsman, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow.

Every time the movie was broadcast--usually on a holiday--I would sit and sulk in front of our old Motorola while these losers followed the freaking Yellow Brick Road.

My mother adored Judy Garland and I was stunned to learn a few years ago that The Wizard of Oz made its debut on August 15--my mother's birthday.

The flying monkeys were pretty cool, but I still had to put up with all those stupid songs and the dancing midgets. I kept hoping that Godzilla will wander in from another movie and stomp them all to death.

My biggest problem with the film, however, was that it was about…a girl and back in the early Sixties when I was growing up, boys simply had nothing to do with girls.

We wanted cowboys, cops, and spacemen; we wanted stories about monsters, wars, and UFOs. We had no interest in wicked witches and farm girls from Kansas.

I didn’t even listen to female singers—or “girl” singers as I said back then. Leslie Gore could cry at her party all she wanted, my radio was only set to the Beatles, the Stones, the Four Seasons and other male voices.

It was a very unhealthy time where stereotypes determined who did what with whom. If you crossed the boundary over to what was considered girl territory, you were a sissy, a fag, or a homo.

But then there was this one particular year in my life —I have no idea how old I was—when I found to my horror that I was actually getting into the story.

The exact moment happened late in the movie, when Dorothy is locked up in the Wicked Witch’s castle and a huge hour glass is draining out the last moments of her life.

Her friends outside hear her cries for help and the Tin Woodsman starts bashing down the door with his ax.

Skies are Blue

And that’s when my pulse started to speed up.

I forgot all about that line separating the girls from the boys, I forgot that I was supposed to hate this movie, I just wanted the tin guy to smash that goddamn door before it was too late.

I stopped, surprised at my reaction. Wait a minute--was I actually enjoying a movie about a girl? Good God, what would my friends think if they found out?


Fortunately, time and good sense began to slowly chop down that particular emotional door, and I finally reached a point where I could openly enjoy the movie with my mother and the rest of my family and not care what anyone thought.

I watched the movie again on Thanksgiving Day as I sat on my sister’s couch, stuffed with turkey, apple pie, and, well, stuffing.

I’m older now, and my parents are gone, so now the film has a melancholy side to it.

I knew I’d get all weepy when Dorothy said goodbye to her friends before returning to Kansas, but I got a surprise head start on the tears when the Wizard gives the Tin Woodsman his heart.

“A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others,” he says.

I have to confess that this line hit a nerve. I have a reclusive streak in me and far too often I choose to avoid the outside world in favor of the safety and deceptive comfort of my home and widescreen.

To be loved by others, you have to walk among them, you have to get out there and put your heart on the line, and I haven’t been doing enough of that.

As a film lover, I’m fascinated by the creative process behind The Wizard of Oz, but there’s part of me who doesn’t really want to know how the film was made.

I still want to believe that Oz is real and that a tornado can carry us away to fantastic new worlds.

I want to believe that I have all I need inside me and I always want to believe that there’s no place like home.

Comments

Ron said…
What a beautiful post, Rob!

And I love how you concluded it..."I still want to believe that Oz is real and that a tornado can carry us away to fantastic new worlds.

I want to believe that I have all I need inside me and I always want to believe that there’s no place like home."

A-men!

And you are NOT going to believe this. But just guess what film I watched tonight, while decorating my tiny Christmas tree? That's right...."The Wizard of Oz"....I kid you not!

I don't care how many times I see it, I still get teary-eyed at the end when Dorothy says goodbye to her friends; especially the Scarecrow.

I remember this movie coming on every single year on Thanksgiving Day and eagerly anticipating it. And back then, there were no VHS tapes or DVD's, so you could only see it ONCE every year.

I actually own the 75th Anniversary DVD, which includes a separate DVD that features all the Behind-the-Scenes making of the film. OMG...it's so fascinating to see how the movie came together. They had so many troubles with the film, that it took them forever to shoot it, edit it, and then release it.

One of my all-time favorite films!

Thanks so much for sharing, buddy! Have a great week!
Jay said…
It's amazing how our perspective changes as we mature, isn't it? These days when I watch an old movie, I seem to see new things in it, and understand the dynamics better. My relationships with people have changed too, and I don't know, maybe this is a chicken and egg thing: did the new improved relationships drive the better understanding of the movies, or did the better understanding of the movies drive the new understanding of people generally. Whichever it is, I used to be an intolerant, critical, cynical person, very black and white in my views and unwilling to see other people's viewpoint if it didn't match mine. I'm not perfect now (I really dislike people as a species and I'm still pretty cynical) but I'm more willing to see another view and change mine accordingly, and I'm more willing to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Time to bring out some more old movies. I wonder how South Pacific will look now?
Rob K said…

Oh, Jay, thank you so much for sharing your insights.

I always amazed when I rewatch an old favorite and find things I'd never seen before. And I appreciate your point being intolerant and critical. I was that way myself--I couldn't just dislike a movie, I'd have to say something like "only a brain-dead idiot would like a stupid movie like this!"

Oddly enough, this approach did not win me many friends. Now, I'm more inclined to say something like "I was disappointed," and leave it at that. I'm still not in love with humanity on the whole, but I'm not wasting getting angry with them all.

Gosh, I saw a production "South Pacific" a few years ago and enjoyed it no end!

Take care!
Rob K said…
@Ron!

Hey, Ronnie-Ron, what do you say?

So you watched the Wiz as well?! Fantastic! And, gosh, yes, remember back when you had to wait for a movie to come on TV?!? No DVDs, no tapes, you just had to wait on the networks! Ugh!

And I get teary-eyed at the farewell scene, too, and I always will, and the day I don't cry at that scene, call the coroner!

That anniversary DVD sounds like a real treasure, but I still want to believe in the flying monkeys!!

Take care, buddy!
Bijoux said…
What a great story! It's so funny because I HATED that movie as a kid. It was just creepy to me, from the wizard to the flying monkeys to the midgets (I guess we are to call them little people today). Neither of my parents seemed fond of it, either, and I'm sure my mom would have said druggies wrote it, even though it had been written long before I watched it in the 70's! Lol!

My husband's family loved the movie and they even had a fold up play set based on the film. I watched it again a few times with my oldest daughter, but I honestly never enjoyed it. Too long and magical for this girl, but I'm glad it brings back good memories for you and so many others!
Rob K said…

Hey, Bijoux, thanks so much!

I can understand where some folks just wouldn't be into this movie. If it's not your thing, that's fine. It's funny how your husband's family goes for it--even with that play set!

Just watch out for those flying monkeys!

Take care!

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