The moment when everyone first meets the real Wizard is truly iconic, and has gone on to serve as a reminder that any seemingly all-powerful figure, especially in politics, is really just a person. Throughout most of The Wizard of Oz, he's held up as the paragon of wisdom and leadership. As Dorothy makes her way to the Emerald City, everywhere she goes people tell her that the Wizard is the one who will be able to fix all of her problems. And when she finally gets an audience with Oz the Great and Powerful, he seems to live up to the hype. With a loud, booming voice, his physical manifestation is a larger than life, almost grotesque floating head. His sage advice does indeed help Dorothy and her friends, despite the fact that his magic does nothing more than to show them that the qualities they seek have been inside them all alone. But just as a small boy is the one who sees that the emperor isn't wearing any clothes, the little dog Toto is responsible for pulling back the curtain to reveal that the Wizard is just an ordinary man from Kansas. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!" is a great line that has entered popular lexicon, and actually has some serious political bite to it.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
