The Wizard of Oz is a musical film released in 1939 and was directed by Victor Fleming. The script of the film was mostly done by Noel Langley, Edgar Allan Woolf and Florence Ryerson and several uncredited contributions from other scriptwriters. The film was based on the 1900 children's novel by L. Frank Baum with the same title.
The musical film featured actors such as Ray Bolger, Judy Garland, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Frank Morgan, Margaret Hamilton, Billie Burke, Clara Blandick, Charles Grapewin and the Singer Midgets who plays the Munchkins. The movie is famous for its use of Technicolor, special effects, unusual characters and fantasy storytelling.
The movie's theatrical release was on August 12, 1939 at the Strand Theater in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. It was also shown in Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California three days after the Wisconsin premiere.
The Wizard of Oz is considered one of the best known films of all time. However, the film's impact was not nearly as strongly felt today as it was during its original release.