Outdoor Film: The Wizard of Oz

Few movies have asked the question, “Are you ready to grow up?” better than The Wizard of Oz. Although masterful craftsmanship is evident in every frame, the movie production lurched from crisis to crisis, churning through three directors, a severe injury to Toto, and the hospitalization of the first Tin Man for aluminum poisoning. What they left us with, though, is celluloid alchemy of the highest order. Kids will continue to love this movie, and The Wizard of Oz will continue to wring tears out of adults. It puts our fears of not being sufficiently smart, courageous, or emotionally astute into an elegantly simple and gloriously fantastic story. Without ever being too direct, it hot-wires us to the pain of growing up.

Free. Rated PG. The film is shown outdoors at dusk, around 8 pm.