This Day In History – We Aren’t In Kansas Anymore!

"The Wizard of Oz," starring Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Billie Burke and Margaret Hamilton, opened across the U-S on this day , August 25, 1939.  Wikipedia says “ On the film-critic aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 99% of 105 critics gave The Wizard of Oz a positive review, with the critics consensus: "An absolute masterpiece whose groundbreaking visuals and deft storytelling are still every bit as resonant, The Wizard of Oz is a must-see film for young and old.".

The family favorite with the flying monkeys was a risky endeavor for MGM which didn’t make a profit on the film until ten years after its initial release.

The American Film Institute has bestowed a number of honors on the movie including  pacing it number 6 on the list of 100 Years-100 Movies, The Wicked Witch of the West coming in at number 4 on the Best Villains List, “Over the Rainbow” coming in First on the 100 Years-100 Songs list and number The Wizard of Oz is the number ONE all-time fantasy film.