The then 16-year-old Garland played the role of Dorothy Gale who gets transported to a magical land by a tornado.
The 1939 film The Wizard of Oz will forever be remembered as the film that made Judy Garland a household name. Garland has been a part of many acclaimed films but the musical fantasy film will always top the list. The then 16-year-old Garland played the role of Dorothy Gale who gets transported to a magical land by a tornado. She was praised for her memorable performance and the movie continues to have a cultural impact to this day.
As part of Garland's 100th year birth anniversary, it is only apt to celebrate her legacy with the film that immortalized her.
Fathom Events held special screenings of the film at movie theaters all over the country on Sunday and Monday — June 5 and 6, titled "Wizard of Oz: Judy Garland 100 Years Over The Rainbow." Fans also got a chance to witness a rarely seen extended musical number at the special screening. The musical number was apparently deleted in the original film. The film was a huge success at the time of its release as well and continues to be a memorable film to this day. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won in two categories for Best Original Song (for Over the Rainbow) and Best Original Score by Herbert Stothart.
The classic film follows Dorothy, a young Kansas farm girl who dreams of a land "somewhere over the rainbow." Her dream comes true when she, her dog Toto, and her family's house are transported by a tornado to a bright and magical world, unlike anything she has seen before. Unfortunately, she makes a mortal enemy of a wicked witch when the house falls on her sister. As she sets off along a yellow brick road for the Emerald City to beseech the all-powerful Wizard of Oz to return her home, Dorothy manages to befriend a scarecrow without a brain, a tin man with no heart, and a cowardly lion. Protected by a pair of enchanted ruby slippers we follow Dorothy's adventures in the magical land.
Garland's gingham dress that she wore in the film as well as the red slippers also became a cultural phenomenon. The dress that was originally worn by the actress was thought to be lost forever. But it was found last year at a Catholic university and could now fetch more than $1 million at auction, reported NBC News.
The fame of Garland's successful career as a performer took a toll on her personal life. She is known to have struggled with body image issues as well as drug and alcohol abuse later in her life. She passed away in London from an accidental barbiturate overdose in 1969. She was only 47 at the time. Her legacy continues to live on.
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