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It seems strange to think of The Wizard of Oz without the song “Over the Rainbow,” which was removed during editing but later added back into the film.
This song was a creation of (music) Harold Arlen and (lyrics) E.Y. Harburg for the purpose of the film giving Dorothy the ability to express her wish to move away from Kansas.
People at MGM were nervous about the song and felt that it would slow down the film as well as wondered if this calm song with a sad mood would appeal to the younger audience they were targeting.
The song was deleted in the editing phase and was not used in the first draft of the film but was added back into the movie before release.
Luckily, it really stayed in the movie. Garland’s acting turned the song to be one of the most unforgettable moments in movie history and made “Over the Rainbow” and The Wizard of Oz inseparable.
The scene is so interesting because It is completely plain. There are no special effects or flying monkeys. It only features Garland standing in Kansas and singing about her wish to escape from all her problems.
This plain moment transformed into something way bigger than a song from the movie.
Now you can hardly think of The Wizard of Oz without recalling the song “Over the Rainbow.”
Sources: AFI Catalog Columbia University
