MovieChat Forums > The Wizard of Oz (1939) Discussion > Was the Wizard a con man?

Was the Wizard a con man?

posted 2 years ago by Sidha108 (2671)
10 replies | jump to latest

He lied about being a terrifying mysterious being just to control the people of Oz and get the heroes to defeat his enemy The Witch. Once he is found out, he convinces the heroes that he has given the heroes their desired rewards, but he just uses props and clever words to make them think they have achieved their desires, and then he acts like he is going to take Dorothy home to Kansas but really he is just trying to get the hell out of dodge before the people realize he is a fraudulent leader and turn against him. Much like many politician!

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 2 years ago

Over the years, many theories have been put forth regarding the symbolism in this film:
https://historycollection.com/16-hidden-symbolic-messages-in-the-wizard-of-oz-you-may-have-missed/14/

[–] bistritapcv (1828) 2 years ago

No.
He was a very good man.
He was just a very bad wizard.

[–] strntz (12225) 2 years ago

Hmm... sounds like something a con-man Wizard might say...

[–] strntz (12225) 2 years ago

... he convinces the heroes that he has given the heroes their desired rewards, but he just uses props and clever words to make them think they have achieved their desires..

The point of the story is that people often failed to realize they had the strengths they thought they lacked. The Scarecrow kept saying he had no brains and wasn't very smart about things, but he always came up with the correct plan. The Tinman thought he had no heart but he was the most sentimental of the three. The Cowardly Lion was afraid of his own shadow until the chips were down and then he showed he did indeed possess courage.

In that way, the Wizard did provided them what they wanted most, even if they possessed it the whole time, and even if it was only for them to realize it by his actions.

But yes, the Wizard was a con-man. He presented the flaming head to stand in for his small nonthreatening stature and he absolutely sent our heroes to defeat the witch because he either couldn't or was simply afraid to do it himself. I don't know how much control he exerted over the people of OZ. They didn't seem particularly afraid of him.

[–] April-151-CT (10210) 2 years ago

No, he's wasn't a con man as he didn't exist to begin with as it was all a dream. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[–] 123Guy (7259) 2 years ago

What!?!?!? No way.

you see, dorthy's essence or soul, if you will, is made up of quantum qubits and during her fevered state, it left her body to a new multiverse and ran across strange beings. it was never just a dream but a completely real place, made of real physics. she just quantum teleported over to it into new atoms making up an avatar that looked like herself.
the wizard knew all this, and also how to teleport back by aligning your quantum qubits back to your reality by reinforcing your want to go back with "There's no place like home", along with the hypnotic trance inducing clicking sound from the heels in succession.

The land of Oz was REAL!!!

[–] April-151-CT (10210) 2 years ago

Ya got me there!! 🤭🤭🤭🤭

[–] strntz (12225) 2 years ago

It is indeed difficult to argue with science..

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7699) 2 years ago

Funnily enough in the book he admits to being a fraud and says the things he gives them aren't the real thing.

[–] [email protected] (5854) 2 years ago

Interesting, especially if you read the book, the Great Oz was afraid of four women! In the book when he lands his balloon, he learns that there are powerful feminine forces at work in the land. He is no match for them so so he builds himself a great city to hide in. At the end, it's another female who saves his bacon!