You're right, AEA. The Arabian Shoes were tested but never used. Not even on the first six weeks of filming with Richard Thorpe at the helm. They did change her dress, her hair (she was blonde!), and her makeup. But not the Ruby Slippers. I'm not even sure Debbie's dress was used in that first six weeks. It was very similar to the one she's selling, though. So it may be the one. (Still, I would think there would be more than one in that case. They made at least 10-12 of the final dress Judy wore in the film, and changed them out frequently during production. Many collectors claim to have a screen-worn original. Also, there was a noticeable style change in the final dress. When Dorothy goes to get "glammed up" in the Emerald City, the dress is modified. The skirt was much fuller and the blouse sleeves were puffier. AND ... there is one dress used in the film for the single shot of Dorothy walking through her front door in Munchkinland. I've seen it. The dress is black-checked with a sepia tint to the white. It was worn by her double in a wonderful bit of theatre magic. It's her double that runs to the door and opens it, fully in "sepia tone" costume, hair, and makeup. She backs out of the frame, hands Toto to Judy Garland, who walks back into the same shot in color and walks through the door. One of my favorite moments in the film. That dress was on display when Century City first opened their movie theatres, back in the late '80s in Los Angeles.)
Margaret Hamilton's wicked witch also got a makeover. They pulled her hair back into a knot, and added a false pointed chin to go with her false nose. It changed her look significantly.
Most of these revisions were done while production shut down, when Buddy Ebsen was taken off the film (and nearly died). He was replaced with Jack Haley (borrowed from Fox), the director was initially replaced with George Cukor, who was only on the film for a few days while they waited to see if they could clear Victor Flemming to jump in. Cukor didn't actually shoot any footage, but he is credited with "simplifying" Dorothy's look. He ordered her heavy makeup removed, the blonde curly wig changed to plain brown pigtails, her dress more casual, etc. ... he wanted her to look more like a simple girl from Kansas, not a dolled-up Hollywood trollop. That's a huge contribution to the film, actually.
EDIT: Here's the shot, if you want, for reference: It's Bobbie Koshay (Judy's double) that runs to the door and opens it with her back to the camera, in her "sepia" dress, hands off Toto to Judy, who walks back into the frame "in color" and out the door.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4eQmTizTSo
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Updated On: 5/24/11 at 04:41 PM
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