We see Judy Garland, as Dorothy Gale, opening the door to the colorful world of Oz several times throughout Jeffrey McHale’s engaging, affectionate documentary, It’s Dorothy. That image is one of the most iconic moments in cinema history, but McHale keeps coming back to it in a unique way by showing how the character has been reborn over and over again–the threshold of that door becoming a gateway for hundreds of thousands of lovers of that original film or performers to step into Dorothy’s will-always-be-famous footwear. It’s Dorothy is a reminder of how the films we love become a part of us and how each generation has the opportunity to make their mark on the material that they love.
When I was in theater school, I remember that a professor advised no one should sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” because “it had too much baggage.” Not at an audition, not at a jury–don’t even bring it into your personal voice lessons. Judy Garland’s presence loomed too large, and you could never get out of the song’s way, this professor supposed. I don’t think that’s true anymore, and McHale shows how many famous performers have put their stamp on the melody: Tori Amos, Ariana Grande (naturally), Rufus Wainwright, and Patti LaBelle (among others) are all featured. McHale isn’t making a documentary about L. Frank Baum writing the original text or even Gregory Maguire smashing it to pieces with his beloved Wicked series. This is a film about how characters stay with us, become part of us, and, most importantly, defy expectations and history. The reason I love Dorothy and The Wizard of Oz is not the same reason why you love the same character or film. That alleged baggage didn’t allow for connection, but McHale’s doc squashes that notion.
We are re-introduced to many of the women who have played Dorothy in a variety of iterations of The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz and even Return to Oz. Respect is paid throughout to Judy Garland, of course, and a substantial amount of time is dedicated to Diana Ross and how she wanted to play the part her way in the film adaption of the Charlie Smalls and William F. Brown musical. We even see Ashanti dealing with Miss Piggy on the press tour of The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz–probably the least seen and least appreciated member of this oeuvre. The BBC casting reality show, Over the Rainbow, is absolutely fascinating.
Each actor, singer, and performer has a different experience with the variety of material, but there is no talk about what is the definitive version. It’s the 1939 film, obviously, and even though McHale’s subjects are not seen in the same room with one another (a lot of the contributors also provide voiceover commentary), it’s collectively agreen upon that contributing to this legacy is worn as a badge of honor. It’s Dorothy is like talking with your closest friends about a movie that you all love. Some might see that as naive as Dorothy Gale herself, but we should all consider that as a superpower. This world is ugly enough–we don’t need to battle each other to declare one film’s supremacy over another.
When one young woman takes off her ruby slippers, another one is bound to slip them on. Is there responsibility there? McHale gives his film weight when expanding on how Black audiences created a brand new version of Dorothy’s journey and then again when Return to Oz‘s darker themes and tone could be seen through the eyes of queer and trans audiences who never felt safe or welcome in places they were born into. McHale’s film welcomes perspectives and insight from Lena Waithe, Manuel Betancourt, Roxane Gay, and Tori Calamito, among so many others. John Waters’ disdain for goody-good Dorothy is a highlight, and the editing, also by McHale, is engaging and visually exciting. Small pieces of text from Baum’s book are used as guide posts to the original story to great effect.
Dorothy Gale endures because of what she represents and what we all put onto her journey. Baum may not have given her much of a description in his book, but that doesn’t mean that Dorothy didn’t make an impression. If she can survive a tornado, a treacherous trek, the wrath of a Wicked Witch, she can inspire you to declare your own choices as your own. Even if you aren’t sporting some wickedly sparkly footwear.
It’s Dorothy will open the 25th Annual Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival on November 7 and then play the Key West Film Festival on November 13.
