Great Scene: “The Wizard of Oz”

The tornado scene sequence in The Wizard of Oz is memorable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is without it, there’s no Oz and therefore no story. This meteorological event is (my terminology) The Lock, serving as the major plot point that transitions the story from the Ordinary World (Kansas) into the Extraordinary World (Oz). The script, credited to Noel Langley & Florence Ryerson & Edgar Allan Woolf, based on the books by L. Frank Baum (in IMDB, there are 15 other people who provided uncredited writing services for the project), is an interesting read, especially to see how much camera direction existed in screenplays of that era. In fact, to read the scene, you’ll need this guide to camera shot abbreviations:

CU: Close Up

MCS: Medium Close Shot

MS: Medium Shot

MLS: Medium Long Shot

LS: Long Shot

ELS: Extra Long Shot

And now the tornado scene from The Wizard of Oz

MCS -- Dorothy and Professor -- Dorothy jumps up -- picks up her basket --goes to b.g. --DOROTHY
...you don't suppose she could really be
sick, do you? Oh -- Oh, I've got to go home
right away!PROFESSOR
But -- what's this? I thought you were
going along with me.DOROTHY
Oh, no, no, I have to get to her right....MCS -- Dorothy picks up Toto -- CAMERA PANS as she comes forward down
steps -- she speaks to Toto -- reacts -- CAMERA PANS left as she runs to
b.g. -- picks up suitcase -- puts Toto to ground -- both run up hill in
b.g. -- wind blowing leaves around --DOROTHY
...away! Come on, Toto! Oh, what'll I do?
If we go home, they'll send you to the
Sheriff. And if we don't, Aunt Em may --
well, she may die! I know what I'll do -
I'll give you to Hunk. He'll watch out for
you. But we've got to hurry. Goodbye,
Professor Marvel -- and thanks a lot!MLS -- Professor comes out of wagon -- CAMERA PANS him left to horse --
wind blowing -- Professor looks around -- starts out left with horse --PROFESSOR
Better get under cover, Sylvester --
there's a storm blowing up -- a whopper, to
speak in the vernacular of the peasantry.
Poor little kid -- I hope she gets home all
right.LAP DISSOLVE TO:MS -- Farm Yard -- chickens fly down into yard -- run to b.g. toward barn
-- wind blowing weeds and dust -- CAMERA PANS up -- Uncle Henry runs
forward -- speaks to Hunk -- Hunk exits into barn at left -- Uncle Henry
comes forward -- CAMERA TRUCKS back to Hickory working on wind machine --
they speak -- then hurry to b.g. -- Zeke in b.g. runs forward -- Hickory
exits into barn --UNCLE HENRY
Hunk, get them horses loose! Where's
Hickory. Hickory! Hickory! Doggone it!
Hick --HICKORY o.s.
Right here.UNCLE HENRY
Hey, what are you doing there?HICKORY
This is my chance! The cyclone is coming.
Let me show you what my machine can do!
You see, it goes --UNCLE HENRY
Doggone you! Help Hunk get them horses
loose!HICKORY
All right - you'll be sorry.UNCLE HENRY
Go on, hurry up! Hurry up, I tell you!LS -- Zeke points up to sky -- Hunk and others drive horses out of barn --ZEKE
She's here -- it's a twister!ELS -- The Gale Farm -- Cyclone approaching --MLS -- Aunt Em runs out of house -- cups hands to her mouth -- calls o.s.
-- runs to b.g. to corner of house -- calls o.s. --AUNT EM
Dorothy! Dorothy!MLS -- Dorothy and Toto near fence -- Dorothy looks to b.g. to house --LS -- Uncle Henry -- Hunk -- Hickory and Zeke -- they turn horse loose --
it runs out right --UNCLE HENRY
Come on -- everybody in the storm cellar!MLS -- Dorothy and Toto moving forward against the wind -- weeds and
sticks blowing thru -- Dorothy stops -- picks up Toto --MLS -- Aunt Em on porch -- Uncle Henry -- Hunk -- Zeke and Hickory run in
-- Aunt Em calls o.s. again -- then all start into storm cellar --AUNT EM
Henry! Henry! I can't find Dorothy! She's
somewhere out in the storm! Dorothy!MLS -- Dorothy carrying Toto -- pushes gate open -- makes her way thru
wind -- CAMERA PANS right as she goes up on to porch of house -- chair and
things blow off the porch -- Dorothy opens screen door -- the door blows
off -- Dorothy exits into house --MLS -- Zeke and Hunk exit into storm cellar -- close the cellar door --MLS -- Dorothy in Living room -- CAMERA PANS left as she runs across room
-- calls o.s. -- TRUCKS back as she hurries forward to kitchen -- then
exits door left --DOROTHY
Auntie Em! Auntie Em!ELS -- The Gale farm -- the Cyclone approaching --MS -- Dorothy sitting on edge of bed -- holding Toto in her arms -- the
window blows loose -- hits Dorothy on the head -- she falls to floor -
then gets up dazed - sits on edge of bed - Toto jumps up near her - she
lies back on bed --ELS - The Gale Farm - Cyclone hits it - swirling dust circles house -ELS - The house spinning up thru dust -ELS - The house spinning up thru dust - other wreckage flying thru -LAP DISSOLVE TO:CU - Dorothy lying on bed - opens her eyes - looks around -MS - Dorothy and Toto on bed - Dorothy sits up - CAMERA TRUCKS back as she
sits up - looks out window - sees trees, furniture, etc. flying thru -MS - Dorothy looking out window - turns - speaks to Toto -DOROTHY
We're not on the ground, Toto!MLS - Shooting thru window - Chicken coop flies thru - then a little old
lady sitting ie rocking chair - knitting -MS - Dorothy and Toto - Dorothy reacts -MLS - Shooting thru window - Cow floats thru - Cow mooing -MS - Dorothy and Toto - Toto barks - jumps down off the bed - (Cow o.s.
mooing)MCS - Toto crawls under bed -MS -- Dorothy sitting on bed -- looking out window to b.g. -- reacts as
various things float thru -- Two men in row boat float in -- both tip
their hats to Dorothy -- Dorothy waves to them --MCS - Toto looks out from under bed - Cow moos o.s. - he darts back under
the bed -MLS - Shooting through window - Cow floats thru -MCS - Dorothy rises - looks o.s. -MLS - Shooting thru window - tree floats thru -MCS -- Dorothy reacts -- turns --DOROTHY
We must be up inside....MCS -- Toto looks out from under bed --DOROTHY o.s.
...the cyclone.CS - Dorothy looking o.s. out window - reacts - CAMERA PANS as she sits on
edge of bed -MS -- Dorothy -- seated on edge of bed -- looking out window -- Miss Gulch
floats in -- riding her bicycle -- Dorothy reacts -- looks down to Toto --
Miss Gulch moves in closer to window -- her bicycle changes to broomstick
-- her clothes into the flying robe and pointed hat --MCS - Dorothy looking o.s. - reacts - puts her hands over her eyes -MLS -- Dorothy lies face down on the bed -- Miss Gulch floating thru in
b.g. -- disappears --MS -- the swirling funnel of the cyclone -- the house spins in apart from
the cyclone --MLS - Dorothy holding Toto in her arms - throws herself down on the bed -
screams -ELS - The spinning house - the cyclone whirling in the background -
(Dorothy screaming)MLS -- Dorothy and Toto lying on bed -- house spinning -- Dorothy
screams --ELS - The house whirling down thru dust - exits lower right -ELS -- The house whirls in at top -- floats down thru --ELS -- The house floating down thru clouds --MLS -- Dorothy and Toto lying on bed -- the house crashes to ground --
Dorothy screams -- she looks around -- then gets up off the bed -- goes to
b.g. -- picks up the basket -- opens door --MCS -- Dorothy walks forward -- looking around o.s. -- CAMERA PANS as she
walks to right f.g. -- exits --Int. Farm House -- MCS -- Dorothy enters from l.f.g. and opens the door
to reveal Munchkinland -- CAMERA BOOMS forward through the door and around
to the right -- to shoot down on FULL SHOT of Civic Center of the Munchkin
Village -- Dorothy looks around confused by it all --MLS -- Dorothy with Toto in her arms looks about the Village and speaks --
Munchkins rise before camera in f.g. and watch her --DOROTHY
Toto -- I've a feeling we're not in Kansas
anymore.CS -- Dorothy with Toto in her arms -- looks about and speaks --DOROTHY
We must be over the rainbow!

Here is the movie version of the sequence:

Funny thing is if you eliminate the camera shots, the scene description — at points — reads pretty much akin to modern standards. For example, what if we tweak this paragraph:

Dorothy sits on the edge of her bed... clutches Toto in her arms. The
window blows loose... smacks Dorothy on the head.She falls to floor... staggers up dazed... collapses on her bed. Toto
jumps up near her...

It would be an interesting exercise to rewrite parts of the script to modern style preferences. Then when someone asks how you’re writing is going, you can honestly say, “I’m rewriting The Wizard of Oz!”

Seriously how much nicer is it not to have to insert all those camera shots into a screenplay? We have much more readable scripts nowadays. Now if we could only come up with stories as great as The Wizard of Oz!