The Lion is not really a lion at all, but becomes one in his heart by proving his bravery. The Tin Man is a robot who aspires to be more like a real human. The Scarecrow is a very clever young man who happens to have learning disabilities, specifically, he can’t read.
This version touches on issues such as technology, self esteem, and youthful restlessness. That movie, made in 1936, was concerned with the Depression, the mid-western dust bowl, and the plight of the common man.
Although the movie contains many elements of the book, it leaves out many story lines and even changes the plot to suit its own "modernized" themes. Many people think they know the story of the Wizard of Oz because they saw the Judy Garland movie. This version adds to the tradition a musical that is entertaining to kids of this generation- entertaining not only to those who see it, but for those who perform in it. In the last one hundred years, many versions of his story have appeared as plays, musicals, movies, and spin offs. Frank Baum as, as he put it, "a modernized fairy tale". The original story of The Wizard of Oz was written in 1900 by L.