But the ruby slippers are so much more than a plot unit in a beloved film.
“One of the great national icons of America has become the ruby slippers.”
The slippers have had an unlikely journey to icon status.
‘The Wizard of Oz’.Everett Collection
Initially, they weren’t even supposed to be ruby.
“That particular process made the red stand out even more.
They were created during an era in Hollywood when film history was not considered something worth preserving.
Costume pieces, props, and more were stripped down and reused repeatedly within the studio system.
The pair at the Smithsonian are one of four known surviving pairs.
“They’re the ultimate movie prop,” says Lintelman.
But how did they become the ultimate movie prop?
Why have the slippers superseded them all?
It was one of the first movies targeted for children.
It’s that mantra and innate power that have further cemented their place in the public imagination.
“You don’t need to go searching and go outside for it.
Mankiewicz takes it a step further, saying, “They symbolize hope.
They’re both glitzy, larger-than-life vistas where the imagination can soar.
The slippers can represent both sides of that coin.
Partly, that’s because they’re a tangible item.
“There’s just something more ephemeral about film at that time.
Films would be seen, and then they would go back into the vault,” Lintelman adds.
“They are a direct connection to the past.”
Part of what contributes to their mystique is that ephemeral nature.
It helps to make these items seem even more otherworldly and more intriguing.”
Can any item ever surpass them, then?
“I’m never sure anything will surpass the ruby slippers,” says Lintelman.
“We forget the advantage these movies and these stars had,” he says.
“They were the only game in town.
It’s hard to imagine anything penetrating the way movies did during the Golden Age of Hollywood.
So while there may be no place like home, there’s truly nothing like the ruby slippers.
