Box office bomb

Although The Wizard of Oz is now hailed as a cinematic classic, its initial release in 1939 was far from a runaway success.

With a budget of $2.7 million, the film earned only about $3 million at the box office during its first run, a modest return influenced by the lingering effects of the Great Depression and stiff competition from Gone with the Wind.

It wasn’t until a 1949 theatrical reissue that the movie finally turned a substantial profit, eventually earning $35.3 million worldwide.

While it struggled financially at first, The Wizard of Oz found much greater success at the Academy Awards.

The movie received five nominations and won two Oscars, those being Best Original Song for Over the Rainbow and Best Original Score.