Behind The Scenes Secrets: The Wizard Of Oz

Dream Within A Dream?

One of the most controversial scenes in the movie and the book involves the Poppy fields, where Dorothy is doped, along with Toto and the Cowardly Lion. From the perspective of Jungian philosophy, you may have noticed the “dream within the dream,” since Dorothy is really (supposedly) in a delirious dream-like state, brought on by the Kansas tornado. Yep, she’s got a concussion, but it’s also ironic on multiple levels. The poppies were “poisonous” — they would have died if they’d stayed in the fields.

Dorothy (Judy Garland) was herself being poisoned by the drugs that eventually killed her at an early age, but other cast members were also poisoned on set. The land of Oz was dangerous.