We’re guessing you already know that the Wicked franchise is a spin off from the original 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz? But did you know about how famous the ruby red slippers were? The Wicked theatre production and movies are supposed to be a prelude to the original story written by L. Frank Baum and subsequent MGM movie, detailing exactly what made the witch become wicked! However, in the iconic original film, Dorothy (the lead, played by the amazing Judy Garland) wears an iconic pair of ruby slippers which give her special powers! Here’s all you need to know about these magical shoes! Let’s find out more…
Magical slippers!
Did you know that ruby slippers are considered one of the most iconic pieces of movie memorabilia in history? The Wizard of Oz is considered a classic film and has defined an era of American culture. The shoes were known to be magic, as according to the story, they could transport the wearer to wherever they wanted to go with three clicks of the heels. They also provided Dorothy with some kind of protection from the witch when she needed it, so they are very powerful slippers indeed!
The slippers were originally silver!
The original slippers from the Wizard of Oz book by L. Frank Baum were actually silver! In the old film, they were changed to red to provide more vibrancy on the colour film so that they would “sparkle more vividly” and so the film company could show off their technicolour process. These ruby shoes then became some of the most famous shoes in the world! Did you know they were actually covered in sequins, not red rubies?
No ruby slippers in Wicked
In the Wicked movies, the slippers that are shown are silver, which is the colour of the shoes in the L. Frank Baum book. But that’s not the only reason! The films couldn’t use red slippers because copyright prevented them from doing so. The original film was made by MGM (now Warner Bros.), who made the choice on red slippers and copyrighted this – so the Wicked films – (made by Universal) are not allowed to use them in that same colour!
The FBI recovered stolen ruby slippers!
There were several pairs of slippers made for the original movie and it is thought that four have survived today. The original Ruby Slippers from the Wizard of Oz film were anonymously donated in 1979 to the National Museum of American History, and are still on display. However in 2018, the FBI confirmed that another pair of slippers which had been stolen from the Judy Garland museum in Minnesota had been found! When the slippers were handed over by the FBI, it was discovered that each pair matched one from the other pair at the museum.
Sold for millions!
The correct slippers were finally reunited! The recovered stolen pair went on to be sold at auction for around $32 million! This makes them the most valuable piece of film memorabilia in history! Whoa – impressive! So they’re magic – and very, very expensive!
