The Wizard of Oz Quotes

Context

This line is spoken by The Wizard of Oz, played by Frank Morgan, in the film The Wizard of Oz, directed by Victor Fleming (1939).

If you were in Dorothy's shoes (or should we say slippers?), the name the Wizard of Oz would sound magical. Who is this grand Wizard of Oz? He must be amazing, right?

Well, it turns out the Wizard of Oz isn't all he's cracked up to be. When Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow all find the Wizard, they hear a loud voice booming all around them, telling them to come back another time. It almost sounds as if the Wizard of Oz is some kind of god, sending his message down from the clouds.

But then Toto, Dorothy's dog, discovers that the Wizard is no god. In fact, he's just a guy operating a bunch of controls behind a green curtain. When Toto rips the curtain to the side, the Wizard of Oz realizes he's been found out, and tries to cover it up by shouting over his loudspeaker, "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"

Yeah, nice try, buddy.

Where you've heard it

In the countless high school renditions of this classic show. Or you may have heard it when reading political mumbo jumbo, if that's your cup of tea. Some people like to use this phrase as a metaphor for the guy behind the scenes, calling the shots. But that might just be taking the fun out've the quote.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Hmm, let's see. For this quote, you'll need a curtain, some kind of machinery, and people to walk in on you using them. It might take a lot of preparation, but hey, it could make you an instant classic.