“Wicked: For Good” is almost here. However, some fans might have walked away from the first “Wicked” a tad confused about one detail. Everyone knows about Dorothy’s iconic ruby red slippers from the Judy Garland version of “The Wizard of Oz.” Those slippers make an appearance in “Wicked” – but they aren’t red. Why not?
The Silver Slippers in “Wicked: For Good”
Anyone who’s seen the Garland version of “The Wizard of Oz” knows that the witches of the West and East are sisters. This means that Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister in “Wicked” will become the Witch of the East, and her slippers will go to Dorothy after she dies. However, her slippers are silver instead of red, so what’s the deal?
The answer lies in the original “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” novel. In the book, the slippers are silver, not red. The original novel is in the public domain, but the Garland movie is not. As such, there would have been a lot of licensing hoops in the way of making the slippers red in “Wicked.”
Why Did the Garland Movie Change the Slippers’ Color?
“The Wizard of Oz” came out in 1939, when Technicolor was still an expensive luxury that many movies didn’t utilize. Color obviously plays a large part in the movie, seeing as how the real world is portrayed in sepia tones while Oz is in full color. Silver slippers didn’t pop the way that red slippers did. Red slippers would pop, showing off how exciting color could be.
The ruby slippers have become one of the most iconic props in movie history. Perhaps some people watched “Wicked” and didn’t even realize that Nessarose’s slippers were the same slippers that Dorothy obtained in the original story. Most people base their knowledge of Oz on the beloved 1939 “The Wizard of Oz,” but Ozian lore goes far beyond that movie. If you’ve never read the original books (yes, plural), you might want to pick them up and see how complex Oz is.
Did You Catch the Red Slipper Easter Egg in “Wicked”?
The iconic slippers themselves might be their original silver color in “Wicked,” but the movie still has a reference to ruby red shoes. During the song “Popular,” Ariana Grande’s Glinda tosses Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba a pair of bright red shoes, and Elphaba smiles slyly at them. Perhaps “Wicked: For Good” will have a similar Easter egg for the audience to enjoy.
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