"Behind the Curtain"
Mar 24, 2024 07:19:16 #
When you hear the expression, "Behind the curtain," what do you think of as the origin of that term? I had always thought that it referred to "The Wizard of Oz." Watching a Charlie Chan movie from 1929, and someone used that expression, and not to refer to someone standing behind a curtain. "The Wizard of Oz" movie was produced in 1939, and I doubt that the book (1900) was popular enough to have mad that a popular expression.
Trivia: When L. Frank Baum, the author "...Wizard..." needed a name for this magic kingdom in his story, he glanced at his file cabinet and saw one drawer labeled, "O-Z." Maybe someone just made up that story, but I heard it on a radio program years ago.
Well, I guess that could be true. "Baum was a frequent guest at the hotel and had written several of the Oz books there. In a 1903 interview with The Publishers' Weekly, Baum said that the name "Oz" came from his file cabinet labeled "O–Z"."
Trivia: When L. Frank Baum, the author "...Wizard..." needed a name for this magic kingdom in his story, he glanced at his file cabinet and saw one drawer labeled, "O-Z." Maybe someone just made up that story, but I heard it on a radio program years ago.
Well, I guess that could be true. "Baum was a frequent guest at the hotel and had written several of the Oz books there. In a 1903 interview with The Publishers' Weekly, Baum said that the name "Oz" came from his file cabinet labeled "O–Z"."
Mar 24, 2024 07:28:48 #
I'll go with the OZ movie regarding the curtain.
The Wizard told Dorothy to "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain".
Also from Urban Dictionary:
"the man behind the curtain"
Noun.
A phrase used to describe someone who is in the background secretly plotting and conspiring or also a hypocrite of great proportions.
Derived from the movie The Wizard of Oz
Senator Charles worked secretly at night with his other colleagues, being "the man behind the curtain" of the Senate.
The Wizard told Dorothy to "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain".
Also from Urban Dictionary:
"the man behind the curtain"
Noun.
A phrase used to describe someone who is in the background secretly plotting and conspiring or also a hypocrite of great proportions.
Derived from the movie The Wizard of Oz
Senator Charles worked secretly at night with his other colleagues, being "the man behind the curtain" of the Senate.
Mar 24, 2024 08:51:41 #
Longshadow wrote:
I'll go with the OZ movie regarding the curtain. b... (show quote)
And yet, they used that expression to mean exactly that in a 1929 movie. Life is strange. Maybe time travel really is possible. 😳
Mar 24, 2024 09:00:17 #
jerryc41 wrote:
And yet, they used that expression to mean exactly that in a 1929 movie. Life is strange. Maybe time travel really is possible. 😳
Mar 24, 2024 16:56:52 #
very likely the screenwriter of the Charlie Chan movie had read Baum's book(s) and liked the idea that the 'wizard' was just "an ordinary somebody behind the curtain" and used it in his movie. It is a good plot line.
Mar 25, 2024 16:40:27 #
I don't know how long ago Australia started being called Oz, but I always thought it was pretty cool. The Australians themselves might not see it that way, though.
Mar 25, 2024 17:24:13 #
sjb3 wrote:
I don't know how long ago Australia started being called Oz, but I always thought it was pretty cool. The Australians themselves might not see it that way, though.
Right, but from what I've seen, they do like that term. I've heard them use it themselves on TV.
Mar 26, 2024 21:03:21 #
goofybruce wrote:
very likely the screenwriter of the Charlie Chan movie had read Baum's book(s) and liked the idea that the 'wizard' was just "an ordinary somebody behind the curtain" and used it in his movie. It is a good plot line.
good point, well said
Apr 7, 2024 17:28:34 #
Apr 8, 2024 08:59:03 #
RodeoMan wrote:
Maybe it was Charlie who was behind the green door.
In almost every Charlie Chan movie, there is a hand with a gun behind a curtain or a door trying to shoot someone.
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