The Wizard of Oz film was made and released in 1939. Its premiere took place in the United States on August 10, 1939, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and it was generally released in the U.S. starting August 11-12, 1939. The film is a musical fantasy based on the 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum and was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Despite being one of the most enduring family films today, it was not immediately a financial success upon release.