Why was Oz a dream?
This is probably the most controversial change that MGM made in The Movie, at least among fans of the book. In the books, Oz is a real place, where Dorothy and her family eventually go to live forever. But in The Movie, it was all a dream induced by a bump on Dorothy’s head. MGM executives were skittish about the fantasy elements of The Movie, and didn’t think that the majority of the public would accept the story as it stood on its own. So it was made into a dream to make the incredible seem that much more believable.
