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- Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Plot and Cast
- Why Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Is Such a Classic
- How Does Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Differ From the Book?
As a child who grew up in the 70s, I have to admit that the original “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” holds a special place in my heart. I remember watching it for the first time and being utterly captivated by the whimsical world of Wonka and his enigmatic chocolate factory.
The modern take on Roald Dahl’s beloved tale “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is the upcoming movie “Wonka,” featuring Timothée Chalamet in the lead role. Throughout the years, there have been various adaptations, such as the 2005 film “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” starring Johnny Depp as Wonka and Freddie Highmore as Charlie. However, many believe that none can compare to the original 1971 film “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” with Gene Wilder in the main role.
This beloved musical fantasy movie, directed by Mel Stuart, truly set a benchmark for adapting Roald Dahl’s touching and morally enlightening tale onto the silver screen. Whether you’re already a fan or yet to experience it, the film is now available for free streaming on Tubi, making it an excellent opportunity to revisit or discover it anew.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Plot and Cast
The movie title “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” is derived from Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Willy Wonka, an unusual chocolatier, has constructed a factory that resembles a sweet-filled fantasy realm where his treats are produced. One year, he announces a contest: Five Golden Tickets hidden in specific candy bars. The five children discovering these tickets would be granted the opportunity to meet Wonka, tour his factory, and experience its magical delights. Additionally, the victor would receive a lifetime supply of Wonka’s chocolate. This dream-like scenario captivates children everywhere, leading them to implore their parents to purchase as many Wonka bars as they can in anticipation of discovering a winning bar.
The story revolves around Charlie Bucket, a destitute child who delivers newspapers to make ends meet for his family, which includes his mother and an ailing grandfather, Joe. Despite his dreams of a better life, he resides in a modest dwelling with multiple relatives. In search of a small fortune, Charlie collects coins to purchase a candy bar. However, his hopes are dashed when he doesn’t receive a prize ticket. Later, finding change discarded in the street, Charlie interprets this as a good omen, buys a bar, and ultimately wins the fifth and final prize ticket.
Straight away, Charlie encounters Arthur Slugworth (Günter Meisner), a rival candy manufacturer who offers money to Charlie for obtaining a sample of Wonka’s latest creation, the Everlasting Gobstopper. His goal is to replicate the recipe and undermine Wonka. Being an honest child, Charlie has no interest in this scheme and dismisses it casually. Upon hearing the exciting news, Charlie’s grandfather gathers his energy to accompany the boy on the journey.
At that location, Charlie encounters the other four kids who’d won the tickets: Augustus Gloop (Michael Böllner), a boy with a voracious appetite; Veruca Salt (Julie Dawn Cole), a demanding and spoiled wealthy girl; Violet Beauregarde (Denise Nickerson), who is fixated on chewing gum; and Mike Teevee (Paris Themmen), who seems to confuse reality with the TV shows he watches excessively, thinking he’s in a Wild West setting.
At first, the young explorers are thrilled to investigate the factory and are left in disbelief by its wonders – chocolaty rivers and fountains, lollipop trees, and roads paved with candy. It seems as if this magical land was crafted expressly for a child’s delight. Accompanying the children is a team of diminutive workers called Oompa-Loompas who operate all the machinery. However, throughout their guided tour, Wonka dismisses the kids one by one as he catches them misbehaving. This leaves their parents and guardians in shock and fear over Wonka’s handling of their children. Yet, the Oompa-Loompas croon a tune to clarify the reasons for the punishments, and Wonka remains unperturbed, swiftly moving on to the next destination.
The situation continues until only Charlie remains, and he assumes victory is his. However, Wonka discloses that because Charlie and Grandpa Joe broke the agreement by tasting the Fizzy Lifting Drinks, it’s invalidated. Enraged, Grandpa Joe considers betraying them by giving their sample Gobstopper to Slugworth as retribution, but Charlie persuades him otherwise, leaving the secret candy untouched. This is enough for Wonka to make his decision.
In a subsequent conversation, Charlie learns that Slugworth was secretly working for Willy Wonka, who was evaluating the children’s character as part of his plan to find a worthy successor. Excited by this opportunity, Wonka saw great potential in Charlie and offered him the position. Overjoyed, Charlie accepted, now securing a home for his family, an endless supply of candy, and a dream job that any child would covet.
Why Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Is Such a Classic
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” isn’t merely a delightful and enjoyable musical movie for both children and adults; it also carries significant lessons within its storyline. The characters representing the four other kids who find the Golden Tickets are over-the-top representations of some common, undesirable traits often seen in young children.
The movie not only showcases behaviors like gluttony, greed, selfishness, and excessive screen time, but also highlights the parental behavior that unintentionally fosters such conduct. For instance, Veruca, one of the standout characters, repeatedly demands what she wants from her father, who immediately complies. She wields power in this dynamic, and consistently getting her way has transformed her into an unruly child.
Augustus consumes everything indiscriminately, paying no heed to guidelines or self-restraint, which his parents dismiss as trivial matters. On the other hand, Mike is engrossed in the virtual world of television, with his parents seemingly apathetic about addressing this issue by decreasing screen time and encouraging him to engage more in reality. Both scenarios present valuable insights for parents and caregivers, as well as for the children themselves.
Despite Charlie being the only one among them without financial wealth, he stands out for his kind-heartedness and moral integrity. Living in a humble abode with numerous relatives, Charlie works diligently as a paperboy to contribute to his family’s meager resources. In contrast, others possess more money and material possessions than they can handle, such as Veruca’s father buying crates of chocolate bars and making employees spend hours opening them just for Veruca’s benefit. However, it could be argued that Charlie, in actuality, is wealthier than all of them due to his admirable character traits and understanding of what truly matters.
Movie critic Roger Ebert, known for his astute analysis, deemed “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” as “likely the finest film of its kind since ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ He admired it for being ‘delightfully funny, frighteningly scary, exhilaratingly exciting, and most importantly, a genuine piece of imaginative brilliance.’ On the widely recognized review site, Rotten Tomatoes, this classic film has garnered an impressive 92% critical acclaim and 87% audience approval (previously known as the Popcornmeter), with over a quarter of a million enthusiastic reviews from fans.
This film holds such a timeless charm that it’s often re-watched by parents or grandparents who initially saw it as children, sharing it with their own kids and grandkids. Its narrative and style remain fresh even after multiple viewings, despite any surface-level dated aspects. The movie is more than just entertainment; it serves as a tribute to Wilder’s exceptional skill and talent.
How Does Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Differ From the Book?
Although Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory turned out to be a huge success and was well-liked, its creator Roald Dahl wasn’t entirely content with how much the film strayed from the book. Specifically, he felt uncomfortable with the increased emphasis on Wonka rather than Charlie, as well as the significant alteration to the story’s ending.
The book’s conclusion offers insights into the four children who were transported elsewhere. They are glimpsed through the grand glass elevator, still alive albeit altered in some manner. Augustus became a slender tube, Violet reverted to her original size but sported a purple complexion, Veruca was smothered in trash, and Mike grew to ten feet tall due to a gum vending machine stretching him. Conversely, the film does not suggest that these kids are safe. After they vanish, they never reappear.
In another twist from the book, the Fizzy Lifting Drink is merely mentioned as a cautionary tale in the story, but in the movie, it’s portrayed as a drink that causes characters to float away if they can’t burp, like one of Wonka’s Oompa Loompas. Some viewers might find it questionable that Charlie defied the warning and tasted it, implying he may not be any better than the other disobedient children. In contrast to the book where every child is accompanied by two parents except for Charlie who brings his grandfather, the movie simplifies this by having only one companion per child. Additionally, unlike in the book where Charlie’s father is alive and serves as his chaperone, the film version features Charlie bringing his grandfather instead.
In the movie adaptation, the Oompa-Loompas appear noticeably different from their descriptions in the book. Instead of having orange skin, green hair, and possibly originating from the African jungle as suggested by Roald Dahl, they are depicted as smaller beings with rosy-white skin and golden-brown hair. These characters seem to be a blend between doll-size humans and unique ethnicities, setting them apart visually.
Intriguingly, the character of Wonka appears to be more menacing in the book compared to the film. In the story, he openly discusses using his Oompa-Loompas as test subjects, suggesting that this practice sometimes results in their deaths. It’s plausible that the character was toned down slightly for the movie, but Dahl’s portrayal was significantly darker.
The way Veruca’s fall occurs differs: In the book version, she becomes infamous for her desire to possess magical nuts, which are symbolically compared to bad nuts due to her greed. She ends up being discarded along with the poor nuts. On the other hand, in the movie, it’s golden eggs that Veruca covets instead. This metaphor is swapped for bad eggs rather than nuts, possibly because working with live geese was more feasible than live squirrels back in 1971 when advanced CGI technology wasn’t available.
Among the top-tier family films suitable for any season, “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” subtly imparts valuable life lessons. Through the catchy tunes sung by the Oompa-Loompas as each child meets their comeuppance in imaginative ways, children can enjoy a hearty chuckle at the whimsicality, but also grasp the essence of being a good person.
In a slightly different take from more recent adaptations, “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” may lack the flashiness some viewers might expect, and Gene Wilder’s portrayal of Wonka is divisive, not entirely aligning with Roald Dahl’s original vision. However, Wilder managed to make the character uniquely his own, resulting in a film that has achieved iconic status, just like the original novel. Both serve the purpose of providing unusual yet entertaining content, and both carry a message that perseverance and goodness will eventually be rewarded. Catch “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” right now for free on Tubi.
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2024-09-13 01:32