Only a handful of family films exist that are bound to appeal to all members of the family. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is one of them. Highlighted by magnificent sets, catchy songs and whimsical situations, this is a movie that I grew up with and continue to cherish each time I watch it.
Based on the modern fairy tale, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, written by Roald Dahl, the film tells of the worldwide phenomenon caused when reclusive chocolate maker Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) offers five lucky winners the chance to tour his mysterious factory. Several of the winners represent the evil side of vile children. Veruca (Julie Dawn Cole) must have whatever she wants the moment she wants it. Violet (Denise Nickerson) is the obnoxious gum-chewing daughter of a used-car salesman. Mike (Paris Themmen) doesn’t miss a thing on the television because he never leaves the couch. And Augustus (Michael Bollner) doesn’t miss a meal because he never leaves the table. The black sheep of the group is Charlie (Peter Ostrum), the only child of the bunch who comes from a poor family. Charlie is also the only polite and good child in the group. Wonka greets them all and takes them on an unforgettable trip through his factory. Along they way, he introduces them to fantastic creations and unbelievable contraptions.
Once the film enters the chocolate factory, the magic really begins. Harper Goff’s (Fantastic Voyage) art direction is magnificent. The candy room, complete with gummi bear trees, whipped cream mushrooms and a chocolate river, ranks among the most spectacular sets ever produced. The visuals maintain an exaggerated and even poetic feel reminiscent of a Dr. Seuss book.
One of the last big, traditional musicals, this film is packed with melodies that don’t soon escape your consciousness. The chanting morals of the Oompa Loompas holds the all-time record for the song stuck in my head for the longest.
As bratty as the children are, their actions are at least backed up by reason. They take all that their parents will give and ask for more. For the most part, they’re spoiled. The story has a moral for parents that kids should never expect to get everything they want. There’s a timeless resonance to this message that is as applicable now as it was 30 years ago.
Starring in the lead role, Wilder is not how I imagined Willy Wonka to be when I read the book some 10 times before first watching the movie. In the book, he’s whimsical and carefree, like the uncle that never grew up and still tells dirty jokes at Thanksgiving dinner. Although Wilder does evoke some of these attributes, he adds another layer – fear. Even now, I find that his constantly shifting eyes creep me out. The fast-changing rainbow of colours that zips across his face as he chants in a dark tunnel would be enough to give nightmares, even to a young Vincent Price.
As we’re reminded by a phrase that is repeated over and over in one of the film’s songs, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is pure imagination. It’s a timeless family film that will continue to endure as long as people love chocolate. And I don’t see that period passing, either in the near or distant future.
