Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Director:

Mel Stuart

Writers:

Roald Dahl (screenplay)
Roald Dahl (book)

Release Date:

30 June 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Musical | Fantasy | Comedy

Tagline:

It's everybody's non-pollutionary, anti-institutionary, pro-confectionery factory of fun!

Plot:

A poor boy wins the oppurtunity to tour the most eccentric and wonderful candy factory of all.

Plot Keywords:

Used Car Dealer | Candymaker | Steamboat | Inflated Body | Whimsical

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Aug. 30	2:30 PM	FAM
Sun. Aug. 31	11:30 AM	FAM

Cast

Gene Wilder	...	Willy Wonka
Jack Albertson	...	Grandpa Joe
Peter Ostrum	...	Charlie Bucket
Roy Kinnear	...	Henry Salt
Julie Dawn Cole	...	Veruca Salt
Leonard Stone	...	Sam Beauregarde
Denise Nickerson	...	Violet Beauregarde
Nora Denney	...	Mrs. Teevee (as Dodo Denney)
Paris Themmen	...	Mike Teevee
Ursula Reit	...	Mrs. Gloop
Michael Bollner	...	Augustus Gloop
Diana Sowle	...	Mrs. Bucket
Aubrey Woods	...	Bill
David Battley	...	Mr. Turkentine
Günter Meisner	...	Arthur Slugworth (as Gunter Meisner)

Runtime:

100 min | West Germany:89 min (theatrical version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (DVD Release) | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-7 (1971) (uncut) | Finland:S (1971) (cut) | Canada:G (Ontario - 2006) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Germany:o.Al. (re-rating) (2005) | Canada:F (Ontario) (re-rating) (1996) | Portugal:M/6 | Canada:PG (Ontario) (original rating) | West Germany:6 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Brazil:Livre | Chile:TE | France:U | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Bavaria Filmstudios, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

David L. Wolper Productions

Trivia:

The film was originally financed by the Quaker Oats Company. They hoped to tie it to a new candy bar they intended to bring on the market. When the film was released, the company began marketing its "Wonka" chocolate bars. Unfortunately, an error in the chocolate formula caused the bars to melt too easily, even while on the shelf, and so they were taken off the market. Quaker sold the brand to St. Louis based Sunline, Inc. (which later became part of Nestlé via Rowntree) not long after this; Sunline was able to make the brand a success, and Wonka-branded candy (most of which isn't chocolate-based) is still available in the USA.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the final scene in Willy Wonka's office, the consistency of his hairstyle changes back and forth from neatly-gelled and manicured to flyaway and ungroomed.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Bill, candy store owner: All right, all right, all right, what's it going to be? A Triple Cream Cup for Christopher. A Sizzler for June Marie. And listen! Wonka's got a new one today.
Children: What is it?
Bill, candy store owner: This is called a Scrumpdiddleumptious Bar.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Will & Grace: Boardroom and a Parked Place (#5.6)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

The Candy Man

Pure Goodness!

Anyone could love this film and I don't see how you couldn't fall in love with Willy Wonka. This is without a doubt one of the most charming movies of all time that is still to this day one of the most enjoyed movies for a family night. Despite it's dark little messages, it still made light of everything and made this movie "satisfying and delicious".

You'll see a world of pure imagination and will absolutely fall for Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder is a comedic genius who will forever be the timeless Willy Wonka. He played it so well and made it look so easy. All the kids were amazing as well, I mean the boy who played Charlie was so adorable and you felt so awful for him. You just wished for his deepest wishes to come true. The sets are also just fantastic and so yummy to look at. On of my favorite scenes was with the "inventing room", all the amazing gizzmo's. I also loved how we took a peek into Wonka's madness when he throws a shoe into a boiling water pot and says "It gives it a little kick". One of my favorite lines of all time is "Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker".

The film is not only great to look at but it has terrific and catchy songs that will be stuck in your head and find yourself humming down the street. This is going to be a timeless classic that I can't wait to show my future children.

10/10