Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Director:

Mel Stuart

Writers:

Roald Dahl (screenplay)
Roald Dahl (book)

Release Date:

30 June 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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:

Factory | Chocolate | Candy | Chocolate Factory | Children

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Jan. 2

5:30 PM

ABCF

Cast

Gene Wilder	...	Willy Wonka
Jack Albertson	...	Grandpa Joe
Peter Ostrum	...	Charlie Bucket
Roy Kinnear	...	Mr. Salt
Julie Dawn Cole	...	Veruca Salt
Leonard Stone	...	Mr. 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	...	Mr. Slugworth (as Gunter Meisner)

Runtime:

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

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Canada:F (Ontario) (re-rating) (1996) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (original rating) | Portugal:M/6 | Canada:G (Ontario - 2006) | West Germany:6 | Germany:o.Al. (re-rating) (2005) | Finland:K-7 (1971) (uncut) | Finland:S (1971) (cut) | 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:

Roald Dahl was reportedly so angry with the treatment of his book (mainly stemming from the massive rewrite by David Seltzer) that he refused permission for the book's sequel, "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator", to be filmed. Seltzer had an idea for a new sequel, but legal issues meant that it never got off the ground. Reportedly, Dahl was so unhappy that he refused to ever watch the completed film in its entirety. Once, while staying in a hotel, he accidentally tuned into a television airing of the movie, but reportedly changed the channel immediately when he realized what he was watching.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After Veruca knocks over the boxes you'll notice that the second door that the group later uses is not there. This is because in order to save money they would move walls in order to complete the set, for this room it would seem that they only had one door and simply used the boxes to mask the fact that the second wasn't there.

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!
[the children fall silent]
Bill, candy store owner: Wonka's got a new one today.
Children: What is it?
Bill, candy store owner: This is called a Scrumpdiddlyumptious Bar.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jake's Booty Call (2003)

Soundtrack:

Oompa-Loompa-Doompa-De-Do

Gene Wilder revealed...

Most excellent works in the arts are seen and enjoyed at a variety of "levels." That is true of this movie in general and of Gene Wilder in specific.

Wilder has been known in the circles of movie creators as a creative genius for many years. Here, his acting ability showcases that genius. To be sure, at the level of good fun for kids and Moms and Dads, he comes through. But writers must have loved his work. Watch for the "look" in his eyes. You will see "changes" in them as he speaks or as he listens to the kids. Those unheard, barely seen changes can be read many ways. And that is the genius. They put more into the lines than the words themselves.

Art should be clearly and quickly understood. It should also be the tool used to make us wonder a bit. Think a little. Or find meaning we didn't see at first look.

In this movie, Gene Wilder's almost imperceptible nuances speak volumes.