Even with Johnny Depp's darker portrayal of Willy Wonka of more recent vintage
out there, what Gene Wilder did with the part stands out as the definitive Wonka
for our times. I'm willing to bet that more families rent this one than Johnny
Depp's.
In Roald Dahl's children's fantasy the great candymaker Willy Wonka locked up his candy factory because of industrial spying by his competitors. No one goes in or out except the raw material and the candy. Now however it's worldwide news that Wonka is opening his giant River Rouge GM like plant for five lucky adolescent tourists. They will be determined by five lucky golden tickets found in Wonka Bars.
That fifth one goes to Peter Ostrum who takes the tour with his grandfather Jack Albertson. The other kids who are showing various degrees of spoiled also have adult companions.
The four other kids, well they don't quite finish the trip. As they rather colorfully drop out Gene Wilder has some snarky comments. Accompanied by the pygmy tribe of Oompa-Loompas who Willy Wonka moved from their Pacific island home to work in his factory. This part I thought was truly stretching it as these little guys look a whole lot like slaves working on the old plantation.
The film got an Oscar nomination for Best Musical Scoring and the song The Candy Man became a big old hit for Sammy Davis, Jr.
After almost 50 years the Candy Man can and is still doing it.
In Roald Dahl's children's fantasy the great candymaker Willy Wonka locked up his candy factory because of industrial spying by his competitors. No one goes in or out except the raw material and the candy. Now however it's worldwide news that Wonka is opening his giant River Rouge GM like plant for five lucky adolescent tourists. They will be determined by five lucky golden tickets found in Wonka Bars.
That fifth one goes to Peter Ostrum who takes the tour with his grandfather Jack Albertson. The other kids who are showing various degrees of spoiled also have adult companions.
The four other kids, well they don't quite finish the trip. As they rather colorfully drop out Gene Wilder has some snarky comments. Accompanied by the pygmy tribe of Oompa-Loompas who Willy Wonka moved from their Pacific island home to work in his factory. This part I thought was truly stretching it as these little guys look a whole lot like slaves working on the old plantation.
The film got an Oscar nomination for Best Musical Scoring and the song The Candy Man became a big old hit for Sammy Davis, Jr.
After almost 50 years the Candy Man can and is still doing it.