1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

#545- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Starring: Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum
Directed by: Mel Stuart


Plot Summary: Candy maker extraordinaire Willy Wonka has re-opened his famous chocolate factory to those who find one of five golden tickets found in Wonka's bars of chocolate. The five winners are children from around the world, Augustus Gloop, a glutton, Violet Beauregarde, a gum-chewing enthusiast, Veruca Salt, a spoiled brat, Mike Teevee, a kid addicted to television, and Charlie Bucket, a child living in poverty. Once the children are led into the factory, they discover a world they never thought possible, as they are introduced to Wonka's eccentric methods of candy making, as well as his fascinating workers known as Oompa Loompas.


You know, I haven't reviewed a family movie in a long time. And by that, I mean a movie targeted for kids that adults can enjoy as well. When looking at 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, the majority of family movies are timeless classics that are entertaining through the fantastical world its able to create on film, whether its through plot, settings or characters. In my opinion, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is one of the best family films because of the world its able to create through settings and characters, and a plot that anybody could understand and relate to.

Easily, the most memorable part of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is the titular character Willy Wonka, played by Gene Wilder. Wilder is absolutely fantastic as Wonka, making the character both heartwarming and occasionally dark and mysterious. Wilder has great comedic timing and has great chemistry with each of the other characters. Wilder is definitely the heart and soul of the film, and Willy Wonka is one of film's greatest characters, and to be honest, that's the best compliment I can give his portrayal without giving much of his antics and quirks away so trust me when I say it's worth checking out.

Even if Willy Wonka's name is in the title, the movie actually focuses on Charlie Bucket, played by Peter Ostrum. It's a shame that this is Ostrum's ONLY film role (he got out of the acting business shortly after filming Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) because I really thought he did a great job of capturing the true spirit of a child in Charlie's situation. There are moments where I found Charlie going through the emotions a kid would, including anger, sadness and even selfishness, while still being a nice kid. Honestly, I found Charlie's best scenes are when he's acting alongside his Grandpa Joe, played by Jack Albertson. Charlie and Grandpa Joe's relationship has a very warm element to it that makes you believe you're watching an actual grandfather and grandson interact, instead of just actors performing.

The world created in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is created partially through its wonderful sets, particularly Wonka's chocolate factory. For the first half of the movie, the audience has seen scenes that are mostly stone buildings with a primarily grey color pattern, making the look of the chocolate factory even more fantastical. I loved the camera angles and lighting used for the factory, as it really makes everything stand out so the audience can see it. The chocolate factory is probably one of the best fantasy film environments because it creates a world of pure imagination.

Surprisingly, I felt that one of the strongest elements in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was the songs. None of the songs in the movie I feel are weak entries and I found myself humming most of them days after I watched the movie for this review. There's a certain whimsical feeling that the music is able to capture. Of the songs, my favorite is "Pure Imagination," which wonderfully accompanies the scene where the children are introduced to Wonka's chocolate factory. There is also an example of where the songs performed by the Oompa Loompas, Wonka's workers from Loompaland, are an important aspect to the film's plot and a way to deliver the film's morals to its viewers.

Parents and children can identify with the morals the film tries to set for itself. While Charlie is represented as a good-natured kid, the other four children all have a bratty quality, such as overeating, being spoiled rotten, watching too much television and chewing gum all day (yeah, I know that one didn't really age well), that will eventually lead to their comeuppance. The Oompa Loompas sing a song for each child upon their leaving of the factory, which also provides a commentary for how parents should raise their kids. When looking at the example that Charlie creates for children, as well as seeing the reward he gets for the content of his character, you have a great lesson that is relatable to all audiences.


Rating:  4 out of 5 stars.

I would say this movie is a golden ticket of film, because it is a shining example of what a family movie should be, and one I would recommend to all audiences. It's a movie with a lot of heart to it, with the visuals and Gene Wilder's amazing performance as Willy Wonka creating a fantasy that will be remembered until the end of time.

Comment below to share your thoughts on the movie or to discuss a topic that I left out of my review 

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and movie images are copyrighted by Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros.