Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory is a well-known story about a little boy who is down on his luck. One day Charlie finds a few coins on the street and buys himself a chocolate bar. A contest is going on at the time for Willie Wonka's chocolate factory. Anyone who finds a golden wrapper in their bar will win a trip into the factory. With a stroke of luck, Charlie unfolds the wrapper and finds the shiny gold paper. Escorted by his grandfather, Charlie is introduced to the magical factory and all that it contains, including being introduced along the way to Willie Wonka's evil competitors.
--becky Mann, Resident Scholar
Charlie Bucket is a poor boy who loves chocolate, but is only able to get some on his birthday. One day, the fabulous chocolate maker, Willy Wonka does a contest to find five children to visit his factory. He places a golden ticket in five chocolate bars, and there's a chocolate buying frenzy all over the world. Soon four tickets are found, and the children including a spoiled rich girl, and television-obessed maniac.
One day, Charlie finds some coins in the ground, and uses them to but a chocolate bar, which just happens to have a golden ticket inside. During the visit to the factory the children see some wild inventions, and soon each one disappears. Despite some impressive sets and a brilliant performance by Gene Wilder, this film fails to have an interesting screenplay, and the many songs are just boring, and forgettable (except maybe the "Ompaa Loompa" theme). Just stick to reading the classic Roald Dahl book.
--Estefan Ellison, Resident Scholar
The events in this movie all symbolize a greater whole. Charlie Bucket is the innocent child in all of us. The other kids represent the evils and dangers of the world. Willy Wonka is the man, he's the big guy who calls all the shots and decides who's who and what's what in the whole scheme of things. The candy is the gold, the reward in the end.
--Tonya Leonard, Resident Scholar
This 1971 musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's charming children's novel, _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_, features Gene Wilder as the eccentric, Shakespeare-quoting owner who offers a prize tour of his plant to five children lucky enough to discover a golden ticket in their chocolate bar. Poor Charlie Bucket and his Grandpa Joe (Albertson) manage to make the tour with a selection of lazy, selfish, and/or obnoxious kids who get a good comeuppance during the course of the movie. The film includes fun and entertaining (if rudimentary) special effects for the time, and a decent selection of songs by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, the team responsible for the musical scores of "Scrooge" (1970), "Doctor Doolittle" (1967), and the early 60s hit play, "Stop the World: I Want to Get Off."
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
The Willie Wonka Chocolate Factory decides to hold a contest; inside five of its chocolate bars is a golden ticket that will allow five lucky winners to tour the factory. Charlie comes from a poor family that can't even afford to buy a chocolate bar, but one day finds some money in the street. Of course he finds the final ticket and gets to go on the tour. The rest of the story is touring the factory and winning a fantastic prize.
--BethG, Resident Scholar
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Analysis of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1960's-1970's
Family, loving
Yes
Special relationship with
- grandpa
Fantasy/Magic?
Yes
Fantasy element:
- Getting wishes granted
Job/Profession/Poverty Story?
Yes
Strong "rags to riches" component?
Yes
Poverty story?
Yes
Poverty plotlets:
- coping with poverty (general)
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- student
Age:
- a kid
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- blonde
Hair type
- (man) short/standard wavey
Body type
- (man) very skinny
Events of movie makes character more...
- happy
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
- British
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
- healthy but a geeky weakling
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- blonde
- white/grey
Hair style
- (man) short/standard wavey
Body type
- (man) very skinny
- (man) average build
How much in movie?
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
- British
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- business executive
Eccentric:
Yes
- obsessed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 20%
- 40%
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Body type
- (man) average
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
- Germany
City?
Yes
Misc setting
- scientific labs
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Movie makes you feel...
- very happy
Any profanity?
- None
If lots of song/dance...
- lot of singing
- lot of singing and dancing
If this is a kid's movie...
- Ages 5-10
- Ages 10-15
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Broadway musical
Is this movie based on a
- book
