Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson and Peter Ostrum in the Mel Stuart movie ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’

Turning our attention today to a family comedy mixed with adventure, we look to the Mel Stuart directed movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). Based on the 1964 book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by British writer Roald Dahl, this movie predated the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), which Matt Lynn Digital reviewed in November of 2021. Dahl received screenwriting credit for the 1971 film, though not the 2005 film.

(From left, Aubrey Woods as Bill and David Battley as Mr. Turkentine in the Mel Stuart movie Willy Wonka & the Charlie Factory).

The Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory movie opens with an extended pair of themes to begin the story. The first theme is to introduce a clear fascination with and fondness for chocolate. The aim with this theme is to offer a clear sense of mystery and magic for the man, Willy Wonka, and the chocolate factory that he runs. Building an eagerness to tour the factory and see the magic, and thus the man, foreshadows much of the movies second and main movement of action within the factory. The introduction of the candy store with Bill singing, as portrayed by Aubrey Woods, plays a substantial part in this. The role of teacher Mr. Turkentine, as portrayed by David Battley, furthers this theme while reinforcing the second introductory movie theme.

(From left, Diana Sowle as Mrs. Bucket, Peter Ostrum as Charlie Bucket, Jack Albertson as Grandpa Joe, Franziska Liebing as Grandma Josephine and Ernst Ziegler as Grandpa George in the Mel Stuart movie Willy Wonka & the Charlie Factory).

The second theme is that the Charlie Bucket and his family have been experiencing difficult financial times. Mrs. Bucket, as portrayed by Diana Sowle, works long hours working to keep the family of four grandparents, herself and young Charlie Bucket afloat. Peter Ostrum portrays the young Charlie Bucket, a dreamer dedicated to his family through work, sacrifice and the family’s dinners of cabbage water. Meanwhile, the four grandparents are bedridden as Charlie dreams of getting the golden ticket into touring Willy Wonka’s factory. The four grandparents were portrayed by Franziska Liebing as Grandma Josephine, Dora Altmann as Grandma Georgina, Ernst Ziegler as Grandpa George and Jack Albertson as Grandpa Joe.

(Günter Meisner as Arthur Slugworth, also known as Mr. Wilkinson in the Mel Stuart movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory).

The two themes comingle together as some recognize and aim to gently encourage Charlie’s dreaming while recognizing the difficulties. The song Mrs. Bucket sings of Charlie’s dreaming is touching. The introduction of Arthur Slugworth, as portrayed by Günter Meisner, into the anticipation leading into the larger messaging of the movie, is cleverly sweet when considering the prominence of chocolate and a chocolate factory in the movie’s worldview.

(In the back row from the left include Michael Bollner as Augustus Gloop, Ursula Reit as Mrs. Gloop and Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. In the middle row from the left are Leonard Stone as Sam Beauregarde, Roy Kinnear as Henry Salt, Nora Denney as Mrs. Teevee and Jack Albertson as Grandpa Joe). In the front row from the left are Denise Nickerson as Violet Beauregarde, Julie Dawn Cole as Veruca Salt, Paris Themmen as Mike Teevee and Peter Ostrum as Charlie Bucket. All are posed for the Mel Stuart movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory).

The magic of the movie’s unfolding, honestly, commences with the arrival at the chocolate factory. The introductory scene with Willy Wonka establishes a tone for what is to come. The additional touch of building such anticipation for the role of Wonka, as portrayed by Gene Wilder, did credit to the role while also amplifying the emphasis of the philosophical messaging the movie would offer. Introducing the helpers known as the Oompa Loompas, that we knew were aids for Wonka from the point we met them, was a nice touch. The artistry of the sets, the story, the messaging within the factory and, ultimately, the testing and life lessons as delivered were magic. Whether Wilder successfully nailed the delivery of the song Pure Imagination is perhaps the biggest question that I have for the movie given the degree to which I enjoyed both.

(Gene Wilder pictured on set with actors who portrayed Oompa Loompas of the Mel Stuart movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The actors who portrayed Oompa Loompas included Rudy Borgstaller, George Claydon, Malcolm Dixon, Rusty Goffe, Ismed Hassan, Norman McGlen, Angelo Muscat, Pepi Poupee, Marcus Powell, and Albert Wilkinson).

The sequence of introducing the magic within the chocolate factory was presented as a sign of love that Willy Wonka hoped to bestow. This object was hinted at throughout the movie, though to discern this early within a person’s first viewing of the movie is truly a too much to ask of a viewer. That the subtlety of the message, delivered not until the movie’s conclusion and among at least four other life lessons for parents and children, is part of the strength many see with this film.

(From left, actor Peter Ostrum, actor Gene Wilder and director Mel Stuart in the Mel Stuart movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory).

There is a charm to the way that Mel Stuart interpreted the Roald Dahl book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The movie spoke to a different audience than the movie that followed 34-years later; thus, it feels appropriate to judge the films with an awareness that each film meant to do different things for the actors and the means through which the director meant to connect with the audience. Each film struck me differently for its own merits, with the comments for young families feeling appropriate to each. That I still enjoy the Mel Stuart directed Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory should be inferred by my granting the experience 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn and Peter Boyle in the Mel Brooks movie ‘Young Frankenstein’

Having introduced our review of the James Whale directed movie Frankenstein (1931) earlier this week on Matt Lynn Digital, we follow this closely with the Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein (1974), based on the Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley book Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus and, more precisely, the  cinematic film of 43-years previous.

(From left, Cloris Leachman as Frau Blücher, Marty Feldman as Igor, Teri Garr as Inga and Gene Wilder as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein).

The movie Young Frankenstein takes steps to mirror scenes along with the black-and-white presentation of the original Frankenstein movie on which this comedy is based. Some noticeable differences begin with bringing the American grandson of the original Dr. Frankenstein to Transylvania in order to meet much of his supporting cast. Gene Wilder portrays Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, that grandson, who we first meet as a classroom doctor seeking to distance himself from the myth of making monsters that he as grandson has inherited.

(From left, Anne Beesley as Helga and Peter Boyle as The Monster in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein).

Frederick of course is set to marry, and we are introduced to Madeline Kahn as Elizabeth in this role. A comedic theme that carries through much of the movie starts between Frederick and Elizabeth, which at first indicates distinct emotional distance between the two as they separate at the beginning of the good doctor’s journey to Transylvania. There’s comedy in that journey, as well as in meeting Frederick’s supporting cast Igor, Inga and Frau Blücher in the movie’s second country. Marty Feldman portrays Igor, Teri Garr portrays Inga and Cloris Leachman portrays Frau Blücher. The theme of a potentially loveless impending marriage brings supporting comedy among these four characters.

(From left, Peter Boyle as The Monster and Madeline Kahn as Elizabeth in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein).

The storylines that introduced the creation and experience of The Monster, as portrayed by Peter Boyle, harken back to the original Frankenstein movie while offering new twists and, of course, variations. Anne Beesley portrays Helga, whose equivalence to Little Maria in the original movie cannot be mistaken. The notion of tremendous size is used for solid humor in addressing Helga, the angry mob that forms too in Young Frankenstein, and between Elizabeth, Frederick’s would be wife, and The Monster. The introduction of intentionally sophomoric humor in especially the relations between The Monster, Elizabeth, Frederick and Inga carries much of Young Frankenstein to resolution.

(From left, Peter Boyle as The Monster and Gene Hackman as Harold, the blind man in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein).

Additional humor and movie references brought to the forefront in Young Frankenstein were appreciated. The notion of The Monster’s fear of fire were well played in the gags with Harold, the blind man as portrayed by Gene Hackman. The scene where Frederick Frankenstein dances on stage with The Monster harkens back to the original King Kong (1933) movie scene, and more precisely the Harry Richman movie scene from Irving Berlin‘s movie Puttin’ on the Ritz (1930). Tying an affection for music into the pull between The Monster and Frederick Frankenstein was a nice touch of Young Frankenstein.

(From left, actress Madeline Kahn, director Mel Brooks and actress Teri Garr on set of the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein).

Largely, I found Young Frankenstein held much of the spirit of the original Frankenstein movie and along with the emotional notion between The Monster and the man who created him, as intended in the book. There is definitely extra humor, which of course is the point of this movie. The notion of referencing multiple movies from the past in offering both homage and poking fun makes this movie giggle worthy. The movie Young Frankenstein largely works if you take the content on the level it is offered, accepting the “what did I just see?” intention to the humor the strike a chord. I grant Mel Brook’s Young Frankenstein 4.0-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, June 26, 2021