Classic Film Friday: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

So what is not to like about this childhood classic? Well the only beef I have with this movie is that the film spends a good hour with Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) wallowing in his situation. What I mean is, I get that he was poor, but this movie drives that idea home. Ok I got it, moving on.

Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. He felt betrayed by his workers that have sold his chocolate making secrets, so he lays off everyone, and he works with the Oompa-Loompas. A fictional race from Loompaland.

And so they (Willy Wonka and Oompa-Loompas) have a contest. They insert "Golden Tickets" into 5 Wonka bars and those 5 people who find them will get to tour the factory and get a lifetime supply of chocolate. Augustus Gloop (Michael Bollner), Violet Beauregarde (Denise Nickerson), Veruca Salt (Julie Dawn Cole), Mike Teavee (Paris Themmen) and of course, Charlie.

So they tour the factory, are wooed and amazed at all sorts of things that is Wonka. They also start to thin out the further into the factory they get. Our favorite is Augustus, because we nicknamed the youngest by the same name, because she wants to eat and eat and eat, he is also the first one out. And then there was only one, Charlie, and he thinks he will get the chocolate, but Willy has something else in mind...