Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971), starring Gene Wilder, probably gave lots of kids nightmares, but it certainly captured the wacky, wild weirdness of Roald Dahl’s 1964 book. I’ve had a fondness for both the book and the old movie for many years, so a commercial for the new Dahl spinoff, Wonka, caught my eye. Since it promised to be a mostly fresh idea rather than a rehash of a classic film, my interest was piqued. And since the focus was the genius candymaker of every child’s dreams, I betook myself to a movie-theater screening and settled in for a colorful ride.
Director Paul King takes us back in time, filling in the gaps before Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory and giving us a bit of Wonka’s backstory. We get a tiny smattering of childhood flashbacks (complete with the lovely presence of Sally Hawkins as Wonka’s mother), but the movie mainly focuses on Wonka’s struggle to establish himself as a successful candymaker. Carefree and optimistic, our hero tries to make his way in the big city, only to find himself rapidly bereft of money and opportunities. Even worse, he’s snookered into indentured servitude by the wily Mrs. Scrubitt and her slimy sidekick, Bleacher.
Comments