How 60 seconds completely changed a character

#willywonka #genewilder
“Everything in this room is edible. Even I’m edible. But that would be called cannibalism. It is looked down upon in most societies.”
When offered the role of Willy Wonka, Gene Wilder said he would only agree to do it if one specific scene could be added to the film. The famous cane walking scene might appear as a simple joke, but it establishes the type of person Wonka is, and immediately changes how we see the character, and how much we trust him.
This movie has so much nostalgia for me, and Wilder's lines and delivery only seem to get better with age.
#willywonka #genewilder

[@InCinematic]

What's your favorite Wonka zinger? "Stop, don't, come back..."

[@jak7139]

Mr. Salt: "What a load of nonsense." Wonka (singing/mumbling): "A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men."

[@Crunchy_Punch]

"The suspense is terrible... I hope it will last." The way he delivers that line, with such glee.

[@Tubester-17]

But nothing dangerous… 😂

[@jonkeiser6092]

Where is fancy bread? In the heart? Or in the head? Strike that, reverse it.

[@popFLYhigh]

The Wondrous Boat Ride was another suspenseful twist that only Gene Wilder could pull off

[@BradiKal61]

As someone who has held the boom mike on several movie sets, I revere Gene Wilder for letting the sound dept know that he would rehearse at a low volume but would let loose when the cameras were really rolling. THAT is showing respect for the crew

[@karlk5801]

What does the team do then? Turn down the volume so it doesn't come in distorted?

[@HHGamingOfficial]

​@@karlk5801the cameras weren't rolling ^

[@sMASHsound]

The science behind the art

[@selenacaemawr]

@@karlk5801 they prepare their ears for a loud sound that might hurt or surprise them. You don’t want that to happen. Sound crew can adjust the levels like the gain, or lift the boom a little, depending on what kind of tech they are/were working with.

[@DanielS10291]

@@selenacaemawr its not their ears, its so the mics dont peak and he has to redo the scene, when the child now knows he will shout, i think you missed the point. When you soundcheck you ask the actor/band/whoever to be the loudest they will be, to set the levels for this moment, then you leave them

[@AldrickExGladius]

"Im sorry, all questions must be submitted in writing" is a line I love to use.

[@Shango]

It makes me think about the reaction to that statement, which is to think about how much trouble it would be to do that, which is the whole point of making it so difficult. I think it is his creative way of saying, "shut up!"

[@the_eminent_Joshua_E_Hrouda]

Well you'd better swap an m for a b

[@the_eminent_Joshua_E_Hrouda]

@@Shango oh, the irony ⚓🤺

[@caleboliver275]

Same here 😂

[@utube7930]

I use this in every job interview I've applied for, works wonders

[@Chiberia]

Gene Wilder was a director's actor. he knew not just how to play the part, but how to get the best out of the people around him. an absolute legend.

[@mikeg2306]

He was a successful director too. He was Mel Brooks protege.

[@ArynBendah]

@@mikeg2306 That just broke my heart to read :( RIP Gene Wilder.

[@brandontsosie4514]

​@mikeg2306 the best part about their relationship because of it generally was able to get the help from mel to make young Frankenstein. Mel ask him to do blazing saddles and only agreed to do it if he helped him with the idea.

[@arcanondrum6543]

"..the best out of [others]" is probably why he and Richard Pryor, who was also a comic genius, worked so well together. 4 movies. They could really give you more than what was written for them. A great chemistry together and great performances from both.

[@tapiolautavaara9532]

@@brandontsosie4514 I almost died when I first saw that as a kid, constant barrage of suberbly executed, well thought out jokes: herr doctor stabbing himself while raging over not wanting to be assosiated with his deranged legendary relative "Class dismissed." Marty Feldman having the same petty name-semantics argument over Igor, inexplicably terrifying Frau Blücher for no reason whatsoever being creepy as hell, Brooks lighting Boyle's thumb on fire in overbearingly accommodating friendliness... nearly choked me.🤣

[@jacobstaten2366]

The part where he snaps at Charlie at the end really jarred me. I think it hurts worse coming from someone you really want to impress than if it was just some random stranger or someone you knew didn't like you.

[@froglover4203]

*than Also yeah the first time I watched this film as a kid I actually jumped out of my seat and nearly fell over backwards

[@bluemacaroons]

Yh i can’t remember the movie that much, but i remember that bit scared me

[@jacobstaten2366]

@froglover4203 I hate speech to text.

[@spider-woman9482]

Felt like I was being yelled and berated at as a kid (lets be real, it still has the effect on me lmao)

[@RanjitMarathay]

I had the exact same experience/reaction to this

[@MickEMaus3000]

The summersault impressed me. He was almost horizontal before starting to roll. That took some acrobatic ability.

[@mattlawson714]

I was thinking the same thing. I mean I’m sure I could have done that when I was 15 but as an adult? I would seriously injure myself.

[@Whiteythereaper]

With no crashmat or adjustments to the costume either, no stunt performer, just all the actor on set in a time where safety and "movie magic" was still a far cry from what it is now

[@kingkasper2725]

@@Whiteythereaper and it's my understanding that the shooting of this scene was deliberately the first time Wilder and the child actors met in real life

[@amberwallace3813]

I’ve noticed that. I wouldn’t trust myself to not fall on my face to try and even if I did try it, I wouldn’t trust myself and therefore would probably end up falling on my face. 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ It’s very impressive

[@pants6416]

He must have practised it so many times!

[@_Bumby_]

Gene Wilder’s Wonka has that constant sense of mystery. A crazy unhinged lunatic to a billionaire philanthropist to a philosophical professional. Gene played him perfectly.

[@subtledemisefox]

Gene Wilder is THE Willy Wonka. Nobody else can even come close

[@thefirm4606]

@@guyfaux3978philanthropist? 😂😂

[@6maniac6metal6]

@@guyfaux3978Like when Elon called a hero a pdf file because he was jealous?

[@guyfaux3978]

@@thefirm4606 He HAS donated to charity.

[@guyfaux3978]

@@6maniac6metal6 That's where "crazy unhinged lunatic" might come in.

[@dmnemaine]

Gene Wilder was genuine. That sums him up in a word. That's why his version of Willy Wonka works so well.

[@thomase13]

💯

[@jamlaw]

So true. And his eyes sparkled with kindness and warmth.

[@ThomasWilliamsMusik]

There's something about that quality of Gene's mixed with the obvious insincerity of the Wonka character that fits note perfectly.

[@dmnemaine]

@@jamlaw We won't mention a certian other actor's protrayal of the character as a man child that just came off as silly and absurd.

[@beholdandfearme]

@@dmnemaine Comparison is the thief of joy in this case.

[@GabrielBoorom]

"The suspense is terrible... I hope it'll last."

[@keouine]

Lifted from The Importance of being Earnest

[@richardryley3660]

And the way he delivers this is just perfect. He really is enjoying putting spoiled kids in their place. I think that's the reason it's not horrifying. You get the sense that no one is in any real danger. Again, you can't trust anything he says, so when he says something frightening you can believe he's doing it just to be scary. He's actually completely in control, but acting like he isn't.

[@chriscooper654]

Yep, that's mine, too.

[@chriscooper654]

@@richardryley3660 Nicely put; I agree. The character enjoys frightening people, but there's no malice in it. His intent is to make everyone, even the butt of the joke, laugh and learn.

[@richardryley3660]

@chriscooper654 It's malicious, but only to the point where the victim gets what he deserves. If he learns from the experience, great, but if not, the punishment will linger.. The punishment does not exceed the crime. Augustus Gloop clogs up the sewage. Mike Teevee becomes a TV character. Violet Beauregard turns violet. Veruca Salt is a bad egg. There's a certain amount of body horror involved, but Wonka is really just showing who they really are.

[@TheUnhousedWanderer]

As old as this movie is, it can still hold the attention of children and adults alike. Wilder couldn't have played the character any better. He made the name Willy Wonka iconic, far beyond what Dahl was able to achieve in all his success.

[@liondoor4554]

Yes, it has both text & subtext in the dialogue-i.e., the main lines that everybody "gets" including the kids, and then the jokes that go over the kids' heads but adults can appreciate (e.g., the "cannibalism" gag, etc.)

[@simonster-9094]

@@liondoor4554 I think the cannibalism gag was from the Johnny Depp version lol.

[@jazzabighits4473]

@@simonster-9094 Nah Gene Wilder said it, I'm pretty sure

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

@@TheUnhousedWanderer yes you are right

[@ChrisOBrien666]

I love how he asks people to keep doing stuff that annoys him, like open your mouth wider when you speak, talk more loudly because I’m a bit deaf in this ear. There’s just so much subtle humor in this movie. There are so many great lines, sometimes when I’m buying something I’ll ask the salesperson, alright Wonka, how much for the goose that lays the golden eggs.

[@AlphaSenpai_Studios]

skibidi gyattt in my ohio rizz!!

[@lizzalkula376]

I gotta remember this joke so I can remember to answer "one golden ticket"

[@rickmeador94]

"That's Willie Wonka!" What a legacy, indeed. Thank you, Gene. We all miss you very much.

[@Darkeus1]

That made me tear up. Indeed, what a legacy.

[@VanderbiltMr]

That alone made this video worth it

[@tylerstout8298]

I got a little watery eyed too

[@faithhopelove9176]

Beautiful comment❤

[@TooStinkinFine]

And the lady respectfully asks Gene if she could tell the children who he was….❤❤ He was a great actor and seemed truly humble.

[@knightshousegames]

This character was balancing on the edge of a knife It could have gone SO wrong in so many different ways, anywhere between being terrifying to just falling totally flat. And I think that thoughtfulness he brought to the character made it work.

[@Frommerman]

Adapting the story is too. The original is...rough, to the modern eye. The factory is literally run by tiny South American slaves who aren't allowed to leave or even known to exist by the wider world. It extremely sucks as a premise. Adapting that in a way which was marginally less awful takes some skill.

[@ForeverLaxx]

@@Frommerman It's a bit annoying that Roald Dahl dislikes this adaptation, too. He felt it took too many liberties and changed too much of the character (Wonka in particular, especially as the author also hated Gene's casting for the role). Granted, Roald Dahl almost universally dislikes adaptations of any of his stories so maybe calling out this one particular one isn't fair.

[@nicky3239]

And it's called "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Tim Burton

[@Hollyberrystreats]

Roald Dahl in a nutshell, so dark but y'know...for kids! Abused and traumatized kids...

[@inside.out.liver.meat.balloon]

Dropped two blotters before I saw it for the first time. It was hitting hardest during the boat ride song and felt evil but in a hidden way. Like grandpa going dark with war stories about Korea , caught me off guard.

[@lohphat]

Remember that this was the beginning of the 70s and there were a LOT of polio survivors who regained the ability to walk but had stiff legs. It was normal to see. I had one classmate in 1970 who had leg braces -- he was the last kid with polio in our county. Now, 50+ years later, we don't hear about it so much.

[@rottensquid]

That's some good context. Though the scene works without it as well, of course.

[@LobbyDaLobster]

Give it some time. The country will soon make polio great again.

[@NSGrendel]

@@LobbyDaLobster I should not have laughed as hard as I did. It's tragic, but also darkly hilarious. I feel like we've already got the answer to the Fermi equation.

[@TheFoggyjones]

@@NSGrendel Sadly, very very sadly true.

[@Serai3]

We'll be hearing about it again soon, if some people have their way. just wait.

[@mmo5366]

Every time “Pure Imagination” starts playing and Wilder starts singing- I’m transported directly to my childhood and feel that wonder adults lose once more. 😊

[@inside.out.liver.meat.balloon]

Ever get that wash of goosebumps and then a tingling in the arms, shortness of breath, and a chest cave in of nostalgia?

[@holorainduck8569]

It fills me with so much wonder and hope that it makes me want to cry

[@JM-zk9ou]

It's a magical song.

[@johnlopez4089]

Three of my favorite movies and Gene Wilder is in all of them. Willy Wonka, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. Who’s with me!!

[@honeybeeisme]

You have excellent taste in movies, my friend! ❤

[@0venchip]

what about The Producers

[@johnlopez4089]

@ I’ve never seen it. I’ve heard the name. Is it a comedy?

[@GoddessNeith]

watch "start the revolution without me, and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask" both are incredible.

[@SweetStuffAustin]

And the one with Richard Pryor... See No Evil, Hear No Evil,... i think. It's hilarious!

[@stratocruising]

I was an usher at the local theater when this came out. We all groaned in agony when it was announced. A kiddie show and we were all seventeen and too cool for this stuff. First day, we drew straws to see who had to stay inside the room with the kids. I lost. Everyone else was making book on how few minutes before I would come out to rejoin the grown-up world. They finally sent a search party in to find me.

[@Mrs.Jekyll]

No matter how old you get. You are never too old to enjoy a "kids" movie 😂❤

[@the-chillian]

@@Mrs.Jekyll THIS kids' movie, anyway.

[@fractalisomega9517]

A kids movie is just something safe for them to watch, a good movie is something everyone can watch This was a good movie

[@SamuiGame]

@@Mrs.Jekyll depends on the movie. Drastically.

[@MinorityRespecter88]

This didn't happen

[@WillScarlet16]

This is why the Tim Burton version is so terrible - the most vital turning point in the story, the fact that Wonka is looking for a child he can trust, which reveals the sincere part of him, is basically tossed aside and treated like a joke.

[@InCinematic]

Agreed.

[@Lucifronz]

I think the film is fine if you stop putting expectations on it. Did you really want another film to just do what the original did? That would be boring. Adaptations should always try to be a little different, to do something their own way. Of course it's not as good as the original, because the original was already done expertly. So why would you want Tim Burton to even try? You'd still complain about it and it would have nothing going for it.

[@yorktown99]

It's worse than that. The trouble is the 2005 adaptation attempts a "straight" reading of the original book, making it a sort of period piece. The 2005 adaptation is similarly freighted with the challenge of the character of Wllly Wonka being much more one-dimensional (he's weird and doesn't understand other humans that well). Hence, all the little games are not misdirection to conceal his true intention, it's actually how his strange mind works. The 1971 adaptation, despite being produced much closer in time to when the original book was written & published, is more influenced by the psychedelic movement. This version of Willy Wonka does understand human psychology & behavior rather keenly; he's openly mistrustful of other people and is constantly acting weird to try and throw them off and get them to drop any mask of their own. One other key difference: Roald Dahl wrote Charlie, and the whole Bucket Family as basically virtuous and beyond corruption. (The dire poverty of the family is also more emphasized by the book's narrative.) Charlie and his grandfather were never really tempted by greed or arrogance, or even childish glee. Neither Wonka, nor Charlie, nor anyone else for that matter goes though any sort of character development. The 1971 adaptation invents 3 important pieces: the offer of bribes for access to the experimental Gobstoppers, the unauthorized sampling of the Fizzy Lifting Drinks, and the confrontation in the office at the very end. With surprising economy, the story is completely changed. Instead of Charlie being the only child who resists temptation to misbehave on the factory tour, the whole tour itself is just a sideshow to find a suitable pretext for ejecting each child from consideration. Rather, its Charlie's refusal of a cash bribe that sets him apart, because that is the only real temptation he ever encounters. Significantly, Grandpa Joe is not immune to this temptation. And this is where it all come full circle: the 2005 adaptation does insert a few poorly crafted elements to try and give Willy Wonka a different character arc (something about his dad being a candy-hating dentist). But all it does is further illustrate this version of the character as irreconcilably weird, as having difficulty forming emotional connections with others. The 1971 version has a deep empathy for others, and is finally willing to let his guard down when he understands that he has encountered someone who doesn't just want money, even for basic needs.

[@wareforcoin5780]

It's a fun spectacle, and Johnny Depp plays a really good weirdo, but the original will always be better.

[@razorknight92]

​@@yorktown99 Now THIS is an excellent analysis. Thank you.

[@ExMachina70]

An elevator blows out through the roof, no parachute, no rockets, yet with the fearless eyes of Willy Wonka you know that everything will be ok in the end.

[@baila3221]

Skyhooks, as he explains😂

[@nathanpetrich7309]

Wilder eyes, there never were.

[@ExMachina70]

@@baila3221 And you believed him? What Willy says, and what Willy does is never one in the same. 😜

[@baila3221]

@@ExMachina70 I'm not sure he meant it seriously- I mean, he couldn't have, right? But he seems to- and there is no explanation for an elevator to float in the sky.... That is the magic and wonder of Willy Wonka's character. (Of course, this was the book character).

[@californianorma876]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@smcclymond]

One other thing that I always loved about his portrayal of Willy Wonka was how he had a hint of sadness to him. This man is alone on top of a mountain, he creates amazing, beautiful things for the world, but is subsequently not easy to understand or get along with. He seems very lonely to me, and relates more easily to children. It's as if he couldn't deal with the world anymore and therefore shut himself away, and he is sad but knows he made the right decision to do so.

[@HeatleyBros]

“Pure imagination” is such a beautiful song. Message goes far beyond the movie.✨

[@williamsmallwood3967]

😢

[@paulrippcord506]

I’d really recommend everyone watch Remembering Gene Wilder, it’s where a lot of the information in this video comes from and it’s one of those rare feel good celebrity documentaries. Sure, it’s sad that Gene is no longer with us, but it’s a story about a guy who got to accomplish his dreams and he rarely had to compromise on his vision.

[@HiNinqi]

❤

[@suprememasteroftheuniverse]

"vision" 🤣🤣🤣

[@chadportenga7858]

I'll have to look that video up. Gene seems to be a genuine person that also acts. I think he would have been fun to know. So many people in Hollywood are actors, both on-screen AND off-screen. They put up a good show when there is media around, but as soon as they don't think anyone is watching, their real self comes out. And, often times, it's ugly.

[@thomase13]

@@chadportenga7858Indeed! His autobiography on Audible is also great (read by him!)

[@Oatriumph]

​@@suprememasteroftheuniverseNot a fan of art?

[@seandoole6504]

It was always the scene where he's looking through the chemistry set slowly changing from calm and collected into a look of insanity. That was where I knew his character was unhinged, quietly, secretly, not in view of everybody. No lines, nothing, it just took his expression.

[@InCinematic]

"Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple."

[@Serai3]

I rather think the trip down the tunnel made that point quite nicely.

[@woodfur00]

@@InCinematic"That's a hundred and five percent!"

[@suprememasteroftheuniverse]

Please stop. Get some help.

[@cyqry]

@@Serai3 I think that was the point in the film we were supposed to realise he was unhinged. But there are other points where his actions speak louder than any words.

[@ImNotPotus]

The transport from each scene that loses a kid had two fewer seats each time. Think about that.

[@LisaBeta-42]

There was this childrens' song about "10 (n-word) children" starting off together and in each verse one of them gets lost due to circumstanges - the last remaining boy gets married and has 10 children of his own (is this warning of overpopulation?). The accidents that happened were so silly that the whole setting had to be exotic and fairytale-like ... AND there is this song about a cuckoo, who gets shot by a hunter (very jolly tune to it too) and it is "not that bad", because in the next year there is (annother) cuckoo in the woods, but the song lies about it, just assuring the children that THE cuckoo was back. [they lost 9 children, but don't worry, the last one left had also 10 kids, just to start anew]

[@NarwahlGaming]

​@@LisaBeta-42 Whe....where did you grow up?! 😮

[@BeccaB529]

🤯

[@csbanahan]

Wonka's "Slughorn" was always on the scene whenever one of the kids got a Golden Ticket. Including Charlie who had just pulled the ticket a minute earlier. Wonka is operating on some level of omniscience.

[@BeccaB529]

@ Or Slughorn kept track of the winning bars and/or put the bars where they were. . .

[@Danceswithfishes]

When Wilder (Wonka) says "He lived happily ever after" I always burst into tears. Every.single.time.

[@buzzedalldrink9131]

I’ve been yelling “you lose -you get nothing !” at people since 1971 thanks to Gene

[@noahjc]

I use this film as proof that being faithful to the source material doesn't always make something better. The 2005 film is certainly the more book accurate adaptation but the 1971 film is by far better written and performed. Yes the 2005 makes a few small improvements here and there but overall 1971 is more memorable and iconic.

[@ForeverLaxx]

It's because the changes were thoughtful and contribute to the overall narrative and emotion of the story and its characters. More often, though, people make changes for the sake of making changes which tends to do nothing but detract or distract.

[@sewthernbelle]

The funny thing is after finally reading the original book, I saw the 71 production took as much from the source material as the 05 version. I don’t know what Dahl was complaining about!😅

[@Takeru9292]

He complained that It was too sentimental

[@babydriver8134]

Like 'Forrest Gump', the movie much better than the book.

[@StubbyandShifu]

I enjoyed both movies but saw Gene Wilder in highschool and he was wonderful.

[@EndPoliticalCorruption]

I don't think I heard Wilder note that he went extra nuts in that final scene without the cast's knowledge. The boat scene, yes. That stumble-flip intro, yes. Appreciate the new detail of a favorite movie of mine!

[@nahor88]

That commitment to a role is something we don't see in today's movies meant for younger audiences. Couldn't help but notice... Disney today has a monopoly on those types of movies. When it comes to their content, it's their way or the high way. I can't imagine them being as open to a lead actor's suggestions as they were to Wilder here. Willy Wonka today would just have a generic entrance.

[@EndPoliticalCorruption]

@@nahor88 Much more corporate consolidation across the board now-a-days, and specifically in media.

[@TnseWlms]

Anybody remember the SNL outtake from the movie: on the boat ride, Gene Wilder says, "Is it raining, is it snowing? Is a hurricane a-blowing? Not a speck of light is showing. So the danger must be growing. By the fires of hell a-glowing, is the grisly reaper mowing? Yes! The danger must be growing!! And the rowers keep on rowing! And they are certainly not showing any signs that they are slowing!!! - Wait a minute? This is supposed to be a children's movie?"

[@SheilaDeBonis]

I feel like that was something almost every director he worked with wanted to see, Gene freaking out. I'm surprised they didn't mention this, but I think director Mel Stuart and his casting people were also familiar with Gene's role in "The Producers" for his contrast between hysterics and rationality.

[@EndPoliticalCorruption]

@SheilaDeBonis I'm not surprised because he does it so well. That poor kid, though. lol I haven't seen _The Producers_ with Wilder. I'm not much into musicals... but I'll look into it.

[@Someone_wrf]

R.I.P Gene Wilder. You'll always be remembered for your timeless character of comedic relief

[@Razgriz85]

He had many memorable characters that shouldn't be forgotten.

[@mikeg2306]

He's with Gilda. RIP to them both!

[@Darkeus1]

​@@Razgriz85 Sit down boy.

[@4realGTFOH]

Yeah, he absolutely made this movie. Everytime he spoke, you always paid close attention even if you've seen this movie many times.

[@a.r.r.5626]

"So shines a good deed in a weary world" - W. Wonka

[@jrm_ac]

Wonka quoting Shakespeare. It is a line from the character Portia in The Merchant of Venice. It’s a perfect quotation for that scene.

[@a.r.r.5626]

@jrm_ac I did NOT know that this is where the quote originated...thank you!

[@jmormaple]

My favorite line is always "Scratch that, reverse it."

[@HiNinqi]

❤

[@bobblebardsley]

That one always brings a face to my smile.

[@BongoWongoOG]

I used to say that to my kids when they were little. Now when I say it, as adults they call me a word that sounds like Wonka.

[@zanderguzman6951]

I say that whenever my neurodivergent ass says something reversed (which is more often than you'd expect)

[@Milesco]

​@@bobblebardsley I see what you did there. 😉

[@sarahbreisch4750]

I'm so glad the woman he met at the market was able to tell him what so many of us wanted him to know. RIP, dear Mr. Silberman.

[@CaptOrbit]

Gene Wilder was perfection in this role. The roll calls for someone who can be charming, funny, enigmatic, and above all likable. The character must also be able to on occasion exude and almost palpable air of menace about them too, And not just any garden variety of menace like say a charming gangster might have. It can't be the type of menace where you think this person might break out into some form of violence no, that's not what Willy Wonka is all about. His ability to make one feel a sense of unease comes from his other worldliness. It comes from people wondering to themselves and sometimes out loud what is this guy all about? What is his deal? Where is this guy coming from? To be able to roll all of those qualities into a single character and pull it off so magnificently it's just almost unparalleled. Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka may keep you guessing but you still gotta love him.

[@Oddmanoutre]

The loving demeanor of Bruno Buccialatti combined with the surreal and all-too-real menace of Bruno Buccialatti.

[@Khalmidgar]

ive never read the book but i cant imagine willy wonka any other way, and i know in the book hes very different and the author didnt like this version of wonka. to me this is the gold standard of willy wonka, like rdj with tony stark

[@Roborron]

Excellent summary

[@Roborron]

Gene Wilder nailed this character in a way that’s almost hard to believe. Absolute perfection.

[@generationkilled]

He did Willy Wonka so perfect every other attempt feels like failure...

[@kphoria1009]

love gene wilder’s willy wonka, this is one of those cases where the movie being different from the book makes it better

[@K4rt80y]

5:30 "That's Willie Wonka." Of course it is. Forever and ever, until the end of time.

[@jeffbranch8072]

I was 6 years old and my parents took the family to see this movie at the theater and then to dinner. It was my first time to see a movie at the theater. That was a wonderful day, one of the best of my life. I'll always love this, my first movie.

[@californianorma876]

OMG ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ I think mine was Mary Poppins ❤❤❤

[@deirdremorris9234]

Wonderful❤

[@Crunchy_Punch]

Every time I watch this I pick up on a new detail. My current favourite dialogue is in the golden egg laying geese scene. The way actor Roy Kinnear delivers the final line. Mr. Salt: "Wonka. How much do you want for the golden goose?" Wonka: "They're not for sale." Mr. Salt: "Name your price." Wonka: "She can't have one." Veruca Salt: "Who says I can't?" Mr. Salt: "The man with the funny hat."

[@InCinematic]

Same here!

[@judithstrachan9399]

She was a bad egg.

[@Shango]

There was a rock band named Veruca Salt named after that character. They sang a song called "Seether" and then there was another rock band that named themselves "Seether" after that song title.

[@lpsp442]

@@Shango I love that, a Matroyshka Doll / Turducken of Band Names

[@timesnewlogan2032]

Another one is where Mr. Beauregard (an American) asks Mr. Salt (an Englishman) what business he’s in, and looks offended when told “Nuts.” “Nuts”, or “nuts to you”, was a polite way of saying “go to hell” in the US at the time, so he interprets an honest reply as an insult.

[@Talon1124]

"Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker."

[@georgewhite1972]

I always found that line really saucy and naughty. Definitely one for the adults 😉

[@Oatriumph]

When called by a panther, don't anther.

[@theSixPathsOfTrains]

What if it's candy with a i? Lol

[@neilish13]

And sex won’t rot your teeth!

[@SgtBuck01]

"Strike that, reverse it" is a line I use all too often in my kitchen.

[@NLC0413]

Yes!❤

[@thoughtsofanobody]

I loved this movie as a child (still do!). The theater in my town did a bunch of special showings of Gene’s most popular movies shortly after his passing. Coming around that corner to see a packed theater for a movie that was older than half the people watching it brought me to tears. A collective memory of an amazing role, played by an amazing man! I hope from the bottom of my heart Gilda was right there waiting for him when he passed.

[@goverlord]

dude is clearly a Time Lord

[@3nertia]

Accepted as canon!

[@dampnickers]

Read the follow up book, "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator". Roald Dahl knew exactly what he was doing when he created Willy Wonka...

[@Texas240]

"Was"... Passed away in 2016.

[@Avellania]

​@@Texas240 He just regenerated.

[@Bug.Carlton]

​@@Texas240 he regenerated.

[@bobosmith101]

The fact Roahd Dahl didn't like this is a shame. This was perfect.

[@Bloomkyaaa]

Because it was completely different from his book, lol. Understandable. It's sad he never got to see the newer version.

[@vylbird8014]

@@Bloomkyaaa Zombie Dahl would rise from the grave to give Burton some of his marvellous medicine if he ever saw that wreck of a movie.

[@timsmith2525]

I've read other Roald Dahl stories. That fact that he didn't like this movie is an endorsement.

[@TheRundum]

​@@vylbird8014he'd probably like it, ironically

[@Frommerman]

Roald Dahl was very much a product of the last gasps of the British Empire, virulent racism and belief in eugenics and all. The Twits literally opens by saying you can tell a person is a bad person if they're ugly and look bad.

[@ZachsMind]

5:00 "If the good lord had intended us to walk, he wouldn't have invented roller skates."

[@MichaelChin1994]

Sounds like something straight out of TF2

[@AlphaStoutland]

​@@MichaelChin1994I can imagine Soldier saying that 😂

[@BossMan-yu1og]

The music of Willy Wonka is so en-grained in my psyche that I often find myself humming 'Pure Imagination' at work!

[@keithwald5349]

Whether he was Willy Wonka, Jim the Wako Kid, Frederick Frankenstein, or any other character, he really touched audiences with his gentle charm. He was iconic, and my younger years are full of memories of his great performances.

[@dexterpoindexter3583]

2:52 "... teasing his hair out to look more wild..." The narrator leaves it up to us to recognize that Gene wanted it wilder. - 😋

[@be1037]

As kids we always wondered about that hair. My mom said it was because it was so curly. 😂 Now we know it was on purpose.

[@AI-dp3rd]

That was an amusing purposeful word choice. Good catch :)

[@ShizuruNakatsu]

It could be genetic. He had a Gene for Wilder hair.

[@zackmash851]

@@ShizuruNakatsu LMFAO

[@AllThingsMech]

I'm 41, and this remains one of my favorite movies of all time, as well as one of the most iconic and well-portrayed roles in cinematic history. What a legacy, indeed. RIP Mr. Wilder.

[@SuperFlashDriver]

I cannot agree more. And another thing to mention is that this film introduced many to different ideas, fetishes, and characteristics that would be present in many other films to come.

[@Serai3]

Wonka is very much a Harry Lime. When Orson Welles was asked whether he felt his part in The Third Man was too small, he replied that it was the best kind of part, because even though his time onscreen was not as much as others, everyone was talking _about_ him. So even though you didn't see Harry, he was still there. Strangely, I never thought Wonka was scary in the book. He was sprightly, energetic, strange, but he was also happy, friendly, and only disapproved of people who were stupid or ill-behaved. It was their own fault when things came down on their heads, after all.

[@skiptomyloop]

"All questions should be submitted in writing" underrated line 😂😂😂

[@concretel10n]

The least realistic thing in this film is the gate being wide open and people didn't flood into the factory

[@sleepinggorilla]

A movie ahead of its time, to this day I am not sure I fully understand it. Wilder gave us one of the greatest movie performances ever.

[@MattMcIrvin]

I'm not sure it can be fully understood.

[@rottensquid]

This was my takeaway. The film does a great job of presenting Willy Wonka as a trickster, but he's actually a sort of wiseman. The trickster sends you on a merry chase for treasure, or secret knowledge, or whatever, but ultimately leaves you with nothing. The wiseman, like Gandalf or Merlin or Yoda, seems like they're a trickster at first, but they bring you to wisdom in the end. Wonka spends the whole movie decentering the kids and their parents, and Charlie most of all, making them doubt everything they thought they knew about the world. But at the end, he still leaves just enough room for Charlie to find his moral center. Whatever Charlie could have gotten from selling the gobstopper to Slugworth, the cost was a world without trust, a world where magicians like Willy Wonka can't share their magic. Because a world without trust is a world without magic. But of course, that's just one interpretation.

[@Lucifronz]

That's what makes it stick with you. I like not knowing everything about a film, even when I try to.

[@jimbowardoable]

​@@rottensquidwhat a good post

[@BillyKamp]

If you watch Willy Wonka and then Robocop you noticed how both used a detail that makes the history go beyond the characters and also explore the world. Willy Wonka`s has during the first 44 minutes several scenes with new characters reacting to the hunt for the golden ticket, there is a part where a woman has her husband kidnapped and the ransom is her cholocate bars. In similar fashion, Robocop is several times stopped with commercials from the era of the movie, being them funny but dystopian. That was simply amazing in both cases. Even if the reason behind the Robocop infomercials is completely different.

[@Rogn1]

Still one of the finest acting performances on screen. Gene will never be surpassed in that role.

[@jamlaw]

This is why he can never be topped and why this movie needed no remakes!! ❤ That final scene when he yells at Charlie terrified me as a kid, lol. He brought so much human complexity. And we still love him at the end.

[@j800r_aswell]

The thing is, he never harmed anyone. He let the kids harm themselves. Assuming they all survived, they all learned valuable life lessons.

[@MontagZoso]

I saw the Tim Burton version once. I’ve seen this original version about 50 times. Nuff said. Rest In Peace Gene. 💐

[@turdwranglers2517]

There is only 1 Willy Wonka .... and that's Gene Wilder (RIP). Johnny Depp couldn't even come close to Wilder when Depp did the remake. I was 7 when this came out. I remember reading the book and then wanting to go see the movie but my parents didn't have the money to take all 4 kids to the movies. I became an entrepreneur... I raked leaves in the fall, shoveled walkways in the winter and did gardening in the spring for all my neighbours who would pay me a quarter. After saving (and spending a little a chocolate bar and a bottle of pop (Back then I could get a Coke and a chocolate bar for 25¢) $12, I paid to take everyone to see that movie (tickets were $2 back then). I love that memory, and that movie!!

[@jordancobb7553]

Johnny depp is capt. jack sparrow anyway

[@ladybayside7547]

I love that you took all your brothers and sisters too 😊

[@sliceserve234]

I am a Johnny Depp fan, but you are right, his take on the character just didn't work. And it is interesting to hear about how Wilder had such a good hold on the role the made the director do things his way.

[@ArynBendah]

I wasn't even alive for the 1970's (or the 80's for that matter), but reading this comment brought back a nostalgia I never knew that I had.

[@Jimmy_Jones]

You must have really related to it as well as you were like Charlie.

[@SynchroScore]

2:15 Smug Wonka meme.

[@galenmarek8287]

Tell me more….

[@xXSilentAgent47Xx]

3:33 This is the moment when Gene wanted to say "Look at little Charlie jr. Gonna cry?" when he saw Peter was about to cry but held to himself.

[@afjer]

"They'll be completely restored" Except in the book they weren't. Most of them were horribly disfigured and incurably traumatized for decisions they made as children.

[@eph2vv89only1way]

The funny thing there is that the actor who played the girl who turned blue had blue tinged skin for 72 hours after filming. So she actually wasn't restored immediately. Lol

[@alexbennet4195]

lol

[@raedwulf61]

My son, who is now 25, and I were just talking about Gene Wilder the other day. We said he was, and is, a legend.

[@i.m.watching5536]

The true Willie Wonka. No others can touch Wilder's complexity!❤

[@RhinoStew]

Lovely video man ❤ My personal fav Wonka factoid was that Joel Grey and every member of Monty Python auditioned for him. After Wilder auditioned Mel Stuart immediately said “That’s our Wonka!” which ticked off David Wolper the film’s producer because they just lost all their leverage from that 😂

[@InCinematic]

That's amazing!

[@Arcademan09]

I don't know why, but him asking the kid "im a bit deaf on this ear, speak a little louder next time" is one of my favorite lines

[@aricurtis1365]

This is one of the most visceral movies I’ve ever seen. It still gives me a simultaneous sense of unease and wonderment. A true masterpiece.

[@MjenTa.]

Even with only 21 thousand subs, everyone can see your dedication to making these

[@InCinematic]

This means so much to me! Thank you.

[@jonkeiser6092]

Gene’s Willy Wonka will always be my favorite with those funny quotes. Strike that, reverse it! No really, he’s my favorite.

[@LetustheDragon]

Wilder was as much as a director as he was a great actor. Reason I enjoy films he's in.

[@InCinematic]

There was just something about him

[@Cat-qo3ht]

I'm glad that dear Gilda enjoyed life married to Mr. Wilder. I imagine the comfort he gave to her while she was in the fight of her life with cancer. 😢

[@tbrown2699]

The music was just as important as the cast to the feel of this movie

[@Goparis1]

One of my absolute favorite movies. Gene Wilder is astonishingly delightful in this role. It never gets old!

[@animal695]

Always loved Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka. Wonderful writeup. This is the second video I've seen of yours and I like your style, the way you're able to demonstrate your point succinctly interspersed with relevant clips.. I can feel your love for movies!

[@travishiltz4750]

One of the most quotable movies ever. "So much time, so little to do." Would have loved to have seen Gene do 'the Great Glass Elevator'

[@lordmanatee439]

Same

[@Lucifronz]

That would be weird and would totally change the tone of the original, but I admit it's an alternate universe I'd like to take a peek at.

[@DaMaster012]

Trust me, you don't. You think you do, but you don't, and you shouldn't. The Great Glass Elevator is absolute _insanity._ It misses the point of the first book harder thank Joker 2: Filet of Doo-Doo missed the point of Joker, and is about as tonally jarring as if you followed up watching Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory with an hour and a half of Rick & Morty. I'd go as far to suspect that Rails Dahl, spiteful prick that he was, wrote Glass Elevator explicitly for the story to be so disjointed that it would be unfilmable, as a petty, recalcitrant gesture over the fact that he was still butt-hurt that he didn't get exactly 100% of everything he wanted for the movie.

[@SuperFlashDriver]

@@DaMaster012 Basically the second book is akin to that of a horror novel. It's another version of Wonka that doesn't connect with the first book. And the third book only has one chapter and has yet to be finished or left incomplete. I personally, if I ever read that book, I would not mind attempting one at some point, whether animated or live action.

[@ruthcassidy6052]

I'm retired; this is the very definition of retirement.

[@braves4life25]

I’ve seen this movie 100+ times and I would have never picked up on the whole introducing Wonka in that way. 1:21 If he hadn’t explained why he wanted to come out in that fashion

[@spider-woman9482]

Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp had chemistry with their interpretation of Willy Wonka. Both their versions had a quality of insanity and mystery, but Gene's was more subtle: an average joe, could honestly compare him to a bored high school teacher with a hidden temper, but also warm and fatherly. Depp's was more grounded in reality, as in, his behavior was easily explained through his childhood trauma. Depp's clearly detested children and adults due to his relationship with his father. As for his reasons of insanity, he held himself in a large factory with zero windows, he worked obsessively by himself. His recipes being stolen def didn't help at all. it just made him paranoid and even more awful at socializing. They're both amazing and incomparable because they connect with their characters so effortlessly. Both Wonkas were *well* aware of what they were doing, the cinematography made sure we knew that, specifically Depp's. There's no legacy they have to follow, they made the legacy of Wonka. Gene's is my favorite though, because he was like a fatherly figure, a visionary adult, and most importantly, a candy maker; someone a child would naturally look up to. I think that's the true idea of Willy Wonka, honestly.

[@ZuzNewsReviews]

There's also how before we meet Wonka, we know that he's good enough at what he does that people are willing to abandon their spouses for his product.

[@Serai3]

LOL, it's funny how everyone tries to analyze the craziness of the ticket search. It's a kid's story, of course everyone in the world is going to go crazy for candy. Because that is how kids think about things!

[@jonquilgemstone]

​@@Serai3And yet, some people unironically would break relationships for something like winning a contest of chance...

[@ZuzNewsReviews]

@@Serai3 I wouldn't say I was analyzing as much as I remembered a scene from the movie.

[@ricdavid]

Scenes I absolutely did not appreciate as a child and grew to love: "it's your husband's life or your case of wonka bars" and "I am now telling the computer exactly what it could do with a lifetime supply of chocolate".

[@Fettclone1]

@ricdavid I remember watching it in 3rd grade and wondering why the teacher laughed at that scene. Enjoying it as an adult made that part even better because of it.

[@MartinCollierPhillipsCorp]

I always assumed that the ticket contest was a big scheme. Charlie was always the target to inherit that factory. He was really the only one of the children that lived close to the factory, so I think Willy Wonka actually was watching him and seeing the boy's kindness, humbleness, and sparkle of magical joy -- but also, his genuine need for a lucky break. With regard to the other kids, I think Wonka sent out Mr. Wilkinson/Slugworth to find terrible kids that maybe Wonka could teach a lesson to. The tickets were planted in real time -- hence, why Mr. Wilkinson was always immediately present at the time of the tickets being found. And I think that's always why this version of Willy Wonka comes across better -- he is never NOT in control. He knew Augustus Gloop wouldn't be able to resist the chocolate river (he practically was responsible for him falling in); he knew Veruca Salt would freak out and demand a Golden Goose; he knew Violet Beauregarde couldn't resist the special gum; and he knew Mike Teavee would flip out at the television/teleportation stuff. And because of this level of seemingly prophetic (but really just well-planned out) control, you really feel that the kids are just getting a little comeuppance and not actually in danger. Johnny Depp's portrayal, while in some ways more aligned with the book, doesn't seem to be as much in control (we definitely know that in his version, the tickets were random). And as such, he seems to be just as much on the ride of uncertainty as the kids, so (along with just coming across as creepy) it's much more difficult to like him as it's kind of a genuine wonder --- "hey, is he putting these children's lives in actual danger?" And in the end: yeah, he assuredly is doing so, as it turns out. As terrible as the kids are, it's one thing just to scare them; it's another to nearly kill and/or permanently deform them.

[@1pcfred]

Oh the contest was totally rigged. Everyone got what they deserved too.

[@JaceDraccus]

The interesting thing, I think, is that after that intro I couldn't really say he lies again. He has a big secret, yes, and he's snarky and weird and whimsical and occasionally unhinged and disturbing... but he pretty much tells the truth about everything in the factory. It's just that the truth is so outrageous and over the top... Unless you want to go dark and assume he lied about the fates of the other children. But the river was chocolate, the wallpaper was lickable, the gum tasted like a three course meal, the TV shrunk things...

[@EGRJ]

He sends a spy to tempt Charlie and all the kids.

[@edwardcarlisle5580]

I agree. Only, again, Wonka actually didn't lie about being lame. No one had asked him if he was, and he never said that he was. The fact is, neither the characters or us watching, actually knows anything about Wonka personally up to this point. Therefore, we are all left questioning ourselves if the picture we had in our heads of Wonka is wrong. But when he somersaults and bounds up again, we are relieved to find out that we were apparently right, and Wonka was simply making a grand entrance while also pulling a clever and humorous prank. We then also start to think, if Wonka can do that... Then... What else can he do? The plot thickens.

[@JaceDraccus]

@EGRJ True, there is that. I could argue that was before the factory tour, but I acknowledge that does show a deceptive and sneaky side to him.

[@JaceDraccus]

@edwardcarlisle5580 Indeed, I think "what else can he do" is what we're supposed to think, but we're not just talking about verbal lies here. Presenting himself as other than he was is still a deception. It ends up being funny and impressive, but in that moment he made us believe something that wasn't true.

[@edwardcarlisle5580]

@@JaceDraccus What it shows is how incredibly smart Wonka is. Even if the other kids and their parents did sell their Gobstoppers Wonka would get them back anyway.

[@thehumbleebumblee]

"he didn't cry but he came close to it" I love it

[@revelationej]

I was born in 93. This was my mom’s favorite movie. So of course, I grew up watching this overs and overs again. To this day, I still love it. Gene is so great in this movie.

[@WalterRutledge-l9i]

Agreed, Gene Wilder's performance in _Start the Revolution without Me_ was great, and his performance as Willy Wonka was awesome, but for me his most powerful portrayal on the Silver Screen was as the fox in _The Little Prince_ . Even after all these years just thinking of that still, unspeaking, "monologue" in the wheatfield brings tears to my eyes 😢 !

[@mjp152]

What a disaster that Tim Burton flick was. There is a latent danger present in all of Dahl's work that Wilder embodies perfectly. Especially that boat sequence - can we just take a moment to appreciate how insanely terrifying this man is?

[@mikeg2306]

It was more faithful to the book, that's why. Dahl HATED this version.

[@johnezzard680]

@@mikeg2306 Sometimes the author isn't right. Though generally when they hate the movie I'm on their side.

[@Bloomkyaaa]

@@johnezzard680 Both versions have merit, and I personally prefer Johnny Depp's version. But, that doesn't mean I dislike Gene Wilder's version. They're both very good adaptations of Willy Wonka, BUT the one more accurate to the book is Johnny Depp's.

[@BillyKamp]

@@mikeg2306 Dahl books are weird and the movie actually saved the history, have you read the sequel? Its unsalvageable

[@RonJDuncan]

@@Bloomkyaaa Yes, Dahl's version had the strained realtionship with Wonka's dad, the dentist, and they go to find them in the end because Wonka is depressed after Charlie turns him down. Oh, and all the weird dance sequences.... Both movies took liberties. I love Tim Burton and he's a mad genius, but Depp's version isn't book perfect either.

[@c0rr0s10n]

"what a legacy" indeed. he was a treasure and i miss him.

[@LishB1011]

The 1971 Willy Wonka could've been a horror film if not for Gene Wilder

[@kphoria1009]

he made it horrifying

[@jimringomartin]

I have adored Gene Wilder for 50 years. For some reason I have never seen Willie Wonka, I guess because I feel it's for kids. This analysis proves otherwise. I am very impressed with Gene's approach. I'm also impressed with your content. Thank you.🎉

[@katieandkevinsears7724]

Put it on your watch list. It's as much for adults as it is for kids. Gene Wilder was at the top of his game in it.

[@jaengen]

@@katieandkevinsears7724 Agreed. This is the performance he is most remembered for.

[@MegaSnakegirl]

This was the movie that introduced me to Gene Wilder when I was still in school. I have been in love him since. I felt that he and Gilda Radnor made such a perfect couple, it was so sad how she was taken so young. But now they're back together, making each other smile.

[@catherinerenee2668]

It does seem for kids, but the humor & sarcasm is definitely for adults.

[@diningbadger953]

I worked for a childcare service where the kids watched this movie at least thrice a week and sometimes four times. By the end of my tenure, almost every kid knew the songs and would sing along with the movie. They fell in love with Gene's character and really understood the movie. It was a hoot...and still captivates children of all ages.

[@SteveChisnall]

Wilder's legacy as Wonka will live for ever.

[@JGB5437]

We never deserved gene wilder, but I’m so glad that we had him. dude gave it 110% on everything truly a master of his craft.

[@stevecagle2317]

My favorite "Wonkaism" is what he says when Charlie puts the Gob Stopper on his desk, "So shines a good deed in a weary world." Whenever I read or hear a story about human kindness, help, assistance, and doing good for others, I think of this and if commenting, I include the quote. Today's world, especially what's coming, will need us to recognize acts of doing good for others and stepping up our own game in thinking of, understanding, and helping others

[@bluestrife28]

It only hit me this watch on wide screen but you can see Wonka knows exactly what he’s doing in the remake. Johnny Depp has you thinking he’s a goofy madman, but you see those flashes of devilish enjoyment like when he instantly pulls out the right key to let Mr Salt try and save Veruca.

[@Shearper2]

Gene provided the definitive version of Wonka.

[@TinyGamerAlec]

I've been saying 'Strike that, reverse it' for pretty much my entire life and I only just now realised I must've picked it up from this film as a little kid.

[@m.sharon]

My favorite is where he says "So shines a good deed in a weary world" Saw this movie in the theater with my Mom when I was very young. Just magical.

[@jrm_ac]

Wonka quoting Shakespeare. It is said by Portia in The Merchant of Venice. Agree that it is a great line.

[@whatbringsmepeace]

What a legacy indeed. Some actors transcend their role and Gene did it so subtly in Willy Wonka, you barely noticed the superlative acting because you were entirely drawn in by the character he created. I remember watching this at the cinema and part way through someone rattled a chip packet beside me and I startled. I'd completely forgotten I was sitting in the cinema because I'd been _in_ the movie. That's only happened for me a handful of times in my life. Gene Wilder did that. He is a legend. ❤

[@joshua.recovers]

I've seen this talked about a few different times, but you did a pretty good job with this video! I subscribed!

[@wdwnutjm]

I was 8 years old and saw it in the theater- I absolutely remember seeing it and thinking he was the coolest actor I've ever seen (& being equally scared and thrilled by that freaky scene in the tunnel). That music gives me such chills- one of my all-time favorite movies.

[@SteveCarras]

@@wdwnutjm 10 and saw it in theatres..drive in!

[@nurgle333]

"you may have one, and one is enough for anybody"

[@TheGreatAustino]

This wasn't going to be a video I planned on watching all the way through but it clicked. Nostalgia took over and I felt a sense of peace and joy watching this. Keep making videos, you're great at it.

[@iangoldie6396]

He played the part of a creepy psychopath perfectly

[@briancooper4959]

Exactly the right actor, in exactly the right role, at exactly the right time. Sadly, it doesn't happen that often in the movies, but it happened here, and we're all the richer for it.