Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
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When eccentric candy man Willy Wonka promises a lifetime supply of sweets and a tour of his chocolate factory to five lucky kids, penniless Charlie Bucket seeks the golden ticket that will make him a winner.
What critics thought
Contemporary critics were genuinely split: some found the film a rare imaginative triumph for family cinema, while others thought the factory sequences failed to live up to their promise, with flat visuals and forgettable songs undercutting the magic. The film's current strong reputation outstrips what many original reviewers actually wrote, suggesting it grew considerably in esteem over time.
“Probably the best film of its sort since The Wizard of Oz. It is everything that family movies usually claim to be, but aren't: Delightful, funny, scary, exciting, and most of all, a genuine work of imagination.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“Anticipation of what Wonka's factory is like is so well developed that its eventual appearance is a terrible letdown. Sure enough there is a chocolate river, but it looks too much like the Chicago River to be appealing. The quality of the color photography is flat.”
Gene Siskel·Chicago Tribune
“tedious and stagy with little sparkle and precious little humor”
Howard Thompson·The New York Times
“after a slow start the second half of the film was an unqualified delight—one of those rare, genuinely imaginative children's entertainments at which no adult need be embarrassed to be seen”
Jan Dawson·The Monthly Film Bulletin
“a real star turn”
Charles Champlin·Los Angeles Times
Accolades
Parents guide
- Violence
- mild
- Sex
- none
- Profanity
- none
- Substances
- mild
- Intensity
- moderate
Genres
Adventure, Comedy, Family
Cast & Crew
Mel StuartDirector
Peter OstrumCharlie
Gene WilderWilly Wonka
Jack AlbertsonGrandpa Joe
Diana SowleMrs. Bucket
Roy KinnearMr. Salt
Julie Dawn ColeVeruca Salt
Leonard StoneMr. Beauregarde
Denise NickersonViolet Beauregarde
Nora DenneyMrs. Teevee
Paris ThemmenMike Teevee
Ursula ReitMrs. Gloop
Michael BöllnerAugustus Gloop
Walter ScharfComposer
Leslie BricusseComposer
Roald DahlWriterLeslie BricusseWriter
Anthony NewleyWriterWilly Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
When eccentric candy man Willy Wonka promises a lifetime supply of sweets and a tour of his chocolate factory to five lucky kids, penniless Charlie Bucket seeks the golden ticket that will make him a winner.
What critics thought
Contemporary critics were genuinely split: some found the film a rare imaginative triumph for family cinema, while others thought the factory sequences failed to live up to their promise, with flat visuals and forgettable songs undercutting the magic. The film's current strong reputation outstrips what many original reviewers actually wrote, suggesting it grew considerably in esteem over time.
“Probably the best film of its sort since The Wizard of Oz. It is everything that family movies usually claim to be, but aren't: Delightful, funny, scary, exciting, and most of all, a genuine work of imagination.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“Anticipation of what Wonka's factory is like is so well developed that its eventual appearance is a terrible letdown. Sure enough there is a chocolate river, but it looks too much like the Chicago River to be appealing. The quality of the color photography is flat.”
Gene Siskel·Chicago Tribune
“tedious and stagy with little sparkle and precious little humor”
Howard Thompson·The New York Times
“after a slow start the second half of the film was an unqualified delight—one of those rare, genuinely imaginative children's entertainments at which no adult need be embarrassed to be seen”
Jan Dawson·The Monthly Film Bulletin
“a real star turn”
Charles Champlin·Los Angeles Times
Accolades
Parents guide
- Violence
- mild
- Sex
- none
- Profanity
- none
- Substances
- mild
- Intensity
- moderate
Genres
Adventure, Comedy, Family
Cast & Crew
Mel StuartDirectorPeter OstrumCharlieGene WilderWilly WonkaJack AlbertsonGrandpa JoeDiana SowleMrs. BucketRoy KinnearMr. SaltJulie Dawn ColeVeruca SaltLeonard StoneMr. BeauregardeDenise NickersonViolet BeauregardeNora DenneyMrs. TeeveeParis ThemmenMike TeeveeUrsula ReitMrs. GloopMichael BöllnerAugustus GloopWalter ScharfComposerLeslie BricusseComposerRoald DahlWriterLeslie BricusseWriterAnthony NewleyWriterStream
Rent & Buy