Willy Wonka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory character | |
|---|---|
| Willy Wonka | |
| Willy Wonka in the original book drawn by Quentin Blake | |
| Gender | Male |
| Personality | Funny, eccentric, and weird, although nice |
| Family | None mentioned |
| Town/City the character lives in | Lives in a factory in unknown place |
| Portrayed by | None |
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory character | |
|---|---|
| Willy Wonka | |
 | |
| Willy Wonka portrayed by Gene Wilder the 1971 musical version | |
| Gender | Male |
| Personality | Similar to the original book |
| Family | None mentioned |
| Town/City the character lives in | Unknown, possibly England? |
| Portrayed by | Gene Wilder |
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory character | |
|---|---|
| Willy Wonka | |
 | |
| Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka in the 2005 Non-Musical Version | |
| Gender | Male |
| Personality | Similar to the original book, although he can be mean or rude, influenced by an unhappy childhood. Some say that he resembles Michael Jackson because of his makeup and unusual haircut. |
| Family | Father Dr. Wilbur Wonka, D.D.S. (not mentioned in the book or original film) |
| Town/City the character lives in | Unknown |
| Portrayed by | Johnny Depp |
| Charlie and the Chocolate Factory character | |
|---|---|
| Willy Wonka | |
 | |
| An animated version of Willy Wonka on the logo of Nestlé's Wonka candy products | |
| Gender | Male |
| Personality | Unknown |
| Family | Not mentioned |
| Town/City the character lives in | Unknown |
| Portrayed by | None |
Willy Wonka is a fictional character in Roald Dahl's classic children's books Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.
A musical film adaptation of Dahl's book Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, directed by Mel Stuart and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, was released in 1971. It was originally a box office flop, but has since become a cult classic, hailed a children's classic by critics and has attracted a worldwide audience.
Another film version of the tale was released in 2005. Titled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, it was a comedy directed by Tim Burton and starred Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka. Tim Burton's 2005 version added a history of the character: Willy Wonka is the son of dentist Dr. Wilbur Wonka, D.D.S. (played by Christopher Lee). Wonka had a traumatic childhood: his father forbade him to eat candy and forced his son to wear large and unsightly orthodontic headgear. Eventually, he tastes chocolate and starts getting ideas for other candies. When he becomes an adult, Wonka opens a his own candy store(Side note: Grandpa Joe was one of Wonka's first employees; Mr. Teavee was hinted to be one as well). A number of movie critics, including one from the New York Times, criticized this Freudian backstory for being both unnecessary and out of the spirit of Dahl's original novel.[citation needed]
He proves an unparalleled genius in confectionery development, inventing seemingly impossible products that capture the world's imagination, like ice cream that never melts, and small candy eggs that hatch chocolate birds that move and chirp. From his factory, his products are shipped and sold worldwide. However, other chocolate makers become jealous and start sending spies to find out the Wonka's recipes. Nearly ruined, Wonka closes the factory and fires all of his workers. Years later, the factory once again starts running, secretly staffed exclusively by Oompa Loompas, a race of dwarves from Loompaland who relish the taste of cacao beans. His business resumes its dominance. In the original novel and in Tim Burton's film, Wonka's journey to Loompaland was for the purpose of finding new exotic flavors for his candy.
Eventually Wonka, getting old and not having any heirs, felt the need to arrange for a successor for his business, if only to provide a home and work for the Oompa Loompas. However, he wanted to groom one from childhood to guarantee they would keep with his methods and spirit. To that end, he announces a contest with five Golden Tickets randomly placed in his products promising a tour and a lifetime supply of his products to the winners for starters. Five children find the tickets, including Charlie Bucket, and they go on the tour of the bizarre factory. During the course of the tour, all the children but Charlie (including Charlie in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) misbehave find themselves in terrible predicaments that result in four of them one-by-one being removed from the group. With only Charlie remaining, the delighted Wonka reveals his plan and his offer, one that Charlie eagerly accepts along with his family who are all moved to live in the factory. In the 1971 film, his family is invited immediately, whereas in Burton's film Wonka initially refuses to allow Charlie to bring his family. An eventual reconciliation between Wonka and his father causes Wonka to change his mind and allow Charlie's family to move in with him as well.
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[edit] Different Portrayals
The portrayals of Wonka by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp are strikingly different.
[edit] Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory 1971
In the 1971 film, Wonka is mysterious, spontaneous, ambiguous, and openly friendly; one cannot really tell what he will do next. When he is first seen, he exits the factory with a limp, leaning on his cane. Once he reaches the gates, Wonka performs a somersault and becomes energetic. He shows a very childlike enthusiam throughout the tour. However, this is interspersed at times with sarcasm and cynicism at the self-centered attributes many of the children and parents displayed on the tour.
When Augustus is trapped in the suction tube Wonka says "The suspense is terrible, I hope it will last." (A line from the Oscar Wilde play The Importance of Being Earnest, emphasizing Wonka's resemblance to Wilde.) Later, when Veruca Salt and her father go down the garbage chute, all Willy Wonka does is say "There's going to be a lot of garbage today." At the end of the tour he is seemingly relieved at Charlie's unselfish character. After unleashing a harsh verbal tirade on him: "You get nothing! You lose! Good day, sir!", he apologizes (begging for forgiveness) and joyously reveals his love of Charlie to whom he unselfishly gives the factory (and an enthusiastic hug).
Another notable quality of this incarnation of Wonka is that he is very intelligent in the classical sense, which is demonstrated throughout the movie when he does such things as speak in many different languages, and constantly references classical literature, and other such culture.
[edit] Charlie & the Chocolate Factory 2005
In the 2005 film, Wonka is more reclusive and socially awkward. He speaks in a low tone of voice, implying a lack of self-confidence in social situations. Rather than expressing constant joy, he seems to be mildly annoyed by the presence of the children in his factory. He also appears to be more manipulative; it's implied that the fates that befall the four bad children were not accidents, but rigged by Wonka from the start. Wonka takes an immediate dislike to the four bad children, referring to them by "little boy" or "little girl" rather than their names. By contrast, Wonka is soon impressed with Charlie's innocent spirit and his acceptance of the candymaker's eccentricities.
One such example is given below:
|Violet Beauregard: I'm Violet Beauregard! |Willy Wonka: I don't care. (Flashes nasty grin)
[edit] See also
- Roald Dahl
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (film)
- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
- Oompa Loompa
- Charlie Bucket
- Veruca Salt
- Violet Beauregarde
- Augustus Gloop
- Mike Teavee
- Gene Wilder
- Johnny Depp
[edit] External links
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