I think they all did have a chance to give back the gobstopper, just like Charlie. They don’t die, and Slugworth would approach them to get the gobstopper.
And, anyways, it was Grandpa Jo who instigated the Fizzy Lifting Drink problem. Charlie just minded his elders, after telling him he didn’t think they should.
That is a good point. Sometimes you just need a “Yes Man” that will not question anything, keep the slaves in check and stick to the original vision.
I believe we see at least two kids cross their fingers when they promise not to give the gobstoppers away.
Yes. I’m pretty sure Veruca was one of them.
There’s one other person who could have given the same type of performance as Wilder did with Wonka. The mix of whimsy and hidden menace that Wilder brought to the role. A person who would have made the remake perfect, instead of it being yet another Depp showboat role that ruins a good idea, like his Tonto in The Lone Ranger.
That person is Christopher Walken.
Hugh Jackman?
I actually think Alan Cumming could have made a good shot at it. Or possibly Matt Smith. (I also think Wonka-era Gene Wilder would have been a great Doctor, even as an American.)
Working for Wonka, I had assumed Slugworth at least knew which cities the winning tickets were shipped to. so all he had to do was follow the shipment and wait around until someone bought the winning bar.
But lending credibility to the rigged contest angle, I thought the movie showed all the chocolate was sold (the auctioning of the last case of Wonka bars scene) before Charlie found his ticket. so Wonka held at least one ticket back.
Ya know, I think you’re right. Mr. Walken would have been an excellent choice to play Mr. Wonka.
Eh, while Depp’s Wonka was obviously very different from Wilder’s, I still think that it worked just fine for the character.
I disagree. Wilder’s Wonka may have bewildered (and occasionally scared) his visitors but it was clear he was always in control of everything in the factory, including himself. Depp’s Wonka didn’t have that quality; he behaved more like he was overwhelmed by his factory (and his own mental issues) and was barely able to keep things under control.
How would he choose the kids, any more than the Powerball gets to choose who in America draws the right lottery combination?
Unless the chocolate bars were specially tagged with some unseen label to make sure they got to certain stores, but even then it would require 9/11-conspiracy-type levels of oversight to make sure the right customers bought the bars, and didn’t give the bar to someone else, and the cashiers would have to be in the know, etc.
Edit: Also, Wonka has no control over whether those 5 kids or their families even go candy shopping in the first place. That is one thing no amount of bureaucratic oversight can control.
Humphrey Bogart
What’s with that acid-trip boat ride?
This brings up a potentially interesting game – How Would Other Scary Actors have Portrayed Willie Wonka?
Vincent Price – "We’ve already had four children drop off the Wonka Factory tour. Won’t you come and make it Five? (He would have a chocolate skeleton on wires, as well. It’d be just as freaky as that boat ride)
Anthony Hopkins – “Have the Oompa-Loompas stopped singing, Clarice – uhh – Charlie?”
Jack Palance – “I make candy bars bigger than you!”
Jack Nicholson – “You can call me ---- Willy!” “You can’t handle the Everlasting Gobstopper!”
Heath Leger. You don’t even have to change the quotes:
Said while on the boat ride from hell: “Smile, because it confuses people. Smile, because it’s easier than explaining what is killing you inside.”
On his factory methods: "Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I’m an agent of chaos…”
As Agustus Gloop is on the chocolate river edge: “As you know, madness is like gravity…all it takes is a little push.”
Describing the factory: “If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”
As Veruca gets rolled away, to defend the gum’s side effects: “Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I’m a dog chasing cars. I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I caught it! You know, I just… do things.”
As Charlie comes back to return the EG: “Why so serious?”
Though the thought of Wonka in clown makeup might be a bit much!
It was 1971.
Just sincerely glad to the point of being willing to offer burnt offerings to any god claiming credit for it…
That we never got a Jim Carrey version.
yeah. I wouldn’t have minded if the newer movie was just a re-make closer to Dahl’s book, but they really shouldn’t have given it to Tim Burton. Since Burton directed it, of course Johnny Depp was going to star in it, and instead of the mischievous-but-in-control Wonka of the book (and Wilder’s depiction) Burton and Depp gave us…
Michael Jackson.
plus they added that (IMO) completely unnecessary backstory with Wonka’s father (as much as I respect Christopher Lee) and changed the ending with Charlie initially refusing the grand prize.
had they not done those things, I think it would have been a lot better. The visuals were good and apart from Depp I think the casting was fairly spot on.
Now that I think about it a bit more, Michael Sheen probably could have played a great Willy Wonka. If you saw Tron:Legacy, similar to his character of Castor/Zuse, but a bit less flamboyant.
David Tennant?