# Why "Charlie" and the Chocolate Factory? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 30, 2005, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489 "2005-06-30T08:43:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/1 "2005-06-30T08:43:37Z")
Why isn’t the latest movie called **Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory**? I’m curious. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/2 "2005-06-30T08:55:43Z")
Because the book is called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/3 "2005-06-30T08:58:23Z")
[The book](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/sim-explorer/explore-items/-/0141301155/0/101/1/none/purchase/ref%3Dpd_sxp_r0/103-1489688-2403017). A better question might be, “Why was the first movie NOT called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?” ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/4 "2005-06-30T09:13:55Z")
Ah, I see. I’ve asked a stupid question. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/5 "2005-06-30T09:21:47Z")
The story is indeed about Charlie, and a Chocolate Factory, and not really about Willy Wonka at all, though of course he does figure prominently. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/6 "2005-06-30T10:15:31Z")
> [@Large Marge](#): > > Ah, I see. I’ve asked a stupid question. > > Carry on. There are no stupid questions. ---
**Author:** ![DrMemory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DrMemory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrMemory)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/7 "2005-06-30T10:59:39Z")
If you believe there are “No stupid questions”…you’ve never worked in retail sales. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/8 "2005-06-30T11:03:45Z")
The book could spend several chapters introducing Charlie and his poverty-stricken life with his four invalid grandparents and all that crappy depressing stuff, but the original movie had no such free time and knows it has to get to the factory and Willy Wonka ASAP. Or possibly Gene Wilder had a really good agent. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/9 "2005-06-30T11:33:21Z")
> [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > There are no stupid questions. …only stupid people 🙂 I don’t think **Large Marge** is a stupid person though, just someone who’s only exposure to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was via the first movie. No I haven’t worked in retail, but my wife does so I know what you mean, second hand. Somehow 90% of my _own_ brain cells seem to go into hybernation upon entering a shopping centre so I’m fairly forgiving of retail stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/10 "2005-06-30T11:46:11Z")
> [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > There are no stupid questions. But there _are_ a lot of [inquisitive idiots](http://store.yahoo.com/demotivators/cluelessness.html). Grim ---
**Author:** ![RobuSensei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@RobuSensei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobuSensei)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/11 "2005-06-30T11:59:52Z")
> [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > There are no stupid questions. [OT]Back in college… One day, after choir rehearsal, I walked up to the director (Dr. Armstrong) and said, “Can I ask you a stupid question?” Naturally, he said, “There’s no such thing as a stupid question. Go ahead.” My question: “Would you like to play Lieutenant Worf at a _Star Trek_ “How To Host a Mystery” party?” His response: He grabbed me by the lapels and shouted, “IT REALLY IS A STUPID QUESTION!!!” And then he said yes. 🙂 [/OT] I’m looking forward to the new film – however it turns out. This is because I’m one of the apparently few people (as far as I know) who disliked the Gene Wilder version. ---
**Author:** ![Pixisis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Pixisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixisis)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/12 "2005-06-30T12:10:01Z")
> [@RobuSensei](#): > > I’m looking forward to the new film – however it turns out. This is because I’m one of the apparently few people (as far as I know) who disliked the Gene Wilder version. I never really cared for the Gene Wilder version , either. But, I have hopes for this one. 😃 and I’ve always loved the book. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/13 "2005-06-30T12:28:34Z")
> [@DrMemory](#): > > If you believe there are “No stupid questions”…you’ve never worked in retail sales. :rolleyes: This may be true, but in my experience, there are stupid questions on both sides of the retail sales desk. While looking at used cars with a friend of my from England the salesman heard him speak and said “You must be from Germany”. :rolleyes: …and be glad you don’t have [this person](http://www.aboutmyjob.com/main.php3?action=displayarticle&artid=2149) waiting on you! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/14 "2005-06-30T12:31:10Z")
> [@RobuSensei](#): > > [OT]Back in college… One day, after choir rehearsal, I walked up to the director (Dr. Armstrong) and said, “Can I ask you a stupid question?” > > Naturally, he said, “There’s no such thing as a stupid question. Go ahead.” > > My question: “Would you like to play Lieutenant Worf at a _Star Trek_ “How To Host a Mystery” party?” > > His response: He grabbed me by the lapels and shouted, “IT REALLY IS A STUPID QUESTION!!!” > > And then he said yes. 🙂 [/OT] > > I’m looking forward to the new film – however it turns out. This is because I’m one of the apparently few people (as far as I know) who disliked the Gene Wilder version. That story made my morning. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@shadowfax33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shadowfax33)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/15 "2005-06-30T12:57:54Z")
We have the DVD of the Gene Wilder version, and a few days ago my daughter was watching a documentary on the special features. I only saw it in passing, but I seem to recall TPTB talking about the candy bar tie-in. To help promote the “Wonka Bar,” it was decided to call the movie “Willie Wonka and…” rather than “Charlie and…” Whoever was speaking on the documentary (sorry for being vague) found it amusing that the candy bar flopped, but the movie, which they had thought would flop, was successful. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/16 "2005-06-30T14:37:44Z")
> [@RobuSensei](#): > > One day, after choir rehearsal […] He grabbed me by the lapels You wore _lapels_ to _choir practice?_ Where was this, Bob Jones U.? Did the ladies’ skirts reach the floor? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/17 "2005-06-30T16:10:21Z")
Really obscure “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” trivia: The inside jacket copy of the original edition was written by famous fantasy author Jane Yolen. ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/18 "2005-06-30T16:38:15Z")
> [@DrMemory](#): > > If you believe there are “No stupid questions”…you’ve never worked in retail sales. :rolleyes: Or IT Support ---
**Author:** ![RobuSensei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@RobuSensei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobuSensei)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/19 "2005-06-30T17:29:13Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > You wore _lapels_ to _choir practice?_ > > Where was this, Bob Jones U.? Did the ladies’ skirts reach the floor? :smack: Man, I shouldn’t post after a 13 hour workday… No, it wasn’t lapels, I was wearing a windbreaker, unzipped, and he grabbed me by that. And shook me a couple of times. And recommended that I ask a few more of the music faculty “because they’re CRAAAAZY.” (After he said yes, of course.) ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489/20 "2005-06-30T17:58:53Z")
Why “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”? Because “Frank and the Fudge Packers” didn’t sound quite right. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/310489.md?page=2)