Amongst the 70s psychedelia and hard-line morality lessons, there is a scene in ‘Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory’ that echoes in the memories of every child that watched the film since its release over 40 years ago. The clip, in which Wonka, played by the enigmatic Gene Wilder, takes the winners of his Golden Tickets on a terrifically terrifying trip down a chocolate river in a little boat that refuses to slow down, remains some of the most unsettling moments of film I watched as a child.
Imagine my enchantment, and slight unease, when I learned a decade later that the frightened expressions on the passengers’ faces were not simply good acting. It is rumoured that the actors were not told prior to the filming of the scene what the action would involve, Wilder being the only person with any preparation. If this bit of trivia proves to be true, it makes their petrified faces all the more effective, and Wilder’s rhymes even more disturbing.
Born in 1933 in Wisconsin, Wilder was raised as part of a Jewish family. Although he felt a strong affinity to the faith of his upbringing, he did not claim to believe in God. Instead, he held onto the ‘Golden Rule’ as his sole belief taken directly from Judaism; he wanted to treat others as he wished to be treated himself. He studied communication and theatre arts at the University of Iowa and was subsequently accepted at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, after which he began a career which encapsulated acting, writing and directing.
When offered the role of Wonka by director Mel Stuart, Wilder was hesitant, and agreed to take the part on one condition: in the scene where his character first appears, he wanted to depict him as requiring a walking stick. After a few moments, Wonka would lose the cane and seemingly fall to the ground, only to somersault and land, able-bodied, in front of his guests. When asked why this scene was so important to his portrayal, Wilder replied: ‘Because from that time on, no one will know if I’m lying or telling the truth’.
In his later years, Wilder dedicated himself to promoting ovarian cancer research and awareness following the death of his wife Gilda Radner in 1989. When asked later about her death, Wilder said simply: ‘I always thought she’d pull through’.
Wilder will be remembered in the minds of children, grown or still small, for adding a complex vulnerability to one of the most adored characters in literature. Underneath the chocolate and chaos, Wilder manages to distil the essence of the beloved story and his character down to a very simple concept: Are you a good person or a bad person?
Both Willy Wonka and Charlie Bucket go against the norms and expectations of the society that the other detestable characters represent. Yet they prove to be the virtuous ones in the end (but we knew that all along, didn’t we?). Wilder brought whimsy and life to a paper character. Whether through a Golden Rule or a Golden Ticket, his life’s work will be cherished.
By Alice Florence Orr | 1 September 2016