The Horse's Head

#315) Hearts and Minds (1974)

Directed by Peter Davis

Class of 2018

A modern trailer

As with all the documentaries I’ve covered, this post is a massive over-simplification of the events surrounding the Vietnam War. There is so much information out there about Vietnam, and “Hearts and Minds” is a good starting point, but don’t let this blog be where you get your information.

The Plot: There is no way one movie could distill the complexities of the Vietnam War into two hours. That being said, “Hearts and Minds” makes the best effort by highlighting the viewpoints of as many participants as possible, juxtaposed with footage from the frontlines. Among those interviewed are ex-POW Lt. George Coker, America’s Commander General William Westmoreland, army deserter Edward Sodwers, and the countless Vietnamese citizens whose lives were permanently damaged by the war.

Why It Matters: The NFR quotes praise from authors Frances FitzGerald and David Halberstam, but conversely mentions critics “from both ends of the political spectrum [who] chided [“Hearts and Minds”] as manipulative propaganda that oversimplified complexities.”

But Does It Really?: Manipulative? Sure, but what documentary isn’t to a degree? “Hearts and Minds” will never satisfy everyone’s opinion on Vietnam, but the film succeeds as a document of the moment. What unfolds is a war with no end in sight, but whose participants have enough hindsight to recognize the errors made by America. As a film, “Hearts and Minds” is equal parts captivating and sobering. Those of us who weren’t there will never understand what it was like to live in the chaotic mess of the Vietnam War, but “Hearts and Minds” permanently reminds us of one of the 20^th century’s most horrific events. The film’s reportage, as well as its continued controversy, makes it unquestionably qualified for NFR inclusion.

Everybody Gets One: Peter Davis started as a writer/producer for CBS News’ documentary division. He was inspired by the release of the Pentagon Papers (which exposed our decades-long involvement with Vietnam) to make “Hearts and Minds”, his sole directorial effort. Fun Fact: Davis is the son of screenwriters Frank Davis and Tess Slesinger, who wrote the scripts for two NFR entries: “Dance, Girl, Dance” and “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”.

Take a Shot: The film gets its title from Lyndon Johnson, who said of the Vietnam War, “The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live out there.”

Seriously, Oscars?: “Hearts and Minds” almost didn’t get released when Columbia Pictures got cold feet. Producer Bert Schneider purchased the film back from Columbia, and secured a one-week Oscar qualifying run in L.A. in December 1974. Just three weeks before the Fall of Saigon, “Hearts and Minds” won the Oscar for Best Documentary. While accepting the award, Schneider read a telegram from Viet Cong Ambassador Dinh Ba Thi that praised the anti-war movement. Later that evening, Oscar co-host Frank Sinatra read a statement from the Academy saying they were “not responsible for any political references on this program”.

Other notes

• Long story short, America started aiding South Vietnam (then French Indochina) during the first Indochina War in the ‘50s to prevent the spread of Communism. Once Kennedy took office in 1961 he escalated our presence in the war, which Johnson completed in reaction to the Gulf of Tonkin incident of 1964, which may have been exaggerated as an excuse to send more troops. Thanks to an effective montage in the film, we see every U.S. President from Eisenhower to Nixon try to downplay our involvement in Vietnam.
• Despite his 6-½ years as a POW, Lt. George Coker states several times in the film that he would return to Vietnam to serve his country if asked. As of this writing, Coker is still with us, aiding fellow ex-POWs, and occasionally discussing his time in Vietnam.
• In a nice little bit of political foreshadowing, Ronald Reagan appears during the montage of Red Scare film clips. There’s also a scene from “My Son John” starting Robert Walker and Helen Hayes, both of whom have yet to make the NFR.
• One of the things that fascinated me was listening to soldiers and pilots discussing the thrill of fighting and the rush of energy that occurs in the midst of war. It’s a side we rarely hear about from our troops, possibly because we the public don’t want to acknowledge the shades of gray that come with war. This segment is immediately followed by Vo Thi Hue and Vo Thi Tu, two elderly Vietnamese sisters who lost their family and their jobs in the bombings.
• If nothing else, this film helps illuminate the Vietnamese perspective of the war, especially for us “ugly Americans” who only know the war’s main bullet points. Interviewee Diem Chau refers to Vietnam as not only a civil war, but also “a war against American imperialists.”
• And now a montage of Hollywood’s horrible mistreatment of Asians and Asian stereotypes. The shrewdest clip is from “Road to Hong Kong” featuring Bob Hope, who shows up later in the film making a tasteless joke during a gala dinner for rescued POWs.
• Davis not so subtly suggests that American football culture is responsible for our over-enthusiastic pro-war mentality. No amount of verbose John Facenda narration can spin that one.
• Another gray area: war-profiteers in Vietnam. I did not realize how many American corporations opened branches in Vietnam during the war.
• Among the anti-war vets interviewed is Robert Muller (no, different spelling), who was left paralyzed during the war. He later founded the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation.
• Production of “Hearts and Minds” took place while Nixon was still in office, but released a few months after his resignation in August 1974. I’m sure this gave the film an additional layer during its initial run.
• I think what I’ll take away from “Hearts and Minds” are the images of the Vietnamese effected by the war: the innocent bystander getting shot in the head by an American soldier, the father clinging to his dead daughter’s shirt, the grieving woman trying to be buried along with a soldier, and actual footage of Phan Thi Kim Phuc, the nine-year-old girl made famous by this intense photo of her being burned by napalm. Miraculously, she survived this, and is still alive, albeit permanently traumatized by those events.
• Among those credited as part of the film’s sound team is Barbara Kopple, just a few years away from her Oscar-winning, NFR-inducted documentary “Harlan County U.S.A.”

#314) HE Who Gets Slapped (1924)

OR “Clown-trodden”

Directed by Victor Sjöström

Written by Sjöström and Carey Wilson. Based on the play by Leonid Andreyev.

Class of 2017

No trailer, but here is a clip of HE getting slapped. That’s what you’re here for, isn’t it?

The Plot: Scientist Paul Beaumont (Lon Chaney) is betrayed when his donor Baron Regnard (Marc McDermott) claims Paul’s proven theories as his own. A confrontation at the Academy of the Sciences ends with the Baron slapping Paul in front of the distinguished academics, and then running off with Paul’s wife Marie (Ruth King). Paul takes her cries of “clown” literally, and five years later has become the successful circus clown “HE” with his “HE Who Gets Slapped” routine. HE develops feelings for the show’s new horse rider Consuelo (Norma Shearer), who is in love with fellow performer Bezano (John Gilbert). When the Baron happens upon the circus with his eye on marrying Consuelo, HE/Paul must confront his past and why he has chosen to mask his pain with pratfalls and makeup.

Why It Matters: The NFR write-up lists the film’s historical significance, and praises Chaney, Sjöström, and the film’s “nightmarish vignettes”. They also call the film “[o]ne of the earliest ‘creepy clown’ movies”. I suspect the 2017 NFR board had just come back from a showing of “It” before inducting this film.

But Does It Really?: I don’t know. I enjoyed “HE Who Gets Slapped” quite a bit. It’s a wonderfully weird movie unlike anything else the silent era produced. That being said, its historical significance is more trivial than pivotal (see “Other notes” below), and the film has no real lasting cultural impact. But on the plus side, “Slapped” has aged very well for a 95-year-old movie, and hopefully will get rediscovered by film lovers and clown-fearing citizens alike. The slightest of passes for NFR inclusion.

Wow, That’s Dated: Traveling circuses, as well as a time when clowns were commonly accepted as an embodiment of joy and not, you know, nightmare-inducing.

Take a Shot: The title is actually mentioned once in the intertitles as the name of Paul’s act. And yes, both letters in “HE” are capitalized. Take that, God!

Other notes

• What is the historical significance of “HE Who Gets Slapped”? It was the very first film produced entirely by MGM following the merger of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, and Louis B. Mayer Pictures. It’s also the first MGM movie to open with Leo the Lion, played by Slats, the only Leo that doesn’t roar.

• Yes, the movie is a bit on the bizarre side, but once you learn it’s an adaptation of a Russian play, suddenly it all makes more sense. What I wouldn’t give to see that production.
• This is one of several American films where Swedish-born director Victor Sjöström is credited as the Anglicized “Victor Seastrom”. I guess early film typeface didn’t have umlauts.
• The first shot is a clown spinning a globe while laughing into the camera. Fasten your seatbelts, kids.

• It quickly occurred to me that I’m only familiar with Lon Chaney as “The Phantom of the Opera”. I had no idea what he actually looked like. Why would you want to hide that face under so much makeup?
• Is this what the Academy of the Sciences did before the Oscars?
• Oh I didn’t realize the clowns are here for scene transitions. This is trippy. Visually impressive, but still trippy.
• Canadian-American actor Norma Shearer is many things, Italian is not one of them.
• Consuelo takes the time to re-sew the heart on HE’s costume. She’s mending his heart. Get it?
• How does one get the title “The World’s Quaintest Clown”? Additionally, why would one want said title?
• “I’m wrong again – the earth is HARD” Rare is the intertitle that actually makes me snort.
• The nice thing about silent movies is that any modern-day musical type can rescore them. Can you imagine this subject matter set to more experimental music?
• John Gilbert looks a little like Douglas Fairbanks at times. Is that natural or was it a requirement of every man in the mid ‘20s?
• Lon Chaney’s performance is an interesting balance of subtle and deranged. HE is so close to being the Joker.
• Speaking of MGM, this movie features what may be Leo the Lion’s only dramatic role. Slats earned his paycheck that week.
• The good news about a clown getting hurt: everyone can fit inside the ambulance.
• The intertitles get real philosophical near the end: “What is Death –? What is Life –? What is Love –?” I can only answer the third question with an obvious “Night at the Roxbury” joke.
• I don’t mean to nitpick a particularly downer film, but I feel like any other scientist would have just gone back to square one and tried a new thesis. But that’s a far less interesting movie.

Legacy

• “HE Who Gets Slapped” was a big hit in its day, and helped boost MGM’s standing as a major studio player.
• I’ll disagree with the NFR: while HE may be a “creepy clown”, I would label this film as the first in the “sad clown” subgenre (aka the “Pagliacci” films). Sometimes they’re about actual clowns, but most of the time they’re biopics about the depressing lives your favorite comedians lived.

• All of the major creatives behind “Slapped” benefited from this film’s popularity. Victor Sjöström would go on to direct several other successful silent films, including future NFR entry “The Wind”, Norma Shearer became a leading lady almost overnight, and John Gilbert was a little over a year away from his first of many pairings with Greta Garbo.
• Even Leo the Lion is still going strong almost 100 years later.

• As for Lon Chaney, he continued his run of a thousand faces, with his most iconic role just around the corner…

#313) Blackboard Jungle (1955)

OR “Stand and Deliver – ‘50s Style”

Directed & Written by Richard Brooks. Based on the novel by Evan Hunter.

Class of 2016

The Plot: Veteran Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford) takes a job as a high school English teacher to support himself and his pregnant wife Anne (Anne Francis). His class is populated with unruly teenage boys, including gang leader Artie West (Vic Morrow) and the rebellious Gregory Miller (Sidney Poitier). His students attack him, both verbally and physically, but Dadier stands firm, hoping against hope he can get these kids to actually apply themselves. But who can pay attention to all this when you have the hep sounds of Bill Haley & His Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock” playing over the credits?

Why It Matters: The NFR states that the film “effectively dramatizes the social issues at hand” and praises Poitier and Morrow, but mostly focuses on the film’s use of “Rock Around the Clock”.

But Does It Really?: “Blackboard Jungle” is the movie that gave us “Rock Around the Clock” and started Sidney Poitier on his road to fame, but that may be it. The film can still startle with its risqué subject matter, but its take on juvenile delinquency doesn’t pack the punch of a “Rebel Without a Cause” or “The Wild One”. Perhaps its focus on Glenn Ford – and therefore the older generation – prevents the film from reaching its maximum potential. Regardless, “Blackboard Jungle” has enough of a legacy for NFR inclusion, and gets a pass from me.

Everybody Gets One: Actors Vic Morrow and Paul Mazursky, the latter of whom would go on to write and direct a successful run of ‘70s character studies that have yet to make the Registry. Also on hand is Jameel Farah, who eventually changed his stage name to Jamie Farr and played Klinger on “M*A*S*H”.

Wow, That’s Dated: Two words: juvenile delinquency. Throw in some hip slang and frequent sexism and you got yourself 1955, Daddy-O!

Seriously, Oscars?: One of the biggest hits of 1955, “Blackboard Jungle” received four Oscar nominations: Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Art Direction, and Editing. The film lost to Best Picture nominees “The Rose Tattoo” and “Picnic”, as well as Best Picture winner “Marty”.

Other notes

• Is a Blackboard Jungle any relation to an Asphalt Jungle?
• Accounts vary on who exactly selected “Rock Around the Clock” for the film’s opening credits. Most sources cite Richard Brooks, while others say Glenn Ford’s 10-year-old son Peter was responsible. Regardless, it heralded the beginning of rock ‘n’ roll into mainstream America.

• Fun Fact: “Rock Around the Clock” was the B-side. How different would “Blackboard Jungle” have been if Richard Brooks had opted for the A-side, “Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town)”?

• Among the actors playing the faculty are stage legend Louis Calhern, future stage legend Richard Kiley, model/Scarlet O’Hara contender Margaret Hayes, and a young uncredited Richard Deacon!
• Anne Francis is Glenn Ford’s wife? She looks like she’s 12! Did I accidentally rent “Baby Doll”?
• Speaking of, that’s a 14-year age-gap between Ford and Francis. Another major readout on the Michael Douglas scale.
• And then we get Sidney Poitier. Right from the start Poitier has the star quality that compels you to watch him, even when you’re supposed to be watching Glenn Ford. It’s also fun to see Poitier playing a character who is a complete 180 from the distinguished, sophisticated persona he would later craft for himself.

• It appears Miller and Dadier are playing the first ever round of “Please Stop Calling Me Chief!”
• Among the taboo topics covered in this film are gang violence, bigotry, miscarriages, and sexual assault. Very edgy, though there’s still some work in terms of handling these subjects delicately. Anne Francis says Ms. Hammond probably provoked the students by “dress[ing] sexy”. Yikes.

• Why would you ever bring your prized record collection to a school with a well-known discipline problem? According to Richard Kiley, he continued to get jazz records from concerned fans for the rest of his life.
• Sidney Poitier was always open about his lack of musical abilities, and his singing is dubbed for this film. I guess the “Porgy and Bess” producers didn’t notice.
• Dadier shows his students a UPA-esque cartoon of “Jack and the Beanstalk”. This leads to analysis by the students that would make Bruno Bettelheim proud.
• Did they just censor Poitier saying “damn”? There are enough ethnic slurs in this film to make Quentin Tarantino blush, but heaven forbid these teenagers hear the word “damn”.
• Thanks to the Christmas pageant, this is another movie for my “Die Hard” Not-Christmas list. And why did no one ask Calhern or Kiley to direct?
• Dadier makes two dollars an hour!? Even adjusted for inflation that’s not much (roughly $19 an hour). Good thing we pay our public teachers well now, right? ….right?
• A whole movie about ‘50s teenage gangs and not a single Jerome Robbins dance number? What a rip-off!

Legacy

• The main takeaway from “Blackboard Jungle” is “Rock Around the Clock”. The film and the song helped each other achieve success, though the song quickly eclipsed the film in popularity. Teen audiences would jump out of their seats at the beginning of the film to dance to this song, though this did occasionally lead to rowdy behavior, with some theaters opting to mute the opening credits.
• Sidney Poitier would take on the role of inspirational teacher to his own troubled students in 1967’s “To Sir, with Love”. Like its predecessor, the best thing about the film may be the song.

• The film was spoofed in the 1957 MGM cartoon “Blackboard Jumble”, starring Droopy (well, three rowdy children who look like Droopy).

Listen to This: I still can’t believe “Rock Around the Clock” was only added to the National Recording Registry this last go-round. Learn more about the history of the song with this essay by music scholar David Deacon-Joyner (which sides with Team Richard Brooks on its “Blackboard Jungle” inclusion).

#312) Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One (1968)

OR “The Dailies Show”

 

There’s a better subtitle out there – something more meta – but we’ll keep this for now.

 

Directed & Written by William Greaves

Class of 2015

No trailer, but this clip gives you a sense of the movie. Or not.

The Plot: Alice and Teddy (Patricia Ree Gilbert and Don Fellows) are a couple whose marriage is rapidly falling apart. Their confrontation in Central Park is actually a scene being filmed by William Greaves for a movie called “Over the Cliff”. A second film crew is documenting the interaction between Greaves, the actors, and the crew. A third camera crew is covering Greaves, the actors, the crew, the second crew, and anyone who happens by the shoot. And a film blogger (Tony Cirimele) is observing the final film some 50 years later for a review. Well, they’re not really reviews. These posts are more like observations. I guess it’s easier to observe than to critique.

Why It Matters: This movie gets a very long write-up by the NFR, which calls it, among other things, a “unique 1960s’ time capsule”. Portions of the write-up are lifted from the accompanying essay by film professor Maria San Filippo.

But Does It Really?: “Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One” is one of the rare Registry entries that is absolutely one-of-a-kind. The whole process, as well as the process on top of the process, fascinated me. There are labyrinthine depths to this film, though I never quite seem to get the extra layers on films like these. Am I being too soft on these movies? Do I just give them a pass because I acknowledge that they’re complicated? And I just threw out the word “labyrinthine” like the kind of film snob I detest. But hey, with 750 of these I’m bound to repeat myself, right? Anyway, a pass to “Symbio” and William Greaves.

You know, I’ve always wanted to do a post that falls apart midway through. Maybe this is the film that will allow me to do that.

Everybody Gets One: After a stint at the Actors Studio, William Greaves pursued a performance career, but grew increasingly frustrated with the African-American stereotypes he was forced to play. Greaves studied film at the National Film Board of Canada and started a prolific career as a documentarian. While working on the TV Show “Black Journal” in his native New York, Greaves had the idea of combining his loves of acting and film into what he coined “a feature-length we-don’t-know-what”.

Wow, That’s Dated: References to then-current political figures former Governor George Wallace and New York City Mayor John Lindsay. But unfortunately, this being 1968 and all, the term “faggot” is thrown around a lot. A. Lot.

Take a Shot: Greaves explains his reasoning behind the title in the sequel: “Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take 2 ½”. Oh wait; I shouldn’t be mentioning the sequel this early. I’ll hold off until later. Forget I said anything. Anyway, it’s a variation on “symbiotaxiplasm”, a concept that is essentially a microcosm where everything affects everything else.

Other notes

• Don Fellows was a stage actor who is best remembered for his performance as Col. Musgrove, co-provider of exposition in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Very little is known about Patricia Ree Gilbert, and this is her only film. That’s a shame: Gilbert is the more natural film actor of the two. Fellows never quite tones down his natural stage presence.
• “You’ve got me foxed”? Who says foxed anymore? Or ever?
• How many of the couples being filmed during the opening credits actually signed a release form?
• While not the only film on the Registry that blurs the line between fiction and reality, this is definitely an improvement over “David Holzman’s Diary”.
• Maybe it’s staged, but I eat up artists discussing how to approach a scene like caviar. That’s an expression, right?
• The crew gets together each night after the shoot to vent, as well as to question Greaves’ motivations. Arguments of creative control are never fun, especially when you’re stuck in the middle.
• Alice is Ellen Burstyn-esque. Make that, Alice has an Ellen Burstyn quality to her. Better.
• Does anyone else notice that most of my “Other notes” are from the first half of these films?
• Whoa, what got bleeped? All other language goes uncensored, but Don is bleeped while discussing his character’s sexuality, apparently comparing Teddy to a real person. Did he accidentally out someone as bi?
• Speaking of, Don (intentionally or not) gets more theatrical as the film progresses, and he always seems to be “on” for the cameras. I think we found this movie’s Michael Scott.
• Hang on, there’s a work email I need to read. To be honest, sometimes I check my phone during these viewings. It’s not that I’m bored; sometimes I just can’t focus.
• All of this discussion about the movie from Greaves and the crew begs the question: Can you analyze an unfinished piece of art?
• They’re devoting a lot of screentime at the end to this homeless drunk. It’s a grating voice with no end in sight, why is this the climax of any movie?
• I try to end the “Other notes” section with something that either comments on the ending or sums up my feelings on the film. But sometimes that doesn’t happen.

Legacy

This movie doesn’t really have a legacy, per se.

An Epilogue

“Symbiopsychotaxiplasm” didn’t get a distribution deal, but Greaves would show the film at festivals and schools across the country. One of the audience members at its 1993 Sundance screening was Steve Buscemi, who helped raise funding for a theatrical release. Thanks to Buscemi and Steven Soderbergh, “Symbio” finally got released in 2001, and four years later received the first of its four proposed sequels. “Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2 ½” (the one I didn’t mention earlier) reunites Greaves and several of his crew members to shoot another film, while commenting on the original film’s newfound cult following. It’s a film within a film that is a follow-up to a film within a film within a film, and comments on the original film within a film, as well as the film itself.

Well, it didn’t quite “fall apart” the way I wanted it to, but it’s definitely different from the other posts. And I guess that’s all I really wanted in the first place. Of course I could stop all of this any time I want to. No one’s holding a gun to my head. It’s just a nice motivator to keep writing. But perhaps that’s a discussion for another day. And… “Publish”.

#311) Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

OR “Candy Savage”

Directed by Mel Stuart

Written by Roald Dahl. Based on his novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. Songs by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.

Class of 2014

The Plot: Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) lives in poverty with his family near the mysterious chocolate factory of reclusive Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder). One day, Wonka announces he will open up his factory to anyone who finds a golden ticket in their Wonka Bar. Charlie is one of the lucky recipients, and he and his Grandpa Joe (Jack Albertson) are given a tour of the factory by Wonka. Also on hand are the gluttonous Augustus Gloop (Michael Bollner), the gum-chewing Violet Beauregarde (Denise Nickerson), the spoiled Veruca Salt (Julie Dawn Cole), and the irritating Mike Teavee (Paris Temmen). Will the bad children get their comeuppance? Will Charlie live happily ever after? And what’s with the little orange guys?

Why It Matters: The NFR calls the film “surreal, yet playful at the same time”, praising Wilder, composers Bricusse and Newley, and production designer Harper Goff. Not surprisingly, the accompanying essay by Gene Wilder biographer Brian Scott Mednick focuses on Wilder’s participation in the film.

But Does It Really?: This is another film that’s too close to my childhood to be viewed objectively. “Wonka” is one of those movies where the imagery stays with you forever: from the bright, colorful chocolate room to the dark, creepy boat tunnel. Aided by some catchy songs and an iconic Gene Wilder performance, this film has endured year after year thanks to its inspired imagination and unapologetic weirdness. What took you so long, NFR?

Everybody Gets One: Director Mel Stuart had collaborated with producer David L. Wolper primarily on documentaries; his 1964 film “Four Days in November” about the Kennedy assassination earned him an Oscar nomination. It was Stuart’s daughter Madeline who suggested that he and “Uncle Dave” should turn “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” into a movie.

Wow, That’s Dated: The film mostly succeeds at being timeless, but there are some very ‘70s hairstyles throughout (looking at you, Wilder), plus usage of the term “freakout” and a reference to the then-current moon landing.

Seriously, Oscars?: A decent but not runaway hit with audiences and critics, “Wonka” received an Oscar nod in the now-defunct category “Best Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score”. Bricusse and Newley (and orchestrator Walter Scharf) lost to John Williams for his adaptation of “Fiddler on the Roof”.

Other notes

• A quick word on the film’s ownership: “Wonka” was originally released by Paramount, but the rights were co-owned by Wolper Productions and Quaker Oats (Wolper had convinced the food company to finance the film and release their own Wonka Bar for promotional synergy). When neither the film nor the candy bar met their expectations, Quaker sold their share back to Wolper, whose company was purchased by Warner Bros. in 1977, making “Wonka” a Warner picture.
• Most of “Wonka” was shot in and around Munich, so that American audiences wouldn’t recognize the setting and accept the film as fantasy. This all makes for an excellent game of Punch Buggy.
• “The Candy Man” is a lovely song sung by the affable Aubrey Woods, though I would never have guessed that Sammy Davis Jr. would one day make it part of his act.

• The interludes about the worldwide search for Wonka Bars are all individually funny, but totally unnecessary. That being said, my favorite line reading in the entire movie is the very German “Shut up, Hofstedder, and tell me where the ticket is!”

• “Cheer Up, Charlie”, aka “The Fast Forward Song”. Sorry Mrs. Bucket, but you’re keeping me from the chocolate factory.

• Günter Meisner – Germany’s go-to movie Nazi – plays Slugworth. Like many of the film’s German day players, his voice was dubbed in post-production.
• Jack Albertson lends a nice fairy-tale quality to Grandpa Joe, and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket” lets him show off some of his old vaudeville moves.

• Right out the gate (literally) Gene Wilder captures Wonka’s combination of warmth and mystique. You cannot imagine any other actor in the part.

• “Pure Imagination” is another lovely song, aided by the film’s well-orchestrated reveal of The Chocolate Room.

• The Oompa Loompas are definitely memorable, and entertaining enough that you forget they are an evacuee race doing free labor for an eccentric millionaire.

• I just realized how little I’ve written about Charlie, the presumed main character. No knock against Peter Ostrum, but Charlie is such a cipher.
• I hope the child labor people were on set the day Augustus Gloop was nearly drowning in the chocolate river. No wonder that kid quit acting.

• That tunnel scene, man. You want to know why my generation is messed up? Because we all watched a chicken get decapitated for no reason in a kids movie!

• I never noticed how many of the effects in this film are practical. With the exception of one process shot, Violet’s transformation into a blueberry is done entirely in camera.

• Of all the kids, why does only Veruca get a solo? Even Charlie has to share his song with Grandpa Joe.

• It seems like it takes more effort to make a giant chocolate bar and then shrink it down through TV then to just, ya know, make a regular sized chocolate bar.

• Gene Wilder always played manic well, but Wonka’s outburst at the end takes the cake. Also, is this where “I said ‘good day’!” comes from?

• So the moral is surround yourself with horrible people and you’ll seem great by comparison? What a weird little movie.

Legacy

• For the record, Roald Dahl hated the film (which was drastically re-written without his approval) and denied Wolper the film rights to its sequel, “Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator”.
• “Wonka” didn’t become a classic until it was rediscovered in the ‘80s thanks to video rentals and frequent television airings.
• Everyone has spoofed this movie. There was even a point where every animated show did a “Wonka” episode: from “Family Guy” to “Futurama” to “Dexter’s Laboratory”.

• The original promotional Wonka bars never made it to the shelves, but an endeavor from Nestlé in the mid-90s was more successful, giving us Nerds, SweeTarts, Laffy Taffy, and at long last, the Everlasting Gobstopper.

• 2005’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is a more faithful adaptation of the book; well…up until Tim Burton starts manifesting his daddy issues. The typically private Gene Wilder was quite public about his dislike of the remake.

• The stage versions are their own re-telling of the book, but have relented to including the film’s songs for brand recognition.

• Of the five main children, only Julie Dawn Cole continued acting into her adulthood, but all five seem happy to reunite every few years to discuss their work on “Wonka”.

• And of course: