Roald Dahl Retrospective Episode 3: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

In this episode of the Roald Dahl Retrospective, Patricia and Arun discuss about the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory based on the 1964 book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Peter Ostrum, Jack Albertson, Michael Bollner, Julie Dawn Cole, Denise Nickerson, Paris Themmen, and Gene Wilder. The movie is about a young boy named Charlie Bucket who hears the news about the famous candy maker Willy Wonka leaving 5 golden tickets in his chocolate bars for 5 lucky people to find it. If they win, they are awarded with a lifetime supply of chocolate. He's unsure of winning the prize since his family is very poor and cannot afford to purchase a lot of candy bars for him, but his Grandpa Joe is hopeful that he'll get one. He does alongside 4 other children named Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beaureguarde, and Mike Teevee. When meeting Willy Wonka and entering his chocolate factory, he awaits a crazy adventure filled with candy, pure imagination, and weird concoctions. Will Charlie win the grand prize? What awaits in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory?   When the movie premiered in theaters, it was a box office failure making only $4.5 million dollars with a $3 million dollar budget. It received mixed to positive reviews from critics. However, it wouldn't be until almost a decade later when it was released on home video and airing on TV that people would call it a beloved timeless classic. What do Patricia and Arun think of the movie? Listen and find out.