“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”

“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” August 7

Camden, Maine-The next movie in the Camden Public Library’s Summer Movie Series is “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971; 100 min.; G), starring Gene Wilder. The movie begins at 8:00 pm outdoors in the library’s Amphitheatre. Bring blankets or chairs for comfortable seating. In case of rain the movie will be postponed. The movie is part of “A Renascence Summer,” generously supported by The First Bancorp.

The movie is based on the book by Roald Dahl. The world is astounded when Willy Wonka, for years a recluse in his factory, announces that five lucky people will be given a tour of the factory, shown all the secrets of his amazing candy, and one will win a lifetime supply of Wonka chocolate. Nobody wants the prize more than young Charlie, but as his family is so poor that buying even one bar of chocolate is a treat, buying enough bars to find one of the five golden tickets is unlikely in the extreme. But in movies, magic can happen. Charlie, along with four somewhat odious other children, get the chance of a lifetime and a tour of the factory. Along the way, mild disasters befall each of the odious children, but can Charlie beat the odds and grab the brass ring?

Each of the movies in the summer series has poetry as a theme. Stacey Harwood, in his online article on “Poetry in Movies,” refers to Gene Wilder’s “manic recital in Willy Wonka of quotations from Shakespeare (Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, and Romeo and Juliet), as well as from William Blake, John Keats, John Masefield, and Ogden Nash.”