Cactus Classic Cinema: “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory” (1971) Rated G

Cactus Classic Cinema: “Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory” (1971)

Rated G

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Doors: 2:00 pm • Screening: 2:20 pm Matinee

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is a 1971 American musical fantasy film directed by Mel Stuart from a screenplay by Roald Dahl, based on his 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It stars Gene Wilder as chocolatier Willy Wonka. The film tells the story of a poor child named Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) who, upon finding a Golden Ticket in a chocolate bar, wins the chance to visit Willy Wonka's chocolate factory along with four other children from around the world. Filming took place in Munich from August to November 1970. Dahl was credited with writing the film's screenplay; however, David Seltzer was brought in to do an uncredited re-write. Against Dahl's wishes, changes were made to the story, and other decisions made by the director led Dahl to disown the film. The musical numbers were written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley while Walter Scharf arranged and conducted the orchestral score.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory was released in the United States on June 30, 1971, by Paramount Pictures. With a budget of $3 million, the film received generally positive reviews from critics but was not a major financial success, only earning $4 million by the end of its original run. It received a nomination for Best Original Score at the 44th Academy Awards and Wilder was nominated for Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical at the 29th Golden Globe Awards. The film also introduced the song "The Candy Man", which went on to be recorded by Sammy Davis Jr. and become a popular hit. In 2014, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

General admission All floor seats are $7 base price

Running time: 100 minutes

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