But following years of being a recluse, the world is suddenly notified that Wonka (Gene Wilder) hid five golden tickets in his candies, the finders of which will be given a tour of his factory.

Charlie--along with the gluttonous Augustus Gloop (Michael Bollner), the spoiled Veruca Salt (Julie Dawn Cole), the obsessive gum-chewing Violet Beauregarde (Denise Nickerson), and TV-loving Mike Teevee (Paris Themmen)--finds a ticket and is granted entry.

After a memorable scene where the kids experience the "chocolate room," where everything from the trees to the flowers are edible, they start falling victim to their flaws one-by-one, eliminating themselves from the tour. Following each child's eviction from the factory, Oompa Loompas sing about the lessons learned, making for an entertaining if not educational viewing experience.

The film currently has an 89% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics like Roger Ebert hailing it as a "first-rate production" of "genuine imagination."

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory maintains a "G" rating by the MPAA, even though some scenes, like the psychedelic ferry boat ride, may be too extreme for children.