Sweets

 

Before I begin, yesterday, was my, “Who won the Oscar song” and the one who won was “The Shadow of your Smile”. The nominated song was “What’s New, Pussycat” and the song that came up empty was, “Baby, the Rain Must Fall”…always interesting. 

The summer was always a fun time to walk to the local convenience store to buy Popeye Cigarettes, sweettarts, delicious chocolate…you name it. This made me think of  movies that showcased sweets in some way and I came up with these 3…

1. CHITTY, CHITTY, BANG, BANG-1968

This is a favourite of mine that stars Dick Van Dyke as a widower with 2 kids who is an inventor of just about anything. He loves Truly Scrumptious, yup that’s the name of a young lady, who has fallen for Penis Van Lesbian…er..Dick Van Dyke and they end up in a car, with his 2 kids that makes the sound like Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang. Before they know it, the car sports wings and flies, bringing them to an idyllic looking town where there are no children. You find out that, the nasty King and Queen hate kids so they are rounded up and enslaved beneath the castle by this ugly catcher ( played with great  Robert Helpmann who creates a great evil character) who entices kids with candies and treats. This is a fun and sweet film ( sorry) that has a favourite song of mine called “Toot Sweets” about a sweet invented by Dickie. We also have Benny Hill as a toy maker who helps the family out. It’s quite a good movie and fun all around.

2. WILLIE WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY-1971

This movie is far superior to the remake starring a very creepy Johnny Depp, about a kid who finds the 5th golden ticket to enter a factory of this mysterious Willie Wonka. It stars Gene Wilder as Willie Wonka who is looking for someone who is true and honest to take over his factory. Wilder plays this character as one who appears a bit off centre but honest and yet, Machiavellian. There are 4 other kids that also have a ticket but each are gross in their own way and meet different fates. Along for the ride are the very creepy Oompa Loompas who are very orange and help out Willie Wonka in all ways. Funny, it was thought that these freaky Loompas would become a huge hit but the opposite was true, so many stores were stuck with stuffed Oompa Loompas. The visuals are quite striking and so are the costumes which make this strange musical even more appealing in a strange, effed up way.

3. CHOCOLAT-2000

This is a romantic film with a dash of the sensual thrown in about a woman and her young daughter who, almost literally, blow into this quaint small, French town. The townsfolk are scared to let go and bring colour into their lives because of the mayor who forbids anything decadent. Enter this beautiful woman, played by Juliette Binoche, who creates a magical chocolate shop which is just too decadent for the mayor.  This is 1959, just before Lent and the mayor means war where Juliette just wants to spread love and peace via chocolate. She instinctively knows what each person needs in chocolate opening up temptations that this town needs. I love the characters from Lena Olin as the abused wife, Judi Dench as the old lady, Leslie Caron as a widow and Johnny Depp as a free spirited man, who travels with a group of Gypsies on a bunch of small boats who come into the lives of the townsfolk, Juliette and Johnny strike up a relationship culminating in mayhem. This is an enchanting film with great characters and with a slice of bewitchment. 

What types of candy did you love when you were a kid? Any movies that you can think of involving sweets?

These were my favourite suckers but I don’t know what their name is…