Wilder was one of my favorites, all the way back to early childhood (elementary school) when us students were made to watch one of the silver screen's all-time classics - Willy Wonka an the Chocolate Factory. Wilder played the title character, and he did so flawlessly. You can compare his performance with that of the Johnny Depp's version and see who made it work best.
Wilder was a comic actor, technically, and his humor and sense thereof shone through with each on-screen performance (I even caught him some years back on a television sitcom that made good use of his timing, even into his advanced age). That said, I always have and always will associate Wilder with Willy Wonka. Here's another inside tip: I placed high value on Gene Wilder's Wonka so much so that I actually aspire to be that type of otherwordly, live-life-on-your-own-terms character on some level in my business dealings (just not as eccentric).
Roald Dahl is/was a great storyteller; Wonka, Peach, BFG .. are some of the greatest stories ever told. I saw The BFG this Summer (well done, Spielberg), and it's very hard to not be smitten with the storytelling alone. Gene Wilder was one of the greatest character actors I've ever seen. His works alongside Richard Pryor are fan-favorites, but his Oscar Wilde-meets Henry Ford-meets Walt Disney portrayal as Willy Wonka is simply magic. "If you want to see Paradise, simply tag along and you will.."😌
Thank you, Gene.
