(2005) Scene 1: Factory
Character: Grandpa Bucket – Jack Albertson (1971) and David Kelly (2005).
In the first scene of the film entitled, “Factory,” Grandpa Joe is talking with his grandson Charlie. Grandpa is telling Charlie how the local chocolate factory where he used to work closed down. Jack Albertson plays Grandpa Bucket in the original version of the film released in 1971, and in the 2005 version of the film; David Kelly plays Grandpa.
Albertson’s use of vocal variety, pitch changes, elongated words and slower speech made his character come across as a great animated storyteller who is young-at-heart. His tired, non- aggressive voice and weak, raspy tone made participants perceive his portrayal of Grandpa as an
older man who was trying to make his grandson feel secure. He created a safe place by using a comforting, caring, calm, and lower tone. Informants believed he painted a picture vocally by using a lot of inflection and emotion. He had a very dramatic voice and sincere tone,
incorporating pauses in the right places and putting emphasis on certain words to make his story come alive. However, it was the happy excitement and energy in his voice that made him sound young-at-heart. Although participants believed Grandpa loved his grandson and used his voice to engage Charlie in the story, they also felt that at times he sounded crazy and somewhat
depressed. A sad, low, quiet tone suggested depression and a low, unobtrusive tone void of any excitement made some participants read Grandpa as a little crazy.
David Kelly’s portrayal of Grandpa Bucket (2005) was not as grandfatherly as
Albertson’s character. Participants read Kelly’s slow speech and low tone as a child molester, and his raspy, scratchy, grating tone defined a creepy grandpa. A creaky, unenthusiastic, low energy voice with slow speech suggested he was old, while his sad, calm tone implied he was depressed. To one informant a central European accent signified he was Polish.
Scene 1: Factory
Character: Charlie Bucket – Peter Ostrum (1971) and Freddie Highmore (2005).
Charlie listens intently to his grandfather’s story about the closing of the chocolate factory. He’s a young boy, who clearly loves his Grandpa and hangs on Grandpa’s every word. Peter Ostrum plays Charlie in the early version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
(1971) and Freddie Highmore plays Charlie in the 2005 version of the film. Tone was of particular interest to participants in defining the character Charlie Bucket. Informants believed Ostrum’s easy, carefree tone, and light pitch made him sound child-like. His use of a softer, hushed, and reserved tone showed him to be shy and the inquisitive/questioning tone was
evidence of his ambitious and optimistic traits. A clear sound and excited energy caused the participants to deem him smart and attentive. On the other hand, Highmore, in the 20205 film, portrayed the young boy as a “kid with a cool attitude.” Highmore’s use of proper speech, good articulation, and strong pronunciation led participants to read Charlie as a child who didn’t sound deprived, although the family was extremely poor. The British accent, good pronunciation, quick pace, and specific inflected tone with a lot of vocal variety confirmed his cultural background.
Scene 2: Bad Nut
Character: Julie Dawn Cole – Veruca Salt (1971) and Julia Winter (2005).
Veruca Salt, played by Julie Dawn Cole, is called a “Bad Nut” in the original version of
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) because of her horrible attitude and blatant disrespect for her father, who owns a peanut company. In the 1971 remake, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Veruca is referred to as a “Bad Egg,” and played by Julia Winter.
Cole’s excited eagerness is evidenced by high pitched, fast-talking with an anxious, enthusiastic, and energetic tone. She uses rising inflection at the end of her sentences to create an obnoxious and annoying character. Participants defined her demanding characteristic as having a loud, repetitive, obnoxious, pushy, and nasally tone, “one that grates on your nerves.” Her fast aggressive tone shows her impatient nature. Cole uses loud fast speech coupled with a piercing high pitch and disrespectful tone to make Veruca sound angry, crazy, disrespectful, devious, and stuck up.
Winter’s Veruca in the 2005 film was equally a horrible child. She used a stern, calm, direct, and forward tone to make the character come across as passive aggressive and sound pushy and intimidating to her father. Loud fast yelling, and a higher tone provided evidence of a bratty, selfish, and unappreciative little girl.
Scene 2: Bad Nut
Character: Roy Kinnear – Mr. Salt (1971) and James Fox (2005).
Mr. Salt, Veruca’s father tries to please his daughter, but she makes it nearly impossible for him to do so. Roy Kinnear plays her dad in the early version of the film, and James Fox portrays Mr. Salt in the 2005 film. Kinnear and Fox played the character Mr. Salt differently. Veruca and her father created contrasting characters and strong binary opposites. Informants read Kinnear’s Salt as loud and disorganized with an “out-of-control” voice, which made him sound like he was extremely stressed out and going crazy. His daughter Veruca annoyed and frustrated him, which was evidenced by a higher pitch and a tone that didn’t ring true to participants. Mr. Salt tried everything to get his daughter to calm down – even changing the tone of his voice and the way he spoke with her. At times, he tried using reason and a calm tone with Veruca, which led participants to say he had “a fake voice” and was soft, whiny, flat, and weak. Yet at other times, she was so rude and disrespectful to her father, that he was forced to use a loud and aggressive tone with her.
James Fox played Mr. Salt very differently. Participants perceived him as confident and sexy. The confidence was read through changes in his speech rate, a rhythmic pace and tone with a lot of pauses. Salt’s sexiness came through a low, deep, strong tone with swagger. His voice had a lot of bass in it and was said to be manly. The “he-doesn’t-care” perception was
demonstrated through a voice that was not very loud, void of emotion, and lacked stress or tension. A slow, restricted and tight tone caused audiences to read the character as arrogant and stuck up. At times his voice seemed tenser and his ability to draw out and elongate some words led participants to deem him a man with an attitude. Finally, near the end of the scene his restricted voice and deep breath and heavy sigh signaled relief from his “Bad Nut” daughter.