Original artwork, not a still
But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted. He lived happily ever after.
— Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory · 1971
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is a joke, and a good one: Wonka sets up a sober warning and then tells a fairy-tale ending. The film's last grin lets the sweetness stand and still leaves a note of mischief. Fans quote it as a wry way to say that getting what you want is the start of the story, not the end, and it is the line the film leaves ringing.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryShow the scene
The last scene of the film. Wonka, Charlie and Grandpa Joe have burst out of the factory in the glass elevator and float above the town, which looks small and pretty below. Wonka asks how Charlie liked the factory, and Charlie calls it the most wonderful place in the world. Wonka says he is giving it to him, with his whole family. Then comes the film's final exchange: a smile and a small warning about the man who got everything he wanted.
Sources (3)
- Wikiquote: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryEnd of the film, marked as the last linesReference checked
- Springfield! Springfield! film transcriptElevator scene near the endReference checked
- Wikipedia: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryPlot summary, endingReference checked
Context reviewed
