Ten years have passed since the death of actor, filmmaker, and screenwriter Gene Wilder, which occurred on August 29, 2016. Many of us film lovers were fortunate enough to enjoy the movies in which he acted or directed. We can always revisit them and relive the pleasure we felt watching them at the time.
I remember that, as a young man in the late 1970s or early 1980s, I saw one of his major achievements, Young Frankenstein, at a film club in my city (Cumaná, Venezuela). I laughed a lot at that humorous parody conceived and directed by the genius Mel Brooks in 1974, in which Wilder participated as a co-writer. Of course, its original source is Mary Shelley's Gothic novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, from 1818, and later, the 1931 film adaptation directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff.
Mel Brooks's film recreates the monster's story through the grandson of the scientist Victor Frankenstein, who invented that grotesque creature. A neurosurgeon, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, brilliantly portrayed by Gene Wilder, inherits his grandfather's estate in Transylvania and discovers documents detailing his ancestor's experiments, deciding to resume them. This might sound like a very serious film, but it is anything but. Sarcasm, irony, and almost hilarious humor characterize this version, but underlying it are critical commentaries on science, love, and even the very meaning of humanity. The story is populated by strange, sometimes absurd or outlandish characters, portrayed by actors such as Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, and Madeline Kahn, among others. Wilder, obviously, shines in the role of the new scientist.
A second film I remember fondly, this time directed, co-written, and starring Gene Wilder, was released in 1984. I'm referring to The Woman in Red. I enjoyed it immensely. While humor is prominent, this film is more of a mischievous take on desire and love.
An advertising executive, Teddy Pierce (Gene Wilder), who had a normally happy life, becomes obsessed with a woman he "discovers" in a chance encounter on the street, where her figure is revealed in its exciting sensuality. This fleeting encounter will disrupt Teddy's love life and career. Personally, and perhaps many of you reading this will agree, I'll be able to revisit this famous Wilder film with the same enjoyment I felt the first time. The simple and funny story is captivating enough, but it's further enhanced by the alluring beauty of Kelly LeBrock's character, the woman who captivates Teddy with her alluring physical eroticism as revealed by the ventilation grate. That scene will be unforgettable, and I think not just for men.
Also noteworthy in this film is Stevie Wonder's iconic song, which won an award .
There are several Gene Wilder films, especially his acting roles, that come to mind when we think of him, such as Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) and Woody Allen's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972) (which I remember fondly and with a touch of mischief), among others that immediately spring to mind.
Let's hope we don't forget him!
References:
https://www.filmaffinity.com/us/filmimages.php?movie_id=367692
Translated with Google Translator and DeepL
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