‘Remembering Gene Wilder’ Review – A Life Of Serendipity, Laughs And Imagination

Whether as Willy Wonka or Dr. Frankenstein, Gene Wilder is a comedic genius in the collective zeitgeist. Behind the humor exists a man of tremendous talent. Wilder was a modern-day Renaissance man who found his passion through bringing happiness to others. His impeccable sense of timing, as he called it, and his ability to react made him a popular and enduring figure across the stage, on TV, and on the big screen. He played it straight in the most absurdist circumstances but could be tender, warm, and emote genuine emotion. In Remembering Gene Wilder, audiences are treated to more than just a reel of his best works, but an in-depth look at the man himself. Vivacious and sincere, this film is a treat for fans of his work. It captures a larger-than-life personality in the humblest of souls.

Born Jerry Silberman, who, in his words, said, “I don’t think Jerry Silberman had the right ring to it – I wanted to be Wilder.” Wilder could be interpreted as being more than just a surname, but a manner of expression or a part of his personality. Gene Wilder exuded power and passion while on screen. Remembering Gene Wilder explores the actor’s life and career through anecdotes and stories from those who knew him best. Mel Brooks is a central and enduring part of Wilder’s career. Still, there are also mentions from Alan Alda, Rain Pryor, daughter of Richard Pryor, and sentimental moments and memories from his wife, Karen Boyer. 

In addition to the testimony of friends and loved ones, Wilder’s voice is a part of the narrative. Excerpts from interviews, as well as his memoir, give a vivid portrait of a man. Hearing Wilder’s voice at various points in his career, upbringing, and even his marriages provides an intimacy rarely seen for someone as famous as Wilder. The film also reveals bloopers and behind-the-scenes takes of Wilder on the sets of his many films. All these together capture a picture of a man who could be everlastingly silly, charming, and kind. 

A belief in serendipity is a common occurrence throughout Wilder’s career. He credits his father’s crucial two-sentence warning to him as fundamental in shaping his career. In his early years, his mother fell ill and suffered from a heart condition. His father instructed Wilder, Don’t ever argue with your mother you might kill her. These are powerful words to hear from a parent and an incredible burden for anyone to carry, especially for a child. However, the second sentence left the most significant imprint on young Wilder. Try to make her laugh, his father told him. From then on, Wilder went to great lengths to bring a smile to his mother’s face and, as a result, started a career in acting. 

The film augments multiple points of fate playing a role in Wilder’s life. His work onstage with actress Anne Bankcroft spurred a connection and lasting friendship with Mel Brooks. A by-chance meeting in a clothing store formed a relationship with Mike Medavoy, who would become his agent. This event soon led to Wilder writing Young Frankenstein. Finally, while researching for the film See No Evil, Hear No Evil he met Karen Boyer, who made him believe in love again after the death of his previous wife, another comic legend, Gilda Radner. 

Wilder, who is forever linked with his iconic role of Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, is shown in the film to have been more than simply a whimsical chocolatier. He was, in every sense, a Renaissance man. Wilder began a career on the stage and then went into film and TV. But he did more than act; he wrote, directed, and collaborated with other comics. Later, he took up tap dancing and learned to paint, mainly in watercolors. He penned multiple books, including a memoir and novels. The film shows a man with an unquenchable zest for life who truly lived, laughed, and loved. 

He was a genuine soul who saw himself not as a good actor but a good reactor. It is an odd statement, coming from an Academy-Award-nominated actor and someone considered to be a comic genius. It may seem oxymoronic, but much of acting is reacting. Wilder, through heart and charm, found his stride in playing off the response of others. In the final scenes of Willy Wonka, Wilder kept his explosive delivery a secret from his co-star Peter Ostrum to capture genuine surprise and emotion at the moment of reveal. It worked, and the scene is iconic, thanks to Wilder’s brilliant sense of timing and reaction. 

As the film captures Wilder’s remarkable career in more than simple highlights, it also focuses on his life off-camera. There is a front and center on his marriage to Gilda Radner. There is also a focus on his older years. Nearing the end of his life, Wilder could not remember being in Young Frankenstein – a film he considered the happiest he had ever been on set. His battle with Alzheimer’s pulls on the heartstrings, but the film does its part to showcase a man who endured. He fought proud and lived happily until the end of his days. 

Remembering Gene Wilder strives to be different from many retrospectives. It is much less an examination of his whole life than an inside look at moments in time. It is a beautiful portrait of a man with an infectious smile and clever zest. He was a man who laughed and loved to laugh— a man of pure imagination.

Remembering Gene Wilder will debut in theaters in New York on March 15, 2024, courtesy of Kino Lorber. The film will expand nationally in the following weeks. 

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