The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (film) facts for kids

Roald Dahl's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, or simply The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, is a 2023 American fantasy short film written, co-produced, and directed by Wes Anderson, based on the 1977 short story "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar" by Roald Dahl. It is the second film adaptation of a Dahl work directed by Anderson, following Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009). It stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular character alongside Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, and Richard Ayoade. The story sees a rich man learning about a clairvoyant guru who could see without using his eyes through the power of a particular form of Yoga, then setting out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling.

The film is the first of a four-part series of shorts adapted from Dahl's short stories, including "The Swan", "The Rat Catcher" and "Poison". Development on the project began in January 2022, with most of the cast signed on. Principal photography took place in London that month. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar was originally reported to be a feature film until Anderson clarified in June 2023 that it would be one of a collection of short films.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2023, and received a limited theatrical release on September 20, 2023, followed by being released on Netflix on September 27, 2023. The other three Anderson shorts based on Dahl stories premiered on Netflix on succeeding days: The Swan on September 28, The Rat Catcher on September 29, and Poison on September 30.

The film won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film at the 96th Academy Awards, Anderson’s first Oscar.

Plot

Henry Sugar is the pseudonym of a bachelor who uses his inherited fortune to fund his gambling habits. One day, he comes across a book of a doctor's report of Imdad Khan, a man who claimed he could see and interact without using his eyes. After watching Imdad perform even greater feats in his own circus act, the doctor interviewed Imdad, and he tells him his life history. As a young runaway in a traveling circus, he sought out a guru known as The Great Yogi, who could meditate while levitating his own body. Reluctantly, the Great Yogi taught Imdad his meditation method, which gained Imdad his abilities, though he died overnight before the doctors could further study him.

By practising Imdad's meditations of staring into a candle flame at eye level while picturing the face of the person he loves most in the world, Henry manages to see through the backs of playing cards to read the face value after three years of practice, something that Imdad had been told that only one in a billion would be able to do in a short amount of time. Henry uses his ability at a casino and makes £30,000 at blackjack. Unsatisfied with his ease in earning money, he throws the money off his balcony into the streets of London. After he nearly causes a riot, a police officer suggests that he find a more effective form of charity. Henry decides to travel worldwide, winning money from casinos with his ability under varying disguises and establishing a network of successful hospitals and orphanages. Two decades later, Henry dies from a pulmonary embolism which he knew would cause his death, being able to see the clot through his skin. His accountant commissions Roald Dahl to write his story under the pseudonym Henry Sugar.

Cast

• Benedict Cumberbatch as Henry Sugar / Max Engelman
• Ralph Fiennes as Roald Dahl / The Policeman
• Dev Patel as Dr. Chatterjee / John Winston
• Ben Kingsley as Imdad Khan / The Dealer
• Richard Ayoade as Dr. Marshall / The Great Yogi
• David Gant as Casino Croupier
• Jarvis Cocker cameos as a casino receptionist and several friends of Henry Sugar.

Production

In September 2021, Netflix acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company for $686 million. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar project was confirmed on January 7, 2022, the day after it was reported that Wes Anderson was set to write and direct the film adaptation, with Netflix distributing. It was announced that Benedict Cumberbatch would star as Sugar, with Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel and Ben Kingsley in supporting roles. Rupert Friend and Richard Ayoade later joined the cast.

Principal photography began in London in January 2022.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar was originally reported to be a feature film, but Anderson clarified in June 2023 that it would be one of a collection of short films.

Release

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar premiered out-of-competition at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2023. It had a limited theatrical release on September 20, only in New York and California. It was initially set for a streaming release on October 13, 2023, but was released on Netflix on September 27.

See also

In Spanish: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar para niños