Candyman: The David Klein Story

Costa Botes, 2010


3/5

This documentary captures the genesis, growth, and corporate buyout of Jelly Belly Beans according to the creator himself, David Klein. Klein is a real-life Willy Wonka, who has all of the idiosyncrasies of a genius who lacks self-defending business tactics. His story is tragic. He was the brains behind the creation of the very popular confection, only to get bought out by the very people that closely watched him build his company from the ground up. His eccentric behavior is inviting, and you get behind him early on in the film. He fought tooth and nail to give the Jelly Bellies legs, legs that eventually made their way to the White House when Ronald Reagan needed to kick his cigar habit.

Every documentary needs its bad guy, and these are the typical white collar corporate bad guys. These people are not the innovators, they are not the creators. They sit there strategizing, seeking out that one vulnerability that will make it easy to put the company in their hands. Your first thought when you are introduced to David Klein is "why is he living in this tiny house? Shouldn't the creator of Jelly Belly be in a mansion? Shouldn't he be wearing better clothes?". The answer is yes. But perhaps that's irrelevant. If David Klein WASN'T bullied into selling his trademark, and he had the money... he probably wouldn't be living in the big house. He probably wouldn't be wearing the fancy clothes, or driving the fancy car. He would just be Dave. And that's what makes him better than the "other guys". We need more people like David Klein in the world, but I won't go as far to say we need more attorneys. He just needed one in the room with him that day.