“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” was released in 1968. It was adapted from Ian Fleming's book by Roald Dahl and directed by Ken Hughes.
The film starts with a collection of famous Edwardian motor races. This car wins them all, the driver crashes it in order to avoid killing a child. The wrecked car is then found in the junkyard of Mr.Coggins (Desmond Llewellyn, 'Q' of James Bond fame) where a couple of children, Jeremy and Jemima Potts, are in love with it. They convince their father, an inventor named Caractacus Potts (Dick Van Dyke) to buy and repair it.
Truly Scrumptious (Sally Anne Howes), an interfering (but young and beautiful) wealthy woman of the community, is concerned that the children are not going to school. She and Caractacus meet in a scene involving a large number of malfunctioning fireworks. Truly is the heiress to the Scrumptious Candy fortune and she helps Caractacus demonstrate one of his inventions, candy that whistles, to her father at his factory. This leads to a large production number where Edwardian factory workers become a dancing flute and piccolo band (Toot Sweet). This does not end well!!! Caractacus, moves on to Plan b, setting up an electric barbering machine at a local carnival. This enables him to buy and repair the car. The newly rebuilt car, which contains pieces of the fireplace, a rowboat and goodness knows what else, makes peculiar noises when running so the children decide to name it Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
The growing attraction between Truly and Caractacus takes the family to the beach for a picnic. While there, dad starts a long and involved story of how marvellous their car is. This leads to an extended dream sequence ……. Baron Bomburst of Vulgaria (Gert Frobe), has heard of this marvellous car and great inventor and wants to steal it ……. When they are trapped at the beach by the incoming tide, Chitty sprouts water wings. There is then an extended “Laurel and Hardy” sequence of kidnap attempts featuring a couple of spies (Alexander Dore, Bernard Spear). Eventually, the spies decide to kidnap Caractacus, but end up nabbing his even more eccentric father, grandpa Potts (Lionel Jeffries) instead Grandpa is flown away by Zeppelin (the enemy flying machine) but Chitty grows wings so Caractacus, Truly and the children can follow.
* The land of Vulgaria *
(Neufschwanstein castle of the thousand and one post cards and jigsaw puzzles) is ruled by an infantile Baron, his wife (Anna Quayle) who can't tolerate children and the Child Catcher (danseur Robert Helpmann), who enforces the no children laws. The children are tricked (a scary scene) and taken captive.
Will Caractacus and Truly rescue grandpa and the Children? Will Chitty help save the day? Will the Baron, Baroness and Child Catcher get their punishment?
This is one of my favourite musicals, I will never get bored of watching it. If you have never saw this musical then do yourself a favour and watch it. It’s corny but very enjoyable.
You can buy the video at www.choicesdirect.com for £5.09 or dvd £14.99 (free p+p)
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Music / Performing Arts, Comedy - Director: Trevor Nunn, Geoffrey Posner - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, Parental Guidance - Starring: Duncan Preston, Celia Imrie, Julie Walters, Victoria Wood, Jim Broadbent
Everything Caractacus Potts invents goes wrong - even his sweets are full of holes. So how ... more
can he have created a car that not only drives but floats and flies as well? Find out as the fantasmagorical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang takes your family on a magi...
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Nov 12th, 2003
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