CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (Theatrical Release USA 1968)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.7|5.0 Starsììì

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang wants, so badly, to be an A-grade film. The music, costuming, background and foreground scenery, dialogue, great conclusion, and interaction between all characters is there. It is a classic that stands on its tippy toes for its award and somehow just misses it. The story is great until the introduction of the pirates’ scenes. This bit of nonsense completely derails the story. It would have been better if the car takes the family on an outing that includes the king who loves toys along with a series of other small adventures that ‘educate’ the children about a larger world of which they are not aware while bringing the main actors into a closer relationship.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Two children request their father to save a dilapidated car from the crushing facility. He endeavors to raise the money to keep his promise to them.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Ken Hughes for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Albert R. Broccoli for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Caractacus Potts (Dick Van Dyke), Truly Scrumptious (Sally Ann Howes), Grandpa Potts (Lionel Jeffries), Baron Bomburst (Gert Fröbe), Baroness Bomburst (Anna Qualye), Toymaker (Benny Hill), Lord Scrumptious (James Robertson Justice), Child Catcher (Robert Helpmann), Jemima (Heather Ripley), Jeremy (Adrian Hall), and Blonde (Barbara Windsor).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It’s always a treat to see a Dick Van Dyke performance. This is a clean, decent children’s film with good, imaginative special effects.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers