Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)

Director:

Ken Hughes

Writers:

Roald Dahl (screenplay) &
Ken Hughes (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 December 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Comedy | Musical | Fantasy

Tagline:

The most fantasmagorical musical entertainment in the history of everything!

Plot:

An eccentric professor invents wacky machinery, but can't seem to make ends meet. When he invents a revolutionary car...

Plot Keywords:

Children | Car | Inventor | Baron | Candy

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Dick Van Dyke	...	Caractacus Potts
Sally Ann Howes	...	Truly Scrumptious
Lionel Jeffries	...	Grandpa Potts
Gert Fröbe	...	Baron Bomburst (as Gert Frobe)
Anna Quayle	...	Baroness Bomburst
Benny Hill	...	Toymaker
James Robertson Justice	...	Lord Scrumptious
Robert Helpmann	...	Child Catcher
Heather Ripley	...	Jemima Potts
Adrian Hall	...	Jeremy Potts
Barbara Windsor	...	Blonde at Fair
Davy Kaye	...	Admiral
Alexander Doré	...	Herman the 1st Spy (as Alexander Dore)
Bernard Spear	...	Sherman the 2nd Spy
Stanley Unwin	...	Chancellor

Also Known As:

Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK) (complete title)

Runtime:

144 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track

Certification:

Iceland:L | West Germany:o.Al. | Australia:G (alternate rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Norway:5 (video rating) | Norway:7 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:U | USA:G (Approved No. 21682)

Filming Locations:

Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Dramatic Features

Trivia:

Lionel Jeffries played Dick Van Dyke's father, despite the fact that Dick Van Dyke is actually seven months older than Jeffries.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is first hauled back to the Potts' farm, Grandpa Potts is reading a National Geographic with a color cover. National Geographics had text-only covers in 1910.

Quotes:

Caractacus Pott: Truly! I'm sorry about the children. I hope they didn't embarrass you.
Truly Scrumptious: In what way?
Caractacus Pott: Why, that silly joke about us getting married. Well, you know how kids are.
Truly Scrumptious: Yes, I understand.
Caractacus Pott: Wel, I don't think they realize how ridiculous that would be.
Truly Scrumptious: Ridiculous?
Caractacus Pott: Well, yes. Well, the factory, and your father and all. It's a different world, Truly.
Truly Scrumptious: You know, if I said something like that, you'd call me a snob.
Caractacus Pott: What? I didn't mean sn...
Truly Scrumptious: Goodbye!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Just a Minute: (#1.5)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

The Roses of Success

Just not enough musicals like this anymore!

After 36 years this movie is still loved by young children who see it. My 8 and 3 year old girls just love this movie and it's songs. Dick Van Dyke has done an absolute wonderful job putting out great quality movies for Disney and others. Sally Ann Howe sounds great and personally I prefer her over Julie Andrews anyway.

Anyway, if you have not ever seen this film and even if you don't have kids, it's very entertaining! My favorite part is when Caracus Potts and Truly Scrumptious pretend to be toys for the Baron and do a nice song and dance. The tune is just great!

I remember as a kid the Child Catcher scared the crap out of me. Robert Helpmann played this part very well. Who needs Freddy Kruger and all that gore anyway!