Review of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) by Kenneth E — 21 Sep 2013

I never understood why this film is blessed with so many layers of love. Granted, many parts are fun, most notably the car's transformations into other vehicles, (pre-dating Transformers by 40 years).

Granted, this is true "wholesome" entertainment, but the film is so rounded and standard, it offers very little that has not been demonstrate before by other films of the decade, (particularly several films from the Walt Disney studios.

) Dick Van Dyke is expectedly colorful and flexible; many songs are worth repeating; Robert Helpmann plays a brief, but surprisingly memorable, role as the Child Catcher. However, as a whole, the film leaves much to be desired.

Nearly 2 and a half hours long, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang does not have enough fun to fill its enormous duration; it contains an intermission for the sake of keeping abreast with sophisticated 60s classics like My Fair Lady; its tone is downright confusing.

This mismatch of tonal ideas put me off because Act One seemed like the film was going to be United Artists' answer to Mary Poppins, (complete with picturesque turn-of-the-century settings, fancy ladies' hats, two British kids, and, most importantly, the presence of Dick Van Dyke.

) However, the remainder of the movie spirals into slapstick and antics, suddenly becoming a live action interpretation of The Perils of Penelope Pitstop. True, the silliness is all a fictitious story cooked up by Dick Van Dyke's character, but the sudden clash could have been handled better.

Most depressingly is the lack of attention and care given to the title character: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Even when I first watched this film as a kid, I felt like the car did not seem as special and personal as it could have been.

The car receives unbelievably little screen time, and there was never a solid reason as to why characters should cheer and sing for it. Herbie the Love Bug this ain't.