Have you been to the Petersen Automobile Museum in Los Angeles? Its a wonderful museum that features different cars of style and function.
No surprise, my favorite section is the Hollywood section. As I stood staring at the cars from "Batman" and "Dukes of Hazzard", I was wishing they had the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car.
My brother and I loved this movie. I still own the well worn VHS copy ( I have alot of well worm VHS videos). The story was sweet and fantastical. The songs were catchy. The message was hopeful. Something I find I need in times like these.
One of my all time favorite comedic actors, Dick Van Dyke, stars as Caractacus Potts. Potts is a very, very poor inventor who lives with his two children and grandfather. A chance encounter has Potts meeting with Truly Scrumtious (smirk). Truly is the wealthy daughter of candy maker. Truly sees the derelict condition of the family and tries to give Potts a chance to market a new form of whistling candy he made.
Unfortunately, a swarm of dogs answer the whistles and lays waste to the candy factory. Sorry Bub no luck.
Meanwhile, his children become obsessed with a broken down car that they are convinced is a magical car. Potts uses most of his money to get the car to keep the children happy. He uses his skill to transform it into a magical flying beauty that is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
The whole family and Truly climb abord Chitty and fly off into a land called Vulgaria. Vulgaria is ruled a greedy king that steals Chitty and the children away. Through funny guises and tricks, Potts and Truly attempts to take it all back.
This family is so immensely poor but there is such a strong optimistic wave that your not delving too much in it. Everyone can relate to this movie because of the rough economical time we're going through now. I hate it that I'm broke all the time but I just remember that it's just money and life isn't graded on a money scale.
For me, life is measured in how much happiness I can grow from all the tragedies that I've been through. I have the love of my brother and father. I have the steady love and strength from my ever patient boyfriend. I am blessed with a great group of friends. No matter how much hell we can go through, there will always laughter and magic.
If you made me choose between two cars, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or the Delorean, then I would hate you massively. I would want to covet BOTH cars! The only connection is that they both fly. I would want Chitty for its vintage feel and open interior. I would want the Delorean because it can travel through time.
There are so many wonderful musical numbers in this movie. They're not so sappy sweet that you would vomit nor are they lacking soul. It's catchy and sweet. Even now, I sometimes catch myself singing "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" as I'm stuck in LA traffic.
In the small hopes that my little car will wake up and start flying. Of course.
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