WHY "CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG" IS STILL COOL
The 1968 Sherman Brothers musical extravaganza Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is actually more beloved internationally now than it has ever been. CCBB is essentially a British film based on a British book. The US did not embrace it in the theatrical release but television and video have given it a constant resurgence over the years, the same way as 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Disney's Alice in Wonderland--both box office disappointments in their day but hugely loved today.
CCBB is really two movies in one, The first half is a straightforward family story about getting the car, the second half is a satire. Not everyone embraces satire, some find it silly or over the top. However, CCBB is one of the most skillful and razor-sharp satires ever filmed because it blends the comic with the tragic and makes strong statements about humanity through the story and the songs. The ending combines both movies. This kind of storytelling is indicative of many English traditions: Lewis Carroll, Monty Python, The Goons, even The Office. Roald Dahl's imprint is very evident in the searing way the story is told and uncompromising approach. He took no prisoners in his writing.
As to its pacing. It was made during a period when long, epic musicals and dramas were being produced that were very episodic. It was a tentpole system very much like today, except the Spielberg/Lucas format of regular action sequences had not been devised. Movies built gradually back then. Watch the original Love Bug and the film takes a while to get to the wacky comedy. Some might argue that it gives time to build mood and character but those raised with films moving a faster pace can find older films sometimes a bit plodding.
The fact that Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is almost always mentioned when citing important works in either the careers of Dick Van Dyke or the Sherman Brothers shows how much importance is now held. That would not have been the case in the past. It is a classic, it is not perfect, but true art is perfect in its imperfections.
