I cannot remember how old I was when Chitty Chitty Bang Bang first came into my life, but I seem to remember seeing it on TV. At Thanksgiving time maybe? I don’t know why that sticks out for me. Seems like it was the holidays. I do remember having a huge and instant crush on Dick Van Dyke, though. I still do, to this day. He’s just adorable to me. Look at that face. Look at how agile he is. If you can find a man enchanting, if that’s okay to say, then I find Dick Van Dyke enchanting. Always have.
I just loved this song when I was a kid. The delirious dancing, the dangly scrap vests, the tinka tinka tinka of it all. I was mad for the tinka tinka tinka. And, oh, how I wanted a dangly scrap vest! Who cares about a Truly Scrumptious dress when you could have a dangly scrap vest!
Isn’t this just one of the happiest songs ever? Thank you Dick Van Dyke, for being …. yes, enchanting.
You can have me hat or me bumbershoo’, but you better never bother with me ol’ bamboo!
I love this:
“A flyer in an air-eo-plane”
Chorus: “HE STEERS IT WITH A STICK!”
“He does?”
I remember cracking up at that little moment when I was a kid. I mean, Caractacus is faking it during this number — he’s hiding from someone, as I recall, so he randomly joins a dance troupe — and I just went nuts for the crack of his voice, the turn of his head, the way his whole body slackens for the tiniest tick, the way he mimes a wheel but they say stick. (Caractacus may be faking it, but Dick Van Dyke here is a performer in complete control of evvverything. There is such intricacy here, such split-second timing. To be in control of appearing out of control takes true genius. I think people underestimate Dick Van Dyke.)
Anyhow, I loved that whole bit. A heartbeat’s deflation of a totally madcap, ramped-UP song. I noticed that as a kid and just howled. Weird child. I still rewind this just to watch that tiny sinking moment. I love it.
Love the whole happy tinka tinka thing.
I have the hugest soft spot for Dick Van Dyke. I don’t know if it’s because of Mary Poppins, or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, or even Robin Crusoe, USN, but I just love him. (His brother lives here in my town, btw. Weird.)
On his A&E biography, they interviewed his daughter. She was talking about her dad’s years in retirement, and had been wondering if he would fade from the public’s memory.
One day a few years ago, she was visiting her dad and they went walking together at a park. They sat down on a park bench and just started talking. Up walks this little girl, and she’s staring at Dick Van Dyke. Keep in mind, this was about 40 years after Mary Poppins had been made. Yet, this girl clearly recognizes him. She sits down on the bench, snuggles up next to him, and she began singing, “Let’s go fly a kite…”
Dick Van Dyke joined right in. They sung the whole song together.
TEARS.
Lisa, thank you for that story. I too love Dick Van Dyke, and have ever since his TV show. Your story warms my heart for reasons I can’t even quite define.
What a lovely story, Lisa. That strikes me as one of the highest honors a man could receive in his career, or his life.
Oh, Lisa! I’m bawling! What a great story. Thank you so much. That’s a man who understands and embraces his history, his legacy. I love him even MORE now.
Dick Van Dyke always made whatever he did look effortless. I love-love-love him and I always have. I adored him in Mary Poppins, and CCBB is one of those on my top ten list of pure awesomeness as well. Thank you for posting this, Trace. I came home so very, very tired today and I needed this smile.
I adored Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a child; it’s the very first movie I remember seeing in the theater (now I’m totally dating myself). Great times, great times. Thank you for reminding me of it, and of the brilliance of Dick Van Dyke.
Oh, this has made me so happy. And nostalgic. I have adored Dick Van Dyke for as long as I can remember. Grew up with the Mary Poppins soundtrack and saw Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on tv as a child as well. And I loved the Dick Van Dyke show. His roles as Burt and Caractacus are braided into my own family, some of whom were born in London’s East End. I wanted to be a Cockney child. I liked to drop me “haitches” and say “fing” instead of “thing” when I was little.
I loved Me Ol’ Bamboo because it reminded me of Step in Time so much. All that up and down and elbows jutting out…the energy…and Dick Van Dyke…he was like a tall, skinny, frenetic puppet. I was entranced. I probably wanted to BE Dick Van Dyke – in those two movies – at some point back then. He was incredible to watch.
And Lisa – your story made me cry. Thank you for sharing it. Crying and smiling at the same time.
Tracey, you’ve done it again with your great clip-finding. Like the other commenters here, I love me some Dick Van Dyke– MP especially.
And, like the other commenters here, I found Lisa’s story to be too sweet not to bring tears.
Thanks, everyone, for a bright spot in my Sunday morning.
Hi roo! How are you, sweet girl??
Oh! I love this. Also, I’ve always thought I was the only one who had a crush on Dick Van Dyke. And I was just in love with him when I was little. When I was at that age where little girls want to marry their daddy because he’s the best man ever? I worshipped my father, but I wanted to marry Dick Van Dyke when I grew up. Between Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, he was clearly the most wonderful man. I really first fell in love with him as Bert. I would sing “Chim Chim Cheree” to myself endlessly. I was INTENSELY jealous of Mary Poppins when I was little (this also started a lifelong love-hate thing about poor Julie Andrews who I adore, but who always played the character I wanted to trade places with).
Anyway, Enchanting is the PERFECT word for him.
I remember even watching The Dick Van Dyke show whenever I got a chance, even though it wasn’t a kid’s show. Just to watch him.
I LOVE Lisa’s story! I must find that A&E Biography episode.
Hmmm- Dick Van Dyke and Christopher Plummer, who starred with Julie Andrews in her two blockbuster films, were both born on the same day. Coincidence? Or…?
(I only know this b/c they, along with Steve Buscemi, Wendy Malick and Jamie Foxx, are my Birthday Buddies.)
Loved the Dick Van Dyke Show! It was a must-see. I got the imprpession that he must have been a generous performer, b/c of the strong emsemble quality of that show. And he was a genius at physical comedy.
Marisa — Funny you say that, because I totally wanted to marry him too. I liked “Chitty” better than MP because the character of MP creeped me out a little bit. I felt like I was supposed to like her, and I didn’t. Everything perked up, though, whenever Bert came around and I liked the MP character better whenever Bert was around.
Sal — Good thoughts. His generosity in allowing other people to shine when he could so clearly steal any scene. And, yes, physically he’s a genius.
Loved the Dick Van Dyke Show too….
I cannot believe there is a post about one of my favorite movies and sequences of all time. CCBB was a big hit back then, and it has certainly withstood the test of time. I can’t imagine too many artists today being able to pull off what Dick Van Dyke and company did back then. And yes, this number is intricate, fast, and dazzling. But the entire movie is full of good moments, great songs, nice visual effects, and just a fantastic story for young and old. And given our current economic conditions, have a listen to “Roses of Success” and it it guaranteed to make you feel a little better about yourself. Phenomenal and timely lyrics for sure.
Thank you for writing about this, and for bringing up one of our all-time greatest stars, Mr. Dick Van Dyke!