This week marks the 50th anniversary of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG with its Royal Premiere, UK and US releases happening in December 1968. The musical, based on Ian Fleming’s original story starred Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Adrian Hall, Heather Ripley, Lionel Jeffries and Robert Helpmann and was produced by Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli.
The anniversary of the film’s Royal Premiere on Sunday was celebrated across the country with sing-a-long screenings at Everyman cinemas. There is a new exhibition, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50 Years, at Beaulieu National Motor Museum (which includes an original Chitty car from the film, the Child Catchers’ carriage, costumes and concepts). The film has also been re-released on DVD and is available on Netflix in the UK.