Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

[trekman101]

I loved this movie and still do...had the chitty toy car as well

[Adam West]

I've noticed that too. Except for Daniel Davis (Niles from the Nanny and Professor Moriarty STTNG) and John Hillerman ( Higgins from Magnum PI) and have yet to see many American actors pull of a natural sounding English accent.

I don't know if it is true or not but have heard that British actors, singers, etc. really have to work at it with a voice coach, etc. to "Americanize" their voices. I am guessing that an American actor could pull it off if they devoted the time to do it but probably don't.

[Mikey]

I think most TV and movie studios know the biggest markets out there is the US and world in general.

Having an actor do a convincing English accent probably isn't their biggest worry.

They know 90+% of the market wont even notice.

Just throw in a few "bloodys" and try and talk like Cary Grant.

On the other hand a Brit doing a bad American accent will get picked up very quickly by the masses.

[megoapesnut]

I've noticed that too. Except for Daniel Davis (Niles from the Nanny and Professor Moriarty STTNG) and John Hillerman ( Higgins from Magnum PI) and have yet to see many American actors pull of a natural sounding English accent.

He got me. I always thought Hillerman (Higgy Baby) was British!

[megoapesnut]

I loved CCBB growing up. We always looked forward to the yearly showing of it. I rented it when it first showed up on DVD and I had forgotten that the main part of the movie was not real, instead it was a Dad telling a story. That kinda ruined it for me and it definitely doesn't hold up as well as other childhood favorites Willy Wonka and The Wizard of OZ. Of course, I guess you could argue that WOZ was all a concussion induced dream, but that worked for me, where the story telling theme fell a bit short.

[Mikey]

He got me. I always thought Hillerman (Higgy Baby) was British!

I kind of figured he wasn't because I remember him as Howard Johnson on Blazing Saddles.

[jwyblejr]

Did they ever sell the car? I know on that show on SyFy they were trying to get the owner to sell it.

[johnmiic]

Lucy Lawless, (a New Zealander), once said the trick to doing an American accent is to enunciate your words better.

Also if you remember Lee Evans who played Tucker in There's Something About Mary? They said on FX that test audiences thought his British accent was fake but his American Surfer Dude accent was real. He was born in the UK.

[mego73]

Love this movie. As a kid, it was especially fun to mispronounce the name.

The recent blu-ray release is fantastic. This movie was shot in Super Panavision 70 which is a 70mm format and the new blu ray was mastered from.

I remember reading somewhere how at the time it came out, it was considered a disappointment but that's the path many classic movies take.

[AAAAA]

Did they ever sell the car? I know on that show on SyFy they were trying to get the owner to sell it.

There was six cars , including a engineless fiberglass one use as Boat Chitty.
The the rarest toy from the movie in the peddle car

[SeattleEd]

Double post. Ignore

[SeattleEd]

Did they ever sell the car? I know on that show on SyFy they were trying to get the owner to sell it.

If you have the Blu-ray and check the bonus features.

Here is the video snippet we provided for IMDB via MGM about the car.

Fantasmagorical Motorcar

Seems like he has no plans and still owns it.