I do love it, but.....

I personally adore Hush-a-bye. I think that establishing it as the song that Potts sings to his kids to help them feel better, safe, and secure makes it that much more meaningful when he is trying to lift the spirits of the trapped children. It always touched me that there comes a part in the song where Truly gives him the little push to continue when he seems almost too over come by emotions to go on.

Lovely, Lonely Man comes at a time when I feel it needed a bit of a break from the action. You just went on the boat chase and the dispatching of the spies. You need a down moment where your senses aren't having to be on alert the whole movie. I do agree that some of the Spy footage could be greatly paired down a little, however as the movie stands there is very little that I would do away with. Even songs that most seem to dislike, like Posh, and Roses of Success, I think give something to the over all feel of the movie weather it moves the central story along or just gives us a little break, or change of scenery.

Anyhow, I hope what I have said makes sense but I am going to stop wasting others time. :) Happy movie watching.

Even as an elementary aged child seeing the film on CBS Friday Night at the Movies in the early 70s I thought the film had pacing problems.

I disagree with cutting Grandpa's two songs. Loved "The Travelling Life" and "Grow the Roses" as two of the best melodies in the show.

In my view, get rid of the entire "toot sweet" song and sub plot. I have never liked the whole candy factory scene. Cut it.

Also, "kissy face" needs to go as well.

I'm 40 years old now, and I am watching this now, just got to the point you mentioned, an hour-forty in! For some reason this started on Cinemax at 1 AM and I am TRYING to get through it to see Benny Hill and the scary parts I remember, but I absolutely cannot believe I sat though this as a child in the 1970s! Even if we did only have ten stations on tv!

The only thing that did bother me were the children's voices. I can see why the Baroness would want to lock them up. Still, I didn't have a problem with the film being too long. The idea was to introduce the main characters and then get to the story of Vulgaria. I had no problem with the spy footage-it was like watching modern day Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello. Roses of Success is good too because it shows that there really isn't such a thing as failure.

Just read through this 4 year long thread after watching CCBB on netflix (first time I've ever seen the full version).

I'd never realized how long the actual film was! I still loved, loved, loved it however.

I did find things stalled when Truly sings Lovely Lonely Man, but it may be because I've never seen that scene before. Looking back, I don't think it added anything to establishng a budding romance.....the beach scenes did that just fine.

I also agree that Grandpa's Posh and Roses song didn't add to the story, but (as another poster commented) they ARE fun to belt out in the shower! Plus they are fun interludes while Chitty is making the journey to Vulgaria.

I did find it interesting that, while everyone had varying opinions on which songs/scenes could go, almost ALL the posters agree that the spy scenes were tedious.....I never saw the point of them when I was kid either.

Finally, it was wonderful to read a commentary/opinion thread on IMDB that spans such a time line with no crude/rude/arrogant posts....just movie lovers sharing their views of a much loved classic.

Ditto here. Anytime you have a kids' movie--a _young_ kids' movie--that runs over two hours, you'd better have some hellaciously good pacing. This one doesn't. My kids inflict it on me from time to time, but even they tend to get bored of it after 45 minutes or so. It usually takes at least two, and usually three, sittings to get through it.

The opening credits alone take over SIX-AND-A-HALF MINUTES!!!

Actually, no. I think it's best to leave the movie alone and uncut.