So, you think you know the story because of the film? Well,
guess again! The famous 1968 film is
only "loosely" based on the
children’s story by Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond.
In the book, the car is a Paragon Panther, a powerful 1920s
touring car that is restored by Commander Caractacus Pott. At first the car is
just that – a powerful 4-seat tourer Pott uses to transport himself and his
wife and children around. But then the car starts to exhibit a “personality”
and abilities beyond those of any normal motor vehicle, in keeping with its
enigmatic license plate: "GEN II".
Some of these will be familiar to
those who have seen the film, but where the latter options to introduce jealous
barons and a wicked Child Catcher, the book offers a more down-to-Earth but
equally engaging series of adventures of Commander Pott and his family.
Fleming’s last novel, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was
published posthumously, and initially in three volumes, two months after his
death in August 1964. Caledonia Skytower presents live, on stream.
