Chitty Chitty Bang Bang / Fleming, Ian

This remastered, pan-and-scan 30th-anniversary edition of that kiddie-car caper is flawed but solid family fare. It retains a quaint charm while some of the songs--including the title tune--are quite hummable. A huge plus is Dick Van Dyke, who is extremely appealing as an eccentric inventor around the turn of the century. With nimble fingers and a unique way of looking at the world, he invents for his children a magic car that floats and flies. The special effects are tame by today's standards, but its enthusiasm charms.

Two children persuade their father, an inventor, to purchase and restore an old car which turns out to have magical powers.