6. Getting In The Childcatcher’s Cage – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Alright, so the whole idea of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a little warped. Even so, that doesn’t excuse the fact that it includes one of the most glaringly stupid decisions ever made in a movie. The Childcatcher is one of those movie villains that has been haunting people’s nightmares for generations, and the moment that he snatches Jeremy and Jemima Potts is one of the most terrifying moments in any family film.
Now, of course the children aren’t to blame (because they’re children), but the idea that this bug-eyed, long-nosed weirdo could just appear in a small cart and offer free treats is pretty suspicious, even by the standards of the day (even if the Childcatcher looked like a normal guy). Seeing the children apparently place their trust in this hideous, clearly predatory man is a pretty tough sell, because he’s quite clearly up to no good. Combine this with the fact that the children already have a pretty good inclination that something is very wrong with the town they’re in, and it’s clear that going with the Childcatcher is a singularly dumb decision.
It’s probably worth mentioning that Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is the product of a different time, and society was very different. Regardless, a stranger who looks like the most obvious malcontent ever to lick his lips and sniff the air offering free treats? Trusting him was never, ever going to be a good decision.