| “ | I want that car! | „ |
| ~ His most famous quote. |
| “ | Dolls? Dolls? I have hundreds of Dolls! | „ |
| ~ Baron Bomburst |
| “ | I've lost my crown! | „ |
| ~ Bomburst's final line during his defeat. |
Baron Bomburst is the main antagonist in the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
He is the cruel king of Vulgaria and a pirate who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the enchanted Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car.
He was portrayed by the late Gert Fröbe, who also played the titular villain Auric Goldfinger of the James Bond film Goldfinger. Whilst on stage he was portrayed by Brian Blessed, Victor Spinetti, Christopher Biggins and Oliver Simpson.
Personality[]
In spite of being so cruel and tyrannical, it is clear that he is also incredibly childish, as shown by his selfish love of toys, his whiny nature, and his determination to get everything he wants. Although, since he bans all children from his city, he is ultimately a hypocrite. Incidentally, the book Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was written by James Bond's creator Ian Fleming, and both films were produced by Albert R. Broccoli.
History[]
First appearing as a gentleman pirate when the Potts and Truly Scrumptious are picnicking on the beach, he reveals a cruel and greedy streak by attempting to steal Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and then he orders his men to load cannons and when the car floats, he wants it even more. But the car escapes much to his disappointment, and seeing that the car is able to float and move like a speedboat on the sea, he orders his spies to get the car. When the spies find "Mr. Potts' laboratory" (actually his father's toilet room), he takes the toilet by blimp and kidnaps Grandpa Potts, mistaking him for the inventor of Chitty, even throwing his own spies out of the blimp because it was sinking and needed to lose weight.
Later, when the Pottses and Truly follow Bomburst's zeppelin to his native Vulgaria, they discover how cruelly the Baron treats his subjects, as Baron sees Chitty is able to fly, making him want it even more, as his men fire at it. He puts Grandpa to work, forcing him to make a flying car in 24 hours, or else he will stuff him with sauerkraut and feed him to the dogs. Although it is stated that "the Baroness hates children" and that it is she who sends for the Child Catcher, it is obvious that the Baron himself hates children, as well, and his greed is evident all the more when it is revealed that all the toys made by Vulgaria's toymaker are for him.
The soldiers manage to capture Chitty after the family leaves it behind. Grandpa is taken out the dungeon and ordered to make Chitty fly. He accidentally makes the Baroness fly instead, so Baron shoots his wife, dropping her into the water but leaving her unharmed. He is disappointed, hoping he'll get her the next time.
He sings a song about "how his wife is his little Chu-chi face," while trying to kill her again in a trapdoor, surprised she survived and continuing the song.
He is excited to get two dolls from his slave, the toymaker. Although, that's when he is hooked and pulled high into the air. Baron Bomburst is last seen when a huge battle occurs in his castle by an ambush lead by Caractacus Potts, Bomburst's formerly loyal servant the toymaker, the formerly imprisoned village children, and Truly Scrumptious. After Baron is dropped from a height and breaks his back, he and his wife cowardly hid from the battle and see lots of children overrun his castle. Wondering where the children are coming from the Bomburst couple summons the Child Catcher but even the Child Catcher is ultimately defeated by the children and is left hanging from a net in the air. Realizing the Child Catcher is defeated, the Baroness suggests escaping down a slide. Baron Bomburst at first doesn't like the idea, due to not wanting to get his clothes dirty, but the couple go down anyway and get captured in the Child Catcher's cage wagon and the Bomburst couple are trapped. The Baron wails about a child snatching his crown from him and his tearful wife wraps him in her arms as she sobs uncontrollably. The Baron realises he is now ironically locked up with the very woman he has been trying to kill all this time and the couple break down crying. The villagers arrive to help fight off the cavalry. With the Baron and Baroness defeated the cavalry retreat in terror. Though Vulgaria then becomes a free country, it is completely unknown what happened to the Bomburst couple afterwards. However, as they did not execute any child, it is highly likely that they were not executed for their crimes and were either exiled or sent to the very dungeons where they used to imprison children.
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