Doll on a Music Box facts for kids
Doll on a Music Box is a fun song from the 1968 musical movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It was also part of the stage musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2002 and 2005. This song is very different from another song called "Truly Scrumptious".
In "Doll on a Music Box," the character Truly pretends to be a wind-up doll on a music box. She acts very stiff and doll-like. She sings about how rigid she is, hiding behind her doll costume. In the movie, Sally Ann Howes played Truly. For the stage musical, Emma Williams played the part. Later, Erin Dilly played Truly on Broadway in 2005. She was even nominated for a Tony Award for her role!
A Story in Song
This song is part of a story that Caractacus tells to Truly and his children. In the story, Caractacus plays a floppy rag doll. Truly plays a stiff music box doll. The rag doll tries to get close to the music box doll. But each time, the music box doll slaps him away.
This part of the story shows how Caractacus and Truly first met. Their first two meetings in the movie were also a bit awkward. The rag doll keeps trying to approach the doll. Then, he sees his reflection and realizes he looks silly. Truly briefly stops acting like a doll. She gently pushes him into the mirror to get his attention. The rag doll then acts properly. He tries to kiss the doll's hand, but she pulls it away just in time. The stiff doll wins this round. Caractacus and Truly only truly understand each other at the very end of the movie.
Who Wrote the Song?
The talented Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman wrote "Doll on a Music Box." They wrote many famous songs for movies and musicals.
Fun Facts
- In 1992, the movie Arizona Dream featured a scene like "Doll on a Music Box." This movie starred Johnny Depp and Jerry Lewis.
- The music video for the Barenaked Ladies song "One Week" also had a short reference to "Doll on a Music Box" in 1998.
Truly's Outfit
Truly Scrumptious wears a special outfit in this scene. It is a dirndl, which is a traditional German dress. Her outfit has a dark green satin top called a bodice. It has black velvet trim and red crisscross ribbons. There are also gold buttons on the front.
She wears a white blouse with puffy sleeves made of soft white silk satin. Three yellow ribbons are sewn onto the sleeves. The collar of her blouse has pretty lace trim. Her red skirt is full and printed with gold diamonds. It is a tea-length petticoat, which means it goes down to her ankles.
Truly also wears a white cotton apron. It has a German-inspired flower design. She completes her look with white tights and black pumps. These shoes have a silver buckle near the toe. Her hair is styled in a Tyrolean way, with both pigtails and braids.
