X-Factor 2012

[Tusk]

Now that I think about it, the main connection among these movies, at least I thought this when I was younger...they all involved kids that had it worse than you (a kid) and you should be grateful...or perhaps that's me applying "Catholic School teachings/discipline" principles to the movies back then

Oliver Twist, an orphan forced to steal and live in squalor
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, had motherless kids and I believe, had the scary Child Catcher, who went around hunting and capturing kids.



Love this part of the movie though..
(Dick Van Dyke and friend/love interest, pose as wind up toys for the king's birthday to rescue the kids ...The monarchy hated kids and hired the Child Catcher to capture them)

yes that's Benny Hill

Mary Poppins had children with distant/ parents who had problems keeping a sitter for their spoiled but in need of affection, children
(The last two had Dick Van Dyke singing and dancing)

My Father's Mother was from the WWII era in the UK, and that generation lived in other set of rules... I remember her washing her aluminum foil so she could re use it. Their generation didn't have the excesses we 'enjoy' today, there was a sense of frugality and being grateful for what you did have... So maybe that's why they showed movies that reflected this, people(other children) have it worse and be grateful, at Xmas time.