Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines
Book Information
Author:
John Burke
Genre:
Comedy
May 26, 2009
by Martin Kerby - Head of Information Services
To currents students at Nudgee, the word "diddley" will forever be associated with Ned Flanders, Homer Simpson’s neighbour and arch nemesis. Yet for movie fans, this strange word will always be linked to one of the best known movie themes of all time. Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, blessed with an instantly recognizable theme song which was a staple of classroom sing-a-longs in at least one Catholic primary school in the seventies, helped this ambitious comedy become an instant classic. Though the opening two lines are more like a jingle than a theme song, it remains indelibly linked with one of the most successful British comedies of the sixties.
Those Magnificent Men in their Flying machines,
They go up diddley up up, they go down diddley down down
Released in 1965, the movie was a very successful British comedy which tells the story of an air race between London and Paris in 1910. Lord Rawnsley (Robert Morley), an English press magnate, offers a ten thousand pound prize to the winner, and unsurprisingly attracts all manner of adventurers. Fliers from England, America, Germany, Japan, Italy and France, each hilariously presented as national stereotypes are all determined to win the money. Most memorable was Terry Thomas’ portrayal of cheating Sir Percival Ware-Armitage, a true moustache twirling bad guy.
The Library now has a copy of the book, which has the title That Magnificent Air Race by John Burke available for borrowing. Once students have read that they might like to read Killer Caldwell (940.5449) by Jeffrey Watson and Nicky Barr by Peter Dorman (940.544994), both biographies held in the Autobiography and Biography section.