Mary Poppins

• Title:  Mary Poppins
• Director:  Robert Stevenson
• Date: 1964
• Studio:  Disney
• Genre:  Musical, Children
• Cast:  Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Hermoine Baddeley, Reta Shaw, Karen Dotrice, Matthew Garber 
• Format:  Technicolor, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC (40th Anniversary 2-disc ed)

"Kindly do not attempt to cloud the issue with facts."  -- George Banks


"As I expected:  'Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way.' " -- Mary Poppins


"I never explain anything."  -- Mary Poppins


"You know, begging you pardon, but the one my heart goes out to is your father. There he is in that cold, heartless bank day after day, hemmed in by mounds of cold, heartless money. I don't like to see any living thing caged up."  -- Bert
"Father? In a cage?"  -- Jane
"They makes cages in all sizes and shapes, you know. Bank-shaped, some of 'em, carpets and all." --Bert


Mary Poppins is a wonderfully inventive film made for children but that the entire family can still enjoy.  The animation looks a bit flat by today's standards, however the film's music and storyline still hold up.  Set in 1910, Mr. Banks is a banker with two children and a wife.  His wife is involved in the Suffragette movement (to give women the right to vote).  It's implied the children are holy terrors -- the Banks have fired six nannies in four months.  However, Mary Poppins shows up and takes the children through a series of adventures, with her friend, Bert - a Cockney who makes money any way he can (as a one-man band, painting chalk drawings on the sidewalk, selling roasted chestnuts, even as a chimney sweep).  But it's Mary's ability to loosen up the stiff, cold, and indifferent Mr. Banks and bring him closer to his own children that is at the heart of this film.


Though largely live-action, with plenty of special effects, the entire section where Mary, Bert, and the children jump through a chalk drawing and have adventures in a park is animated.  This is classic Disney animation, and the technique of combining animation with live action was new when the film was made.  It does look a bit dated now, but the dances, music, and even excitement of things such as the horse race, or Mary and Bert being carried across the animated river by animated turtles still work.


This film is also filled with music, song, and dance  -- and contains some of Disney's best songs:  "A Spoonful of Sugar", "Chim-Chim Cheree", and "Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious! " -- all of which I knew as a child and can still sing along to and even recite.  (I still have all of "Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious! " memorized!


Please note in the list below I am not including a single line or two of a main song repeated later.


List of Songs and Musical Numbers 


Sister Suffragettes -- Mrs. Banks
The Age of Men/Banks Schedule -- Mr. Banks
The Nanny Song (a desperate advertisement) -- Jane and Michael Banks
A Spoonful of Sugar -- Mary Poppins
Chim Chim Cheree -- Bert
Jolly Holiday (with Mary) -- Bert, Mary
Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious! -- Mary, Bert, Ensemble
Stay Awake (a lullaby) -- Mary
I Love to Laugh -- Ed Wynn
Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag) -- Mary
Investing in the Bank / Interest -- The Bankers
Chim Chim Cheeree -- Bert
Step in Time -- Bert, Ensemble
Let's Go Fly a Kite -- Mr. Banks


Again a wonderful film, especially for children.


Oh, and I should say that I am aware that the life of chimney sweeps and the children they used was not a good one, and also that Suffragettes were treated horribly, often force-fed and jailed, but that still doesn't stop this from being a good fantasy film.  However, I do find it amusing that Disney cleaned-up the old British saying, that "it's good luck to kiss a chimney sweep", changing it to "good luck will rub off if I shake-hands with you."


Recommendation:  See it!
Rating:   4 of 5 Stars
Next Film:  Master and Commander:  The Far Side of  the World