Mary Poppins (1964)

Mary Poppins (1964)

10/10

Starring

Julie Andrews

Dick Van Dyke

David Tomlinson

Directed by Robert Stevenson

Here is the movie that made my childhood grand, it introduces a word you will never forget “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and the movie is the number 1 sing-a-long movie I have ever seen if there ever is such a list.

Walt Disney and his studios out did themselves with this movie (which is produced by Disney himself), from the wonderful screenplay to the magnificent cinematography and the musical score is so beautiful that, I remember after the first time I watched this movie the song Chim Chim Cher-ee Chim Chim Cher-ee, was one I kept humming to myself all day long. The movie is an adaptation of the P.L. Travers books on Mary Poppins, and the Sherman Brothers were the ones behind the musical score.

The movie is Julie Andrews’ film debut and Disney cast Van Dyke to play the supporting role Bert, his accent in the movie is noted to be one of the worst ever in movie history, and the truth is you have to hear it yourself to believe it, I’m not British, but the cockney accent doesn’t sound like that.

The movie plot is about a magical English nanny, Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews), who is blown by the East wind to, London and into the house of the Banks to fill the role of their nanny. Poppins then take these children on various adventures and bridges the relationship they have with their father. Along with her on these adventures with the children is her platonic friend Bert (Dick Van Dyke) who seems to be a jack-of-all-trade.

According to the movie’s DVD, it took Disney over 20 years to be able to convince P.L Lewis to give him the right to make the movie adaptation of her book, Lewis feared that the silver screen will not do justice to her book, but she finally gave in. That didn’t end their feud, as Lewis wanted some elements that were added to be removed and wanted to dictate the songs used, but Disney overruled her.

The major changes in the movie compared to the book are in the characters of Mary Poppins and Bert. Poppins in the movie is less vain and more compassionate than she is in the book, where she is intimidating and very stern and Bert is a combination of various characters in the book.

The movie was a commercial success, and it is considered to be one of the greatest films ever made, it won 5 Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Andrews, Best Original Song (Chim Chim Cher-ee Chim Chim Cher-ee) for the Sherman Brothers, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score (Sherman Brothers) and Best Visual Effects. It lost the Best Picture award to My Fair Lady.

Here is a movie that I love dear, and I totally recommend it for adults and kids alike.