Mary Poppins

"Excellent"

Mary Poppins Review


Parents, you have a responsibility. Your kids should not know Julie Andrews just from the two Princess Diaries movies. Luckily, you have an opportunity since Mary Poppins, the movie that landed Andrews an Oscar and made her a star 40 years ago, has just been released on DVD for its 40th anniversary.

Andrews is just perfect in the title role, a mystical nanny who literally falls from the London sky and into the lives of two lonely children in 1910. The kids desperately need some kind of attention. Their father (David Tomlinson) is a workaholic, brown-nosing banker, who treats his kids as two obstacles in keeping an orderly home. Mom (Glynis Johns) is no better, a dingbat who prefers supporting social causes to spending time with her kids. Funny how little things have changed, huh?

For little Jane and Michael -- whose rhyming advertisement for a perfect nanny magically reaches Mary -- this new hire is a savior. She mixes learning with fun and she has no problem bursting into song and dance at a moment's notice. Plus, she has a friend with similar talents, Bert the chimney sweep (Dick Van Dyke, who's every bit as good as Andrews is). Of course, Mary's unorthodox methods irritate George to no end. Through a little mental trickery, she's able to stay on the job and teach George a lesson or two about being a better father.

Mary Poppins certainly isn't timeless because of its periodic animation, which the crew at Pixar could probably put together on a lunch break. Simply put, every kid wants an adult who is their ally, who upon their arrival offers a world of magic and fun. Who is Mary Poppins, if not the perfect embodiment of that idea? She can make a room clean itself, enable snow globes to tell touching narratives, and make chalk drawings come to life. Kids will be floored by the magical possibilities. The movie's playful goofiness, courtesy of Van Dyke, Ed Wynn, and bouncy songs (which come one right after the other) will keep everyone glued to the set.

Lessons are offered in Mary Poppins, but not in a way that'll have kids or adults rolling their eyes. In fact, the movie's educational stances are meant more for parents -- don't act so wrapped up in the material world, pay attention to your kids -- but in an amusing way that agrees with the movie's joyful tone. The message is clear: Everyone should take care of their jobs and responsibilities, but have fun as well.

Those are lessons worth learning, especially if the teacher has a perfect singing voice and the demeanor of the world's coolest aunt. And no, I'm not talking about Anne Hathaway.

DVD extras on this 40th anniversary include reunion interviews, a short animated film hosted by Andrews, a deleted song from the film, behind-the-scenes footage, a trivia track, and games for the kids.



Mary Poppins

Facts and Figures

Run time: 139 mins

In Theaters: Friday 11th September 1964

Box Office Worldwide: $102.3M

Budget: $6M

Distributed by: Walt Disney Productions

Production compaines: Walt Disney Productions

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 4 / 5

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Fresh: 43

IMDB: 7.8 / 10

Cast & Crew

Producer:

Starring: as Mary Poppins, as Bert/Mr. Dawes, Sr., as Mr. George W. Banks, as Mrs. Winifred Banks, Hermione Baddeley as Ellen, as Mrs. Brill, as Jane Banks, as Michael Banks, as Katie Nanna, Arthur Treacher as Constable Jones, as Admiral Boom, as Uncle Albert, as The Bird Woman, as Mr. Dawes Junior, James Logan as Bank Doorman, Don Barclay as Mr. Binnacle - Admiral's Servant, Alma Lawton as Mrs. Corry - Old Woman in Park, Marjorie Eaton as Miss Persimmon - Old Woman in Park, Marjorie Bennett as Miss Lark - Old Woman in Park

Contactmusic


Links


New Movies

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

After the thunderous reception for J.J. Abrams' Episode VII: The Force Awakens two years ago,...

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Like the 2015 original, this comedy plays merrily with cliches to tell a silly story...

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

There's a somewhat contrived jauntiness to this blending of fact and fiction that may leave...

Ferdinand Movie Review

Ferdinand Movie Review

This animated comedy adventure is based on the beloved children's book, which was published in...

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Director Dave McCary makes a superb feature debut with this offbeat black comedy, which explores...

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

A dramatisation of the real-life clash between tennis icons Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs,...

Shot Caller Movie Review

Shot Caller Movie Review

There isn't much subtlety to this prison thriller, but it's edgy enough to hold the...

Advertisement
The Disaster Artist Movie Review

The Disaster Artist Movie Review

A hilariously outrageous story based on real events, this film recounts the making of the...

Stronger Movie Review

Stronger Movie Review

Based on a true story about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, this looks like one...

Only the Brave Movie Review

Only the Brave Movie Review

Based on a genuinely moving true story, this film undercuts the realism by pushing its...

Wonder Movie Review

Wonder Movie Review

This film may be based on RJ Palacio's fictional bestseller, but it approaches its story...

Happy End  Movie Review

Happy End Movie Review

Austrian auteur Michael Haneke isn't known for his light touch, but rather for hard-hitting, award-winning...

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Seemingly from out of nowhere, this film generates perhaps the biggest smile of any movie...

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

A Victorian thriller with rather heavy echoes of Jack the Ripper, this film struggles to...

Advertisement
Artists
Actors
    Filmmakers
      Artists
      Bands
        Musicians
          Artists
          Celebrities
             
              Artists
              Interviews