Mary Poppins (1964) Jeff’s Review

Wind’s in the east, mist comin’ in. Like something is brewin’ about to begin. Can’t put me finger on what lies in store. But I feel what’s to happen, all happened before. – Bert

Mary Poppins is a Walt Disney musical based on a series books from the beginning of the 19^th century. Jane and Michael Banks are two rambunctious children who drive their nannies crazy. Their parents have hired six of them in the past six months. Finally, their father who is a stern and no-nonsense man who spends very little time with his kids decides he would do the hiring instead of his wife. He places the following advertisement in the London Times:

A British nanny must be a general, The future empire lies within her hands, And so the person that we need, To mold the breed, Is a nanny who can give commands, A British bank is run with precision. A British home requires nothing less. Tradition, discipline and rules must be the tools. Without them, disorder, catastrophe, anarchy, In short you have a ghastly mess.

The children however have a different advertisement they wish their father to place:

If you want this choice position. Have a cheery disposition, Rosy cheeks, no warts. Play games, all sorts. You must be kind you must be witty. Very sweet and fairly pretty. Take us on outings give us treats. Sing songs bring sweets. Never be cross or cruel never give us castor oil or gruel. Love us as a son and daughter. And never smell of barley water. If you won’t scold and dominate us. We will never give you cause to hate us. We won’t hide your spectacles so you can’t see. Put toads in your bed or pepper in your tea. Hurry, nanny! Many thanks. Sincerely, Jane and Michael Banks.

Their father is appalled and sends the children to their room. He rips up their ad and throws it in the fire place. However the wind picks it up and sends it up and out of their house.

The next day at eight o’clock in the morning sharp a long cue of potential nannies stand outside the house waiting to be interviewed. However a gust of wind blows them all down the street. Just then a magical woman flies from the clouds with the help of her umbrella. The children see her from their window and are instantly excited. She has rosy cheeks and everything they proclaim! Mr. Banks is flummoxed by the fact this nanny has the advertisement the children wrote (one he ripped up and threw in the fire place). He hires her and sends her right to work with the kids.

It’s not long before the kids realize Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) is no ordinary nanny. She takes the children to the park where they meet Bert (Dick Van Dyke) and before know it she has them jumping inside one of his chalk paintings. She also has them floating on the ceiling for a tea party and performing magically games to clean their room.

This musical from 1964 is wonderful and captivating from start to finish. Andrews and Van Dyke have so much chemistry it oozes off the screen. Virtually every musical number is timeless and has become part of the American lexicon. Such as, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious which is a word when you have no other words to say! I loved this film when I was young and I was surprised to see how much my little girl loves the movie today. At 139 minutes, this movie is a delight for the whole family! Four out of four stars!