{"id":69098,"date":"2019-02-19T08:00:21","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T13:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/?p=69098"},"modified":"2022-02-05T23:06:00","modified_gmt":"2022-02-06T04:06:00","slug":"disney-movie-review-mary-poppins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/disney-movie-review-mary-poppins\/","title":{"rendered":"Disney Movie Review: Mary Poppins"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image Copyright Disney<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Based on the first four installments of P. L. Travers\u2019s eventual eight-part Mary Poppins <\/em>book series, Disney\u2019s Mary Poppins <\/em>was theatrically released on August 27, 1964. The live action-animation hybrid musical adventure, deemed by many the magnum opus of Walt Disney\u2019s filmmaking career, is 139 minutes in length. A live action drama depicting the true story of Walt Disney\u2019s prolonged struggle to obtain film rights for Mary Poppins <\/em>from Travers, Saving Mr. Banks<\/em>, was theatrically released in the United States on December 13, 2013; a sequel to the original film, Mary Poppins Returns<\/em>, was theatrically released on December 19, 2018.<\/p>\n

Glory<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary Poppins <\/em>marked the Disney debuts of both Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke and is notable for the brilliant soundtrack of Richard and Robert Sherman. Andrews\u2019s portrayal of Mary Poppins earned her the Oscar for \u201cBest Actress\u201d at the 37th Academy Awards on April 5, 1965, and the Sherman Brothers concurrently secured Oscars for \u201cBest Song\u201d (\u201cChim Chim Cher-ee\u201d) and \u201cBest Music Score\u2014Substantially Original.\u201d On that same night, Peter Ellenshaw, Eustace Lycett, and Hamilton Luske shared an Oscar for \u201cBest Special Visual Effects,\u201d and Cotton Warburton earned an Oscar for \u201cBest Film Editing.\u201d The five Academy Awards won by Mary Poppins <\/em>remain a Disney record. As of 2019, only one other Disney movie, Touchstone Pictures\u2019 Who Framed Roger Rabbit <\/em>(1988), has garnered as many as three Oscars.<\/p>\n

Mary Poppins <\/em>was the last Disney film to be nominated for \u201cBest Picture\u201d at the Academy Awards until Touchstone Pictures\u2019 Dead Poets Society<\/em> received said nomination in 1990, and it was the last Disney film that incorporated animation to receive a Best Picture nomination until Beauty and the Beast <\/em>in 1992. These three films lost the Best Picture Oscar to My Fair Lady<\/em>, Driving Miss Daisy<\/em>, and The Silence of the Lambs<\/em>, respectively.<\/p>\n

At the time of its release, Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019s 139-minute run time was the longest run time for any Disney film, surpassing the 134-minute length of Pollyanna <\/em>(1960). Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019s record in this regard was broken by the extended versions of The Happiest Millionaire <\/em>(1967), which ran to a minimum of 144 minutes.<\/p>\n

Securing the Rights<\/strong><\/p>\n

Walt Disney first seriously attempted to secure the film rights to Travers\u2019 Mary Poppins <\/em>books in December 1944 after witnessing his daughter Diane laughing through and enjoying them. Disney promised his daughter that he would make a Mary Poppins <\/em>film, but Travers refused Disney\u2019s repeated requests until 1959, when she was enduring financial and personal turmoil. Even then, Travers demanded and received script approval rights, an agreement that threatened to derail the project until the night of its release. (1)<\/p>\n

Plot Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1910 London, the Banks family of 17 Cherry Tree Lane, which consists of father George Banks (David Tomlinson), a banker at the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank; mother Winnifred Banks (Glynis Johns), an active suffragette; son Michael Banks (Matthew Garber); daughter Jane Banks (Karen Dotrice); maid Ellen (Hermione Baddeley); and cook Mrs. Brill (Reta Shaw), seemingly endures a disastrous setback when Michael and Jane\u2019s nanny, Katie Nanna (Elsa Lanchester), quits because of the children\u2019s insubordination. Nanna is the sixth nanny in four months to quit the job. Desperate to procure a nanny that will maintain a firm hand with the youngsters, Mr. Banks, who seemingly cares more about money and traditional deference than about his children, prepares an advertisement calling for a strict nanny. Concurrently, however, Jane and Michael create an advertisement of their own, which, in contrast to their father\u2019s criteria, requests a nanny that will let them have some fun. Mr. Banks destroys the latter advertisement and throws the shredded paper into the fireplace, but the pieces miraculously amalgamate and ascend, and a nanny that fills the children\u2019s desires, Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews), comes to apply for the job. As the other applicants had been literally blown away in a sudden wind change, Mr. Banks has no choice but to hire Mary Poppins.<\/p>\n

Upon her employment, Mary Poppins indeed has fun with the children. For example, the nanny, Michael, and Jane, along with the enthusiastic street performer, artist, and chimney sweep Bert (Dick Van Dyke), explore whimsical locales, such as an animated fantasyland and the home of Poppins\u2019s eccentric Uncle Albert (Ed Wynn). The children still have to complete their chores and take medicine, but Mary Poppins makes even these dreadful activities tolerable.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately for all involved, however, Mr. Banks becomes disgusted with the suddenly cheerful disposition of his household, and the children fear that Mary Poppins will be sacked. Will this \u201cpractically perfect\u201d nanny keep her job long enough such that Mr. Banks becomes as happy as the rest of his family?<\/p>\n

As the Mary Poppins<\/em> books largely consisted of vignettes connected only by the leading role of Mary Poppins, Disney needed to find a way to create a coherent plot. This relevant thread would arise from the distant nature of the Banks parents and the resulting importance of the title character in fostering happiness for Jane and Michael. (2) Additionally, the setting of the story was moved back about twenty-five years, from the Great Depression-era to the Edwardian era; this change in setting facilitated many of the film\u2019s grandiose dance numbers and songs, most notably \u201cSister Suffragette,\u201d whose content would have been anachronistic in the 1930s. (3)<\/p>\n

Mindset<\/strong><\/p>\n

As expressed in the song \u201cSpoonful of Sugar,\u201d many aspects of life are what you make of them. A mundane task such as cleaning one\u2019s room, for example, can be tolerable and even fun if you ponder positive thoughts. Similarly, although wealth can lead to happiness, money does not guarantee happiness. Thus, the wealthy Mr. Banks is often depressed, while the poor Bert is always happy. Order and deference are important aspects of society, but you have to have fun sometimes; you have to laugh sometimes\u2026though perhaps not to the extent that Mr. Dawes Sr. (Dick Van Dyke) does in the film\u2019s closing moments.<\/p>\n

Casting<\/strong><\/p>\n

Walt Disney hit a proverbial home run by casting Dick Van Dyke as Bert and Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins, but both choices were risky, for Van Dyke had only appeared in one full length movie\u2014Columbia Pictures\u2019 Bye Bye Birdie<\/em> (1963)\u2014previously, and Andrews had never appeared in such an effort. (4)<\/p>\n

Disney decided to include Van Dyke in Mary Poppins<\/em> after reading an interview where the actor bemoaned the dearth of family-oriented movies, which were, of course, Disney\u2019s specialty. (5) Interestingly, Van Dyke was not satisfied with merely portraying Bert. In addition to that major role, Van Dyke insisted on also filling the minor role of Mr. Dawes Sr., the chairman of the bank, and he paid Walt Disney $4,000 for the honor. (6) Van Dyke was named a Disney Legend in 1998.<\/p>\n

Although Van Dyke\u2019s performance was great overall, it was not, like Mary Poppins, \u201cpractically perfect in every way.\u201d His attempt at a cockney accent was flawed at best and is often considered among the worst executions of an accent in the history of cinema. (7)<\/p>\n

Prior to casting Andrews as Mary Poppins, Walt Disney had considered Bette Davis, Mary Martin, and Angela Lansbury for the role. Glynis Johns, who Walt Disney wanted to play Mrs. Banks, was not seriously considered for the title role, but miscommunication convinced Johns that she was going to play Mary Poppins. Disappointed though Johns was, she agreed to play Mrs. Banks if she could have a musical number. The song \u201cSister Suffragette\u201d was written for this purpose. (8)<\/p>\n

Andrews, who was named a Disney Legend in 1991, first came to Disney\u2019s attention after her appearance on the March 19, 1961 episode of the \u201cEd Sullivan Show.\u201d On that episode, Andrews sang \u201cWhat Do the Simple Folk Do?\u201d from the hit Broadway musical Camelot<\/em>, a performance that impressed both Disney songwriter Richard Sherman and screenwriter Don DaGradi. After consulting with Sherman and DaGradi, Disney quickly flew to New York to see Andrews on Broadway and convinced her to come to California to tour Disneyland Park and investigate Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019s storyboard and songs. The quality and style of the Sherman Brothers\u2019 music enthralled Andrews and was perhaps the ultimate factor in her signing on to play Mary Poppins. (9)<\/p>\n

Andrews\u2019 decision to play Mary Poppins was the upshot of a snub by Warner Brothers and resulted in tense situations during the 1965 film industry awards season. Prior to accepting Disney\u2019s offer, Andrews, who had portrayed Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady<\/em> on Broadway, was passed over for the same role in Warner Brothers\u2019 1964 film version of My Fair Lady<\/em> in favor of Audrey Hepburn. In making this decision, Warner Brothers\u2019 studio head Jack Warner said, \u201cIn my business, I have to know who brings people and their money to a cinema box office. Audrey Hepburn had never made a financial flop.\u201d (10) Although My Fair Lady <\/em>was named Best Picture at the 1965 Academy Awards, Andrews was named Best Actress, an award for which Hepburn was not even nominated. Two months earlier, after edging out Hepburn for \u201cBest Actress\u2014Musical or Comedy\u201d at the 22nd Golden Globe Awards, Andrews had amusingly praised Jack Warner for snubbing her and, thus, allowing her to portray Mary Poppins. Said Andrews: \u201cThanks to a man who made a wonderful movie and who made all this possible in the first place.\u201d (11)<\/p>\n

Story Progression: The Sherman Brothers and Travers<\/strong><\/p>\n

The two people most important to the advancement of Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019s plot were Richard Sherman and Robert Sherman, the songwriting brothers who first came to Walt Disney\u2019s attention through a number they wrote for the Mouseketeer Annette Funicello on \u201cThe Mickey Mouse Club,\u201d composed songs for such Disney classics as The Absent-Minded Professor <\/em>(1961), The Parent Trap <\/em>(1961), Summer Magic <\/em>(1963), and The Sword in the Stone <\/em>(1963), and were named Disney Legends in 1990. (12) Ward Kimball, one of Walt Disney\u2019s \u201cNine Old Men,\u201d said in a 1989 interview that \u201cWalt always thought that a song should advance the plot,\u201d and such was the case with the Sherman Brothers\u2019 soundtrack for Mary Poppins<\/em>. (13) The duo, in a process called \u201cShermanizing,\u201d pondered a relevant story or plot point and wrote a song to further the concept at hand. Thirty-two songs were written by the Sherman Brothers for Mary Poppins<\/em>, fourteen of which\u2014 \u201cSister Suffragette,\u201d \u201cThe Life I Lead,\u201d \u201cThe Perfect Nanny,\u201d \u201cA Spoonful of Sugar,\u201d \u201cJolly Holiday,\u201d \u201cSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious,\u201d \u201cStay Awake,\u201d \u201cI Love to Laugh,\u201d \u201cFeed the Birds,\u201d \u201cFidelity Fiduciary Bank,\u201d \u201cChim-Chim-Cher-ee,\u201d \u201cStep in Time,\u201d \u201cA Man Has Dreams,\u201d and \u201cLet’s Go Fly a Kite\u201d\u2014were included in the final product. (14) Years later, Walt Disney\u2019s nephew Roy E. Disney praised the Sherman Brothers\u2019 storytelling ability, saying, \u201cWalt was all about story\u2014he was a great storyteller\u2014and both Bob and Dick are great storytellers, too.\u201d (15)<\/p>\n

One of Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019s most popular numbers, \u201cA Spoonful of Sugar,\u201d was created specifically to enhance the film\u2019s plot. This tune replaced one of the Sherman Brothers\u2019 favorite songs, \u201cThrough the Eyes of Love,\u201d when Julie Andrews objected that the latter song was too didactic for Mary Poppins\u2019s personality. (16) Similarly, a song written specifically for Admiral Boom (Reginald Owen) was cut because Walt Disney did not believe it advanced the story, though the song\u2019s melody was incorporated as a theme for the admiral. (17) One of the deleted songs from Mary Poppins<\/em>, \u201cThe Beautiful Briny,\u201d was thereafter incorporated into Bedknobs and Broomsticks <\/em>(1971). (18)<\/p>\n

Throughout the songwriting process, the Sherman Brothers, much to Travers\u2019s anger, changed aspects of the books to make the scenarios more relatable to American audiences. Most importantly, because nannies, though relevant in British tradition, were largely foreign to United States culture, the Sherman Brothers needed to find a reason to justify a nanny\u2019s presence in the movie; as such, in a decision that also allowed Disney to unite the disparate vignettes from Travers\u2019s books, the Sherman Brothers changed the Banks family from the relatively harmonious clan from Travers\u2019 works to a dysfunctional household with a distant mother and an unpleasant father, who needed a third adult to watch their children. (19) Travers disliked the change in Mr. Banks\u2019s character, a sentiment that originated in the author\u2019s own troubled childhood. As Richard Sherman said years later: \u201cShe resented the fact that the father had been made into a flawed character who changes during the course of the film. She\u2019d made him the hero, an idyllic man, and wanted that preserved; her own father had been a drunk.\u201d (20)<\/p>\n

Besides her criticism of Disney\u2019s version of Mr. Banks, Travers proved to be a general nuisance to Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019 development. Indeed, the author disliked seemingly everything about the film except the casting of Julie Andrews as the title character. (21) Travers objected to the dialogue; criticized the inclusion of music, though she enjoyed \u201cFeed the Birds\u201d; and pressed for the elimination of the movie\u2019s animated elements even after the film\u2019s August 27, 1964 Hollywood premiere. (22)<\/p>\n

Story Progression: Bill Walsh<\/strong><\/p>\n

In addition to the Sherman Brothers, Bill Walsh played a major role in the development of Mary Poppins<\/em>. Walsh, the legendary Disney producer and screenwriter, not the legendary football coach for the San Francisco 49ers, was heavily responsible for the creation of Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019s dialogue. (23) Walsh, who was named a Disney Legend in 1991, came to Walt Disney\u2019s attention while working as a public relations man and joke writer for Edgar Bergen during production of the Disney package film Fun and Fancy Free <\/em>(1947) and thereafter served as a producer for Disney\u2019s popular ABC-TV series \u201cDisneyland\u201d and \u201cThe Mickey Mouse Club\u201d as well as for many of the studio\u2019s live action movies, including Westward Ho the Wagons! <\/em>(1956), The Shaggy Dog <\/em>(1959), and The Absent-Minded Professor<\/em>. (24)<\/p>\n

Music<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Sherman Brothers\u2019 fourteen songs arose from various influences, including ideas from colleagues, Victorian and Edwardian era British music, and personal experiences. The Oscar-winning \u201cChim-Chim-Cher-ee,\u201d which is my favorite song in the movie, originated from the first of these methods\u2014Don DaGradi provided the Sherman Brothers a sketch of a chimney sweep while the composers were developing Bert\u2019s character. (25)<\/p>\n

For their part, \u201cSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious,\u201d \u201cFidelity Fiduciary Bank,\u201d and \u201cStep in Time\u201d were inspired by Victorian and Edwardian era British tunes: Harry Champion\u2019s 1909 song \u201cBoiled Beets and Carrots,\u201d the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan, and the British music hall song \u201cKnees Up Mother Brown,\u201d respectively. (26) \u00a0The last tune was recommended to the Sherman Brothers by Disney\u2019s famed British-born matte artist Peter Ellenshaw, who received an Oscar for his special-effects work on Mary Poppins <\/em>and was named a Disney Legend in 1993. (27)<\/p>\n

The film\u2019s Edwardian era music greatly appealed to Julie Andrews and was among the biggest reasons why she accepted the role of Mary Poppins. Years later, Andrews recalled: \u201cMy background, my early years, were all in music hall and vaudeville. My stepfather sang, my mother played the piano for him, and so I had the opportunity to stand in the wings and watch thousands of wonderful performers\u2014vaudevillians and comedians and acrobats. So when I saw the sort of \u2018rum-tee-tum\u2019 quality of the music and got the feeling of what fun Mary and Bert could have together, it appealed instantly. I kept thinking, yes I recognize that. Maybe I could bring something to it that would connect. And it certainly connected and resonated with me.\u201d (28)<\/p>\n

Finally, \u201cA Spoonful of Sugar\u201d and \u201cLet\u2019s Go Fly a Kite\u201d arose from the Sherman Brothers\u2019 personal experiences. The former number was inspired by a visit from Robert\u2019s son Jeff to his school nurse to undergo polio vaccination. When Robert asked Jeff whether the procedure hurt, the son answered in the negative, noting that \u201cYou just took it with a lump of sugar that they put on a spoon.\u201d Meanwhile, \u201cLet\u2019s Go Fly a Kite,\u201d the film\u2019s closing number, was inspired by the Sherman Brothers\u2019 memories of their father\u2019s hobby of making kites and flying them with his sons on weekends. (29)<\/p>\n

The soothing \u201cFeed the Birds\u201d was arguably Walt Disney\u2019s favorite song from any of his films. Even after the release of Mary Poppins<\/em>, Disney summoned the Sherman Brothers to his office on Friday evenings specifically to play \u201cFeed the Birds\u201d for him. (30)<\/p>\n

Special Effects<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary Poppins <\/em>incorporated a myriad of special effects, including the amalgamation of animated and live action features, audio animatronics, matte paintings, and wirework.<\/p>\n

During Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019s \u201cJolly Holiday\u201d scenes, human actors and animated creations appear on screen simultaneously. This effect was created by placing an orange sodium vapor process screen behind the actors during filming. Through this process, the camera picked up everything except the orange color, and the animators were thereafter able to insert their creations amidst the live actors and simple sets. (31)<\/p>\n

Coordinating the animated and live action elements of M<\/em>ary Poppins<\/em> was not always easy. On this note, Disney animator Frank Thomas recalled his struggles to incorporate the film\u2019s famous dancing penguins with Van Dyke\u2019s dancing such that the penguins didn\u2019t get stomped on: \u201cI\u2019d get the film of Dick actually doing the dance\u2014here\u2019s his feet flying all around and stepping on my penguins. I had them duck and I had them jump and I had them get out of the way any way I could.\u201d (32)<\/p>\n

As visually impressive as Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019s live action-animation hybridity is, this concept was hardly new to Disney productions. On the contrary, Disney had first amalgamated live action and animated elements in his \u201cAlice Comedies\u201d of the 1920s, and he thereafter used similar effects in The Three Caballeros <\/em>(1945), Song of the South <\/em>(1946), and So Dear to My Heart <\/em>(1949). After Disney\u2019s death, hybridity was used in Bedknobs and Broomsticks<\/em>, Pete\u2019s Dragon <\/em>(1977), and Who Framed Roger Rabbit<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The bird that lies on Mary Poppins\u2019s hand while she sings \u201cA Spoonful of Sugar\u201d was an audio animatronic. (33) Such robotic creatures, which ranged in scope from small birds to a life-sized replica of Abraham Lincoln, were being quickly developed by Disney at the time for both Disneyland Park attractions and for attractions at the 1964 New York World\u2019s Fair. \u201cWalt Disney\u2019s Enchanted Tiki Room,\u201d an audio animatronic bird show that still delights visitors to Disneyland Park, had debuted on June 23, 1963.<\/p>\n

Peter Ellenshaw contributed over 100 matte paintings to Mary Poppins<\/em>. (34) These paintings, which are especially appreciated during the opening credits, the closing credits, and the beginning of the \u201cStep in Time\u201d sequence, add depth to the background of the film\u2019s London setting, which was completely constructed at Disney\u2019s Burbank, California studio.<\/p>\n

The film\u2019s numerous flying scenes, including the segment where Mary Poppins descends with her umbrella, the portion of the \u201cJolly Holiday\u201d segment where the players gallop on free-roaming carousel horses, the \u201cI Love to Laugh\u201d tea party scene, and the \u201cStep in Time\u201d dancing scene, were accomplished by dangling the actors from wires and quickly altering both the distance and the angle of the camera shots so that the harnesses would not be visible. (35) In one scary moment towards the end of filming, Andrews fell out of her harness while being lowered and crashed to the stage. More amusingly, the acrophobic Matthew Garber was given a dime for each flying take he completed. (36)<\/p>\n

Relationship to Other Disney Films<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary Poppins<\/em> was the ninth of nineteen Disney films to be directed by Robert Stevenson, who was named a Disney Legend in 2002. Stevenson had previously directed Johnny Tremain<\/em> (1957), Old Yeller<\/em> (1957), Darby O\u2019Gill and the Little People<\/em> (1959), Kidnapped <\/em>(1960), The Absent-Minded Professor<\/em>, In Search of the Castaways<\/em> (1962), Son of Flubber<\/em> (1963), and The Misadventures of Merlin Jones<\/em> (1964) for Disney; and he subsequently directed The Monkey\u2019s Uncle<\/em> (1965), That Darn Cat!<\/em> (1965), The Gnome-Mobile<\/em> (1967), Blackbeard\u2019s Ghost<\/em> (1968), The Love Bug<\/em> (1968), Bedknobs and Broomsticks<\/em>, Herbie Rides Again<\/em> (1974), The Island at the Top of the World<\/em> (1974), One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing<\/em> (1975), and The Shaggy D.A.<\/em> (1976) for the studio.<\/p>\n

Mary Poppins <\/em>was the second of three Disney films to feature Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber, following The Three Lives of Thomasina<\/em> (1964) and preceding The Gnome-Mobile<\/em>. The children are noted as \u201cThe \u201cMary Poppins\u201d Kids\u201d in the opening credits to The Gnome-Mobile<\/em>. Dotrice and Garber were named Disney Legends in 2004, the latter posthumously; Garber succumbed to hepatitis at only twenty-one years of age in 1977. Reflecting years later on Garber, Dotrice said, \u201cI can\u2019t imagine making movies would have been half as much fun without him. He loved being naughty, finding and jumping off of small buildings on the back lot. While I was Victorian proper and wouldn\u2019t let myself get dirty or muddy, Matthew had a great sense of fun and danger. He was a daredevil and could have been a race car driver. And he did live a full life over his 21 years.\u201d (37)<\/p>\n

Mary Poppins<\/em> was the fifth of eight Disney films to feature Ed Wynn, who was named a Disney Legend in 2013. Wynn had previously contributed to Alice in Wonderland<\/em> (1951), The Absent-Minded Professor<\/em>, Babes in Toyland <\/em>(1961), and Son of Flubber<\/em> for Disney; and he thereafter appeared in Those Calloways<\/em> (1965), That Darn Cat!<\/em>, and The Gnome-Mobile<\/em> for the studio.<\/p>\n

Julie Andrews subsequently contributed to The Princess Diaries<\/em> (2001), The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement<\/em> (2004), and Enchanted<\/em> (2007) for Disney.<\/p>\n

Dick Van Dyke subsequently appeared in Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N.<\/em> (1966), Never a Dull Moment<\/em> (1968), Dick Tracy<\/em> (1990), and Mary Poppins Returns <\/em>for Disney.<\/p>\n

As Van Dyke played both Bert and Mr. Dawes Sr. in Mary Poppins<\/em>, a single actor played multiple characters in The Parent Trap<\/em>, The Gnome-Mobile<\/em>, and Hot Lead and Cold Feet <\/em>(1978).<\/p>\n

David Tomlinson subsequently appeared in The Love Bug <\/em>and Bedknobs and Broomsticks <\/em>for Disney.<\/p>\n

Glynis Johns had previously appeared in The Sword and the Rose <\/em>(1953) and Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue<\/em> (1954) for the studio; and she subsequently contributed to Touchstone Pictures\u2019 The Ref <\/em>(1994) for Disney.<\/p>\n

Hermione Baddeley subsequently contributed to The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin <\/em>(1967), The Happiest Millionaire<\/em>, and The Aristocats <\/em>(1970) for Disney.<\/p>\n

Elsa Lanchester subsequently appeared in That Darn Cat!<\/em>, Blackbeard’s Ghost<\/em>, and Rascal<\/em> (1969) for Disney.<\/p>\n

A distant father also becomes closer to his children in Christopher Robin <\/em>(2018).<\/p>\n

During Mr. Banks\u2019s meeting with his superiors at the bank towards the end of the film, the Boston Tea Party is mentioned. Said event is depicted in Johnny Tremain<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Toy soldiers, which appear in Jane and Michael\u2019s nursery, were previously seen in Babes in Toyland<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In the Parks<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Sherman Brothers contributed songs to many classic Disney theme park attractions, including \u201cIt\u2019s a Small World,\u201d \u201cJourney into Imagination with Figment,\u201d \u201cWalt Disney\u2019s Carousel of Progress,\u201d and \u201cWalt Disney\u2019s Enchanted Tiki Room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guests at Walt Disney World wanting to meet Mary Poppins can do so at scheduled times in Epcot\u2019s United Kingdom Pavilion; at scheduled times in the Magic Kingdom\u2019s Liberty Square section; at breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Epcot\u2019s \u201cAkershus Royal Banquet Hall\u201d; and at breakfast at the Grand Floridan Resort\u2019s \u201c1900 Park Fare\u201d restaurant. 1900 Park Fare\u2019s buffet breakfast, at which other English characters, including Alice and the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland<\/em>, Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger, also regularly appear, is called the \u201cSupercalifragilistic Breakfast,\u201d a reference to the song \u201cSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious\u201d from Mary Poppins.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo Copyright Judith Lee<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019s credits and immediately prior to the \u201cStep in Time\u201d dancing scene, audiences enjoy beautiful panoramas of London, courtesy of Peter Ellenshaw\u2019s matte paintings. Guests at Walt Disney World\u2019s Magic Kingdom and the Disneyland parks in California, Paris, Tokyo, and Shanghai can enjoy similar views on the \u201cPeter Pan\u2019s Flight\u201d attraction.<\/p>\n

During Mary Poppins<\/em>\u2019s \u201cJolly Holiday\u201d segment, Mary Poppins, Jane, Michael, and Bert ride a carousel. Carousels at Disney\u2019s theme parks include \u201cPrince Charming Regal Carrousel\u201d at the Magic Kingdom; \u201cKing Arthur Carrousel\u201d at Disneyland Park; \u201cJessie’s Critter Carousel\u201d at Disney California Adventure; \u201cLe Carrousel de Lancelot\u201d at Disneyland Park Paris; \u201cCastle Carrousel\u201d at Tokyo Disneyland Park; \u201cCaravan Carousel\u201d at Tokyo DisneySea; and \u201cCinderella Carousel\u201d at Hong Kong Disneyland Park.<\/p>\n

Overall<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mary Poppins <\/em>lives up to its hype. The story is engaging, the visuals are bold, and the music is comprehensively excellent.<\/p>\n

Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n

1) \u201cDisney’s Gamble,\u201d Life<\/em>, December 7, 2018, 9-10, 39.<\/p>\n

2) Ibid., 19; \u201cSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious: The Making of Mary Poppins<\/em>\u201d [DVD] (2004). United States: Disney. Approximately 51-minute segment featured on Disk 2 of 2004 DVD release of Mary Poppins<\/em>, 3:57-9:07 (minutes and seconds into segment).<\/p>\n

3) \u201cDisney’s Gamble,\u201d 21.<\/p>\n

4) Ibid., 54.<\/p>\n

5) Ibid., 56; \u201cSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious,\u201d 13:02-14:10.<\/p>\n

6) Cristina Sanza, \u201cDick Van Dyke Reveals He Paid Walt Disney $4,000 to Play Mr. Dawes, Sr. in \u201cMary Poppins\u201d,\u201d Inside the Magic, November 23, 2018, accessed February 7, 2019, https:\/\/insidethemagic.net\/2018\/11\/mr-dawes-sr-dick-van-dyke-paid-walt-disney\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7) \u201cSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious,\u201d 14:11-14:52.<\/p>\n

8) Ibid., 17:00-18:45.<\/p>\n

9) Ibid., 9:57-12:16; \u201cDisney\u2019s Gamble,\u201d 56-62.<\/p>\n

10) Ibid., 59-61; \u201cSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious,\u201d 11:23-12:16.<\/p>\n

11) Ibid., 46:38-48:12; \u201cDisney\u2019s Gamble,\u201d 79.<\/p>\n

12) Ibid., 6-25.<\/p>\n

13) Ibid.; Jim Fanning, \u201cA Very Merry Musical: Walt Disney\u2019s Babes in Toyland,\u201d The Disney History, December 2, 2011, accessed December 15, 2018, http:\/\/thehistoryofdisney.blogspot.com\/2011\/12\/very-merry-musical-walt-disneys-babes.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n

14) \u201cA Musical Journey With Richard Sherman\u201d [DVD] (2004). United States: Disney. Approximately 21-minute segment featured on Disk 2 of 2004 DVD release of Mary Poppins<\/em>, 3:00-3:05 (minutes and seconds into segment); \u201cDisney\u2019s Gamble,\u201d 16-25.<\/p>\n

15) Ibid., 21.<\/p>\n

16) Ibid., 62; \u201cA Magical Musical Reunion: With Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, & Richard Sherman\u201d [DVD] (2004). United States: Disney. Approximately 18-minute segment featured on Disk 2 of 2004 DVD release of Mary Poppins<\/em>, 0:39-3:30 (minutes and seconds into segment).<\/p>\n

17) \u201cA Musical Journey With Richard Sherman,\u201d 7:12-9:00.<\/p>\n

18) Ibid., 3:12-4:53.<\/p>\n

19) \u201cDisney\u2019s Gamble,\u201d 21; \u201cSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious,\u201d 8:05-9:07.<\/p>\n

20) \u201cDisney\u2019s Gamble,\u201d 50.<\/p>\n

21) Ibid., 42-50, 65-67.\u2019<\/p>\n

22) Ibid., 76-79.<\/p>\n

23) Steven Watts, The Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney and the American Way of Life<\/em> (Columbia, Mo.: University of Missouri Press, 1997), 406-7.<\/p>\n

24) Ibid., 377-82.<\/p>\n

25) \u201cDisney\u2019s Gamble,\u201d 21; \u201cA Magical Musical Reunion,\u201d 4:04-5:19.<\/p>\n

26) \u201cDisney\u2019s Gamble,\u201d 22, 62.<\/p>\n

27) Ibid., 70.<\/p>\n

28) Ibid., 62.<\/p>\n

29) Ibid., 62-65, 23; \u201cA Magical Musical Reunion,\u201d 2:04-3:30.<\/p>\n

30) \u201cSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious,\u201d 32:53-34:07.<\/p>\n

31) \u201cMovie Magic\u201d [DVD] (2002). United States: Disney. Approximately 7-minute segment featured on Disk 2 of 2004 DVD release of Mary Poppins<\/em>, 3:13-5:19 (minutes and seconds into segment).<\/p>\n

32) \u201cDisney\u2019s Gamble,\u201d 75-76.<\/p>\n

33) \u201cMovie Magic,\u201d 1:30-2:09.<\/p>\n

34) Ibid., 0:50-1:29; \u201cSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious,\u201d 29:57- 31:04.<\/p>\n

35) Ibid., 21:21-22:21.<\/p>\n

36) \u201cMovie Magic,\u201d 2:45-3:12; \u201cA Magical Musical Reunion,\u201d 9:03-9:59; \u201cDisney\u2019s Gamble,\u201d 71-72<\/p>\n

37) \u201cThe Tragic Story of What Happened to Little Jane & Michael Banks from ‘Mary Poppins’ Will Tear Your Heart to Shreds: The Sad, True Story of What Happened to Matthew Garber and Karen Dotrice, the Children from Disney’s Mary Poppins,\u201d Gallery Roulette, accessed January 31, 2019, https:\/\/galleryroulette.com\/disney\/the-tragic-story-of-what-happened-to-little-jane-michael-banks-from-mary-poppins-will-tear-your-heart-to-shreds\/?subpage=3<\/u>.<\/p>\n

What do you think of Mary Poppins? Let me know in the comments!<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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    Based on the first four installments of P. L. Travers\u2019s eventual eight-part Mary Poppins book series, Disney\u2019s Mary Poppins was theatrically released on August 27, 1964. The live action-animation hybrid musical adventure, deemed by many the magnum opus of Walt Disney\u2019s filmmaking career, is 139 minutes in length. A live action drama depicting the true…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":69099,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disney-movies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69098"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69137,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69098\/revisions\/69137"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}