Mary Poppins (film)
"Mary Poppins" is a beloved musical film released by Walt Disney Studios, marking the screen debut of English actress Julie Andrews, who won an Academy Award for her role. The story centers around Mary Poppins, a magical nanny who arrives to care for the Banks children, Jane and Michael, in early 20th century London. The film highlights themes of family, love, and the importance of slowing down amidst life's busyness, as Mr. and Mrs. Banks learn to prioritize their family over their demanding careers.
Featuring an iconic musical score by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, the film includes memorable songs such as "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Chim Chim Cher-ee," and the famously whimsical "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." The narrative blends live action with animation, showcasing innovative techniques that were groundbreaking for the time. "Mary Poppins" was a major commercial success, grossing over $75 million in the U.S. alone and spawning a cultural phenomenon that included merchandise and various adaptations. Praised for its enchanting performances and visual appeal, the film remains a classic, reflecting enduring messages about family unity and happiness.
Mary Poppins (film)
- Release Date: 1964
- Director(s): Robert Stevenson
- Writer(s): Don DaGradi; Bill Walsh
- Principal Actors and Roles: Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins); Dick Van Dyke (Bert); Karen Dotrice (Jane Banks); Matthew Garber (Michael Banks); Glynis Johns (Winifred Banks); David Tomlinson (George Banks)
- Book / Story Film Based On: Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
Mary Poppins, a movie musical, was released by Walt Disney Studios and was the movie debut for English actress Julie Andrews, who was awarded the Academy Award for her performance. After its release, Mary Poppins quickly gained popularity among children and families, and the character became an icon and children’s classic.
In the film, Mary Poppins is a nanny who comes to live with the Banks family, a well-to-do upper-middle-class family living in London, to take care of Jane and Michael, the Banks children. Both Mr. and Mrs. Banks are portrayed as busy people who learn a lesson from their nanny about slowing down and taking note of what’s really important in life.
The musical score was arranged by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. Among the most celebrated songs were "A Spoonful of Sugar," and "Chim Chim Cher-ee." The latter, like Sherman and Sherman’s musical score, was awarded the 1965 Academy Award. Other notable songs, such as "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," were woven throughout to help tell the story of Mary Poppins. This particular song was so popularized that even the made-up word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, meaning "extraordinarily wonderful," became a part of the English language.
Plot
The musical is based largely on the book Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers, which was published in 1934. The setting is London in 1910. George and Winifred Banks are two very busy people who have little time for each other and neglect their children and family life. Mr. Banks works at a bank and Mrs. Banks is a suffragette. To get attention, their children, Jane and Michael, constantly misbehave for their nannies. The children are as equally unhappy with the nannies as the nannies are with them. One day, Mary Poppins arrives at the Banks house, floating from the sky while holding onto an umbrella. She perfectly fits the children’s description of the kind of nanny they would like to have. Mr. Banks, rushing to leave for work, hires Mary Poppins as the temporary nanny.
Right away, Mary Poppins makes the children clean up the mess they made by using her magic and fun. She takes them into a magical place—the amazing world of her friend Bert’s sidewalk picture, where they see dancing penguins, ride a carousel, and go on a fox hunt. She then takes the children and Bert to visit her uncle, and they all float in the air with laughter. At first Mary Poppins seems like the perfect fit, but Mr. Banks is not so sure of the arrangement based upon the stories that his children has told him about her. The next day the children visit their father at the bank. Mr. Banks is faced with an important decision and decides to support his daughter’s choice and his own moral judgment and not what is best for the bank. Mr. Banks temporarily loses his job but happily plans to spend time doing fun-filled activities with his children.
Mary Poppins and the children, as well as Bert, go on some amazing adventures during the film, such as dancing with chimney sweeps on London rooftops and meeting interesting characters such as the Bird Woman. By the end of the film, Mary Poppins sees her work is done. The Banks family is a cohesive unit again and realizes that family comes before the busyness of life. Once she sees the Banks family appreciates each other again, Mary Poppins flies off into the sky with her umbrella.
Significance
Mary Poppins was one of Walt Disney’s most successful films in the 1960s. The film alone grossed more than $75 million in the United States and well over $100 million worldwide. Julie Andrews’ career took off as a result of the film, even though she was the casting director’s second choice. (Audrey Hepburn turned down the role of Mary Poppins to play Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.) Beyond the silver screen, books, dolls, toys, and other marketable objects contributed to the Mary Poppins craze and success.
Critics praised the film for its cast and strong performances, visual appeal, and production, and genuine spirit. Audiences enjoyed the movie’s music, dancing, and message: even when people make mistakes there can be happy endings. They applauded the film’s focus on family and values and the much-loved character of Mary Poppins, who was a fun, orderly, and strong woman loved by children and adults alike.
Mary Poppins was one of a handful of musicals that became popular in the United States in the early 1960s. Others included West Side Story, The Music Man, My Fair Lady, and the Sound of Music. Mary Poppins incorporated a blend of animation and live action—called sodium-screen compositing, which was uncommon in the early 1960s. The film received an Academy Award for best special visual effects because of this technique. For some time, Mary Poppins was a point of reference for this level of degree of complexity in classical musical-animated films.
Awards and nominations
Won
- Academy Award (1964) Best Actress: Julie Andrews
- Academy Award (1964) Best Score
- Academy Award (1964) Best Original Song
- Academy Award (1964) Best Visual Effects
- Golden Globe (1965) Best Motion Picture Actress (Musical or Comedy): Julie Andrews
Nominated
- Academy Award (1964) Best Picture
- Academy Award (1964) Best Director: Robert Stevenson
- Academy Award (1964) Best Screenplay (Adapted): Don DaGradi, Bill Walsh
- Academy Award (1964) Best Costume Design (Color): Tony Walton
- Academy Award (1964) Best Sound
- Academy Award (1964) Best Cinematography (Color)
- Academy Award (1964) Best Art Direction-Set Direction (Color)
- Academy Award (1964) Best Adaptation or Treatment Score
- Golden Globe (1965) Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
- Golden Globe (1965) Best Motion Picture Actor (Musical or Comedy): Dick Van Dyke
- Golden Globe (1965) Best Original Score
Bibliography
Brown, Noel. The Hollywood Family Film: A History, from Shirley Temple to Harry Potter. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. Print.
Clarke, James. Animated Films. Random House eBooks, 2012. Electronic.
DiMare, Philip C., ed. Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2011. Print.
Grant, Barry Keith, ed. American Cinema of the 1960s: Themes and Variations. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP, 2008. Print.
Hischak, Thomas S. The Oxford Companion to the American Musical: Theatre, Film, and Television. New York: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
Knapp, Raymond. The American Musical and the Performance of Personal Identity. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2006. Print.
Robinson, Mark A. The World of Musicals: An Encyclopedia of Stage, Screen, and Song. Vol. 1. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2014. Print.