Mary Poppins (1964)

In turn of the century London, a magical nanny employs music and adventure to help two neglected children become closer to their father.

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Bill Walsh (screenplay), Don DaGradi (screenplay) (as Don Da Gradi)

Stars:

Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson

Won 5 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julie Andrews	...	Mary Poppins
Dick Van Dyke	...	Bert / Mr. Dawes Senior (as Navckid Keyd)
David Tomlinson	...	Mr. George W. Banks
Glynis Johns	...	Mrs. Winnifred Banks
Hermione Baddeley	...	Ellen - Maid
Reta Shaw	...	Mrs. Brill - Cook
Karen Dotrice	...	Jane Banks
Matthew Garber	...	Michael Banks
Elsa Lanchester	...	Katie Nanna
Arthur Treacher	...	The Constable
Reginald Owen	...	Admiral Boom
Ed Wynn	...	Uncle Albert
Jane Darwell	...	The Bird Woman
Arthur Malet	...	Mr. Dawes Junior
James Logan	...	Bank Doorman

Storyline

When Jane and Michael, the children of the wealthy and uptight Banks family, are faced with the prospect of a new nanny, they are pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the magical Mary Poppins. Embarking on a series of fantastical adventures with Mary and her Cockney performer friend, Bert, the siblings try to pass on some of their nanny's sunny attitude to their preoccupied parents.

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Plot Keywords:

nanny | female protagonist | live action and animation | family relationships | magic | 

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Taglines:

See It Again and Again with that Supercalifragilistic Music! [re-release Australia 1976]

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 December 1964 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Mary Poppins

Filming Locations:

Walt Disney Studios, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$102,272,727

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$115,272,727

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

139 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Not only was "Feed the Birds" Walt Disney's favorite song in the film, but it is said that anytime he visited the Sherman brothers (Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman) during the rest of his life, all he would have to do was say, "Play it," and they knew he wanted to hear "Feed the Birds".

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Goofs

In the penguin number Dick Van Dyke's pants change to short legs and long crutch to long legs and short crutch. This was deliberate, as Burt is clearly seen adjusting his trousers to match the shape/characteristics of the penguins he is dancing with just prior to and following the scene.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Bert: All right, ladies an' gents! Comical poem! Suitable for the occasion, extemporized and thought up before your very eyes! All right, 'ere we go!
[sings]
Bert: Room 'ere for everyone. Gather around.
[speaks]
Bert: The constable - responstable! Now 'ow does that sound?
[no response]
Bert: Hm.
[dashes over to Miss Lark, sings]
Bert: 'Ello, Miss Lark, I've got one for you.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

In the end credits cast list, the actor playing Mr. Dawes, Sr. is initially shown as NAVCKID KEYD, then the letters unscramble themselves to show that this is a second role played by Dick Van Dyke.

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Alternate Versions

In some theaters, likely British theaters, there was an intermission after Mary Poppins finished singing Stay Awake. The 2004 DVD includes a fullscreen clip of the number fading to black and an intermission card appearing.

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Connections

Referenced in Grey's Anatomy: The First Cut Is the Deepest (2005)

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Soundtracks

The Perfect Nanny
(uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman
Sung by Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber

User Reviews

Anarchy in a sensible package.

The first time I saw this film as a child, I was frightened. I loved the animated sequence and I was scared of (and bored by) the chimney sweep sequence because of these soot-faced sweeps shouting and dancing, I couldn't tell if they were friends or foe. Years later, I watched this in HBO, and I've had a chance to reevaluate it. Brimming beneath Mary Poppins's prim nanny exterior is mischief, subversion and anarchy, and I love the idea she goes around England teaching children to have fun under the thin guise of "proper British behavior". The key song is "Spoonful of Sugar", which is an almost zen-like attitude, with the correct leverage, your finger can turn a boulder into powder, with the correct attitude, an ant can move a rubber-tree plant. However, the song that made me fall in love with the movie forever is, "Feed the Birds". Compassion for the useless is precisely the point. There is no pragmatism in love. I've been a teacher for four years now, and I've never cracked a joke with a smile yet, though I joke all the time. I always try to earn that delicious half second while the students process, is he joking or is he serious? It's my pale imitation of Andrews as Poppins. Yes, I do try my darnedest to make my classes enjoyable.