Mary Poppins is a
1964The year 1964 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 29 - The film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is released....
musical filmThe musical film is a film genre in which several songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative. The songs are usually used to advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but some musical films simply plop the songs in as unrelated "specialties" - as with Carmen Miranda's...
starring
Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
and
Dick Van DykeRichard Wayne “Dick” Van Dyke is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer with a career spanning six decades...
, produced by
Walt DisneyWalter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the twentieth century. As the co-founder Walter Elias...
, and based on the
Mary PoppinsMary Poppins is a series of children's books written by P.L. Travers and originally illustrated by Mary Shepard. The books centre on a mysterious, vain and acerbic magical English nanny, Mary Poppins. She is blown by the East wind to Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane, London and into the Banks'...
books seriesChildren's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve and is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes exclude young-adult fiction, comic books, or other genres. Books specifically for children existed by the 17th century...
by
P. L. TraversPamela Lyndon Travers OBE was an Australian novelist, actress and journalist, popularly remembered for her series of children's novels about the mystical and magical nanny Mary Poppins...
with illustrations by
Mary ShepardMary Shepard was an English illustrator, most well known for her illustrations of P. L. Travers' Mary Poppins....
. The film was directed by
Robert StevensonRobert Stevenson was an English film writer and director. He was educated at Cambridge University where he became the president of both the Liberal Club and the Cambridge Union Society....
and written by
Bill WalshBill Walsh was a film producer and screenwriter who primarily worked on live-action films for Walt Disney Productions...
and
Don DaGradiDon DaGradi was a Disney writer who started out as a layout artist on 1940s cartoons including "Der Fuehrer's Face" in 1943. He eventually moved into animated features with the film Lady and the Tramp in 1955. He also worked as a color and styling or sequence consultant on many other motion...
, with songs by
Richard M. ShermanRichard Morton Sherman is an American songwriter who specializes in musical film with his brother Robert Bernard Sherman....
and
Robert B. ShermanRobert Bernard Sherman is an American songwriter who specializes in musical films with his brother Richard Morton Sherman...
. It was shot at
Walt Disney StudiosThe Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, United States, serve as the international headquarters for media conglomerate The Walt Disney Company....
in
Burbank, CaliforniaBurbank is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The estimated population in 2007 was 107,921.Burbank is located in two distinct areas, with its downtown, civic center and key neighborhoods nestled on the slopes and foothills that rise to the Verdugo Mountains, and other areas...
.
Plot
The film begins with Mary Poppins (
Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
) perched on a cloud high above London in Spring 1910. The action descends to earth where Bert (Dick Van Dyke), a
CockneyThe term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
jack-of-all-trades is performing as a
one-man bandA one-man band is a musician who plays a number of musical instruments simultaneously using their hands, feet, limbs, and various mechanical contraptions. The simplest type of "one-man band" — a singer accompanying themselves on acoustic guitar and harmonica mounted in a metal "harp rack" below the...
at a park entrance, where he suddenly senses that his good friend is about to return. After the show, he breaks the "
Fourth wallThe fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play. The term also applies to the boundary between any fictional setting and its audience...
" and introduces the audience to the well-to-do but troubled Banks family, headed by the cold and aloof Mr. Banks (
David TomlinsonDavid Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson was an English film actor. He is primarily remembered for his roles as authority figure George Banks in Mary Poppins, fraudulent magician Professor Emelius Brown in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and as hapless antagonist Peter Thorndyke in The Love Bug.-Early life:Born...
) and the loving but highly distracted
suffragetteSuffragette is a term originally coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for the more radical and militant members of the late-19th and early-20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union...
Mrs. Banks (
Glynis JohnsGlynis Johns is a British stage and film actress, dancer, pianist and singer . With a career spanning seven decades, Johns is often cited as the "complete actress", who happens to be a trained pianist and singer...
).
The Banks' latest
nannyA nanny or childminder is a person who looks after the child or children of another family. Childminding differs from nannying in that a nanny goes to the house of the child in order to care for it; childminders look after the child in the childminder's home...
, Katie Nanna, quits out of exasperation after the Banks children, Jane (
Karen DotriceKaren Dotrice is a British actress known primarily for her role as Jane Banks in Walt Disney's feature film adaptation of the Mary Poppins book series. Dotrice was born in Guernsey to two accomplished stage actors...
) and Michael (
Matthew GarberMatthew Adam Garber was a British actor best known for his role as Michael Banks in Walt Disney's Mary Poppins...
) run off in pursuit of a wayward
kiteA kite is a flying tethered aircraft that depends upon the tension of a tethering system. The necessary lift that makes the kite wing fly is generated when air flows over and under the kite's wing, producing low pressure above the wing and high pressure below it. This deflection also generates...
. Mr Banks returns home from his job at a
bankA bank is a financial institution licensed by a government. Its primary activities include borrowing and lending money.Many other financial activities were allowed over time. For example banks are important players in financial markets and offer financial services such as investment funds...
, and Mrs Banks reveals the children are missing. A policeman arrives with the children, who ask their father to help repair their damaged kite, but he dismisses them and advertises for an authoritarian nanny-replacement. Jane and Michael draft their own advertisement asking for a fun, kind-hearted and caring person, but Mr. Banks tears up the paper and throws it in the fireplace. Unnoticed, the note's remains float up the chimney.
The next day there is a queue of old and disagreeable nanny candidates waiting at the door. However, a strong gust of wind literally blows the queue away, and Mary Poppins floats down with her umbrella to apply. Mr. Banks is stunned to see that this calmly defiant new nanny has responded to the children's ad despite the fact he destroyed it. As he puzzles, Mary Poppins employs herself and begins work.
The children face surprises of their own: Mary possesses a
bottomless carpetbagMagic satchel is a term often used in reference to computer role-playing games. It refers to the use of a character's inventory in the game, which can often contain more items than is physically possible for the character to carry , without any visible means to hold or transport them.A similar...
, and makes contents of the children's nursery come to life and tidy themselves. The trio then meet Bert in the park, where Mary uses one of his chalk pavement-drawings as a gateway to an outing in an animated countryside. The next day, they all visit Mary's jovial Uncle Albert, who floats whenever he laughs, and join him in a tea party in midair.
Mr. Banks grows uncomfortable with his children's stories of their adventures, but Mary effortlessly inverts his attempted dismissal of her services into a plan to take his children with him to the bank where he is employed. Mr. Dawes, Mr. Banks' extremely elderly employer, aggressively tries to persuade Michael to invest his money in the bank. When Michael protests, the other customers misunderstand, and start a
run on the bankA bank run occurs when a large number of bank customers withdraw their deposits because they believe the bank is, or might become, insolvent...
that forces the bank to suspend business. The children flee and wander into the
slumA slum, as defined by the United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the proportion of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
s of the
East End of LondonThe East End of London, known vernacularly as the East End, is the area of London, England, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames, although it is not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries...
. Fortunately, they run into Bert, now employed as a
chimney sweepA chimney sweep is a person who cleans chimneys for a living.-History:The occupation of chimney sweep is considered to be one of the oldest in the world, as chimneys have been around since ancient times, though it is only in the last two hundred years that the chimney has grown large enough to hold...
. He takes them safely home, explaining that their father does not hate them, but that he has problems of his own, and that unlike the children, has no-one to turn to but himself.
At home, a departing Mrs. Banks employs Bert to clean the family's chimney and mind the children. Mary Poppins arrives back from her day off and warns of the dangers of this activity, but is too late as the children are both sucked up the chimney to the roof. Bert and Mary follow them and lead a tour of the rooftops of London that concludes with a joyful dance with Bert's chimney-sweep colleagues. A volley of
fireworksA firework is a low explosive pyrotechnic device used primarily for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
from the Banks' eccentric neighbour, Admiral Boom, who thought London was being attacked by
HottentotsThe Khoikhoi or Khoi, in standardised Khoekhoe/Nama orthography spelled Khoekhoe, are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group, the native people of southwestern Africa, closely related to the Bushmen...
, sends the entire gathering back down the Banks' chimney. Mr. Banks arrives home, forcing Mary to conclude the festivities. Banks then receives a phone call from work ordering him to return immediately for disciplinary action. As Mr. Banks gathers his strength, Bert points out that while Mr. Banks does need to make a living, his offspring's childhood will come and go in a blink of an eye, and he needs to be there for them while he can. The Banks children approach their father to apologize, and Michael gives Mr. Banks his tuppence in the hope that it will make things all right. Banks gently accepts the offering.
A sombre and thoughtful Mr. Banks walks alone through the night-time streets. At the bank, he is formally humiliated and sacked for causing the first run on the bank since 1773 (it is stated that the bank supplied the money for the shipment of tea destroyed in the
Boston Tea PartyThe Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston, a town in the British colony of Massachusetts, against the British government. On December 16, 1773, after officials in Boston refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, a group of colonists boarded the ships and...
). However, after being at a loss when ordered to give a statement, Mr. Banks invokes Mary Poppins' all-purpose word "
SupercalifragilisticexpialidociousSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious is an English word, with 34 letters, that was in the song with the same title in the musical film Mary Poppins. The song was written by the Sherman Brothers, and sung by Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke...
!" to tweak Mr Dawes. He gives Dawes the tuppence, tells the old man one of Uncle Albert's jokes and raucously departs. Dawes mulls over the joke, finally "gets it" and floats up into the air, laughing...
The next morning, the winds have changed direction, and so Mary must depart. Meanwhile, the Banks adults cannot find Mr. Banks, and fear that he might have become suicidal. However, Mr. Banks, now loving and joyful, reappears with the now-mended kite and cheerfully summons his children. The greatly-relieved Mrs. Banks supplies a tail for the kite, using one of her suffragette ribbons. They all leave the house without a backward glance as Mary Poppins watches from a window. In the park with other kite-flyers, Mr. Banks meets Mr. Dawes Jr., who says that his father literally died laughing. Instead of being mournful, the son is delighted his father died happy, and re-employs Mr. Banks to fill the opening as partner.
Her work done, Mary Poppins takes to the air with a fond farewell from Bert.
Production history
The first book was the main basis for the
Walt DisneyWalter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the twentieth century. As the co-founder Walter Elias...
film
Mary Poppins, a musical with mixed
live actionIn film, theatre and video, live-action refers to works that are acted out by human actors, as opposed to by animation. As it is the norm, the term is usually superfluous, but it makes an important distinction in situations in which one might normally expect animation, as in a Pixar film, a video...
and
animationAnimation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. It is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in a number of ways...
which premiered on August 27, 1964. It was the Sherman Brothers, who composed the music and song score, and who were also involved in the picture's development, who suggested that the setting be changed from the 1930s to the Edwardian era.
Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
, who was making her movie acting debut after a successful stage career, got the prime role of Mary Poppins soon after she was passed over by
Jack WarnerJack Leonard "J.L." Warner , born Jacob Warner in London, Ontario, Canada, was the president and driving force behind the successful development of Warner Bros. Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California...
and replaced with
Audrey HepburnAudrey Hepburn was a British actress and humanitarian.Born in Ixelles as Audrey Kathleen Ruston, Hepburn spent her childhood chiefly in the Netherlands, including German-occupied Arnhem, Netherlands, during the Second World War...
for the role of Eliza Doolittle in his screen version of
My Fair LadyMy Fair Lady is a musical film adaptation of the Lerner and Loewe stage musical, My Fair Lady, based on the film adaptation of the stage play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. The ending and the ballroom scene are from the 1938 film Pygmalion rather than Shaw's original stage play...
, even though Andrews had originated the role on
BroadwayBroadway Theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, is the theatre associated with the 40 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York in Manhattan, New York City...
. Andrews later beat Hepburn for the Best Actress Awards in both the Golden Globes and Academy Awards for their respective roles.
Disney cast
Dick Van DykeRichard Wayne “Dick” Van Dyke is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer with a career spanning six decades...
in the key supporting role of Bert, thanks to his work on
The Dick Van Dyke ShowThe Dick Van Dyke Show is an American television sitcom which initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 and ran until June 1, 1966. The show was created by Carl Reiner and starred Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. A three-camera/studio audience format was used during production...
. Van Dyke also played the senior Mr. Dawes in the film. Although he is fondly remembered for this film, Van Dyke's attempt at a
CockneyThe term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
accent (lapsing out of it at times) was nonetheless widely ridiculed and is still frequently parodied. It is still often cited as one of the worst attempts at a British accent by an American actor, a fact acknowledged with good humour by Van Dyke himself on the 2004 DVD release of the film.
According to the 40th Anniversary DVD release of the film in 2004,
Walt DisneyWalter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the twentieth century. As the co-founder Walter Elias...
first attempted to purchase the film rights to
Mary Poppins from P.L. Travers as early as 1938 but was rebuffed because Travers did not believe a film version of her books would do justice to her creation. In addition, Disney was known at the time primarily as a producer of cartoons and had yet to produce any major live action work. For more than 20 years, Disney periodically made efforts to convince Travers to allow him to make a Poppins movie. He finally succeeded in 1961, although Travers demanded and got script approval rights. The process of planning the film and composing the songs took about two years. Travers objected to a number of elements that actually made it into the movie. Rather than original songs, she wanted the soundtrack to feature known standards of the
Edwardian periodThe Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910.The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son, Edward, marked the start of a new century and the end of the Victorian period...
in which the story is set. She also objected to the animated sequence. Disney overruled her, citing contract stipulations that he had final say on the finished print. Much of their correspondence is part of the Travers collection of papers in the
Mitchell LibraryThe Mitchell Library is a large public library and centre of the public library system of Glasgow, Scotland. It was established with a bequest from Stephen Mitchell, a wealthy tobacco manufacturer, whose company, Stephen Mitchell and Son, would become one of the constituent members of the Imperial...
of
New South WalesNew South Wales is Australia's most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria, south of Queensland and east of South Australia...
, Australia. The relationship between Travers and Disney is detailed in
Mary Poppins She Wrote, a biography of Travers, by Valerie Lawson. The biography is the basis for two documentaries on Travers,
The Real Mary Poppins and Lisa Matthews'
The Shadow of Mary Poppins.
A number of other changes were necessary to condense the story into feature length. In the movie, there are only two Banks children, Jane and Michael. The satirical and mysterious aspects of the original book gave way to a cheerful and "Disneyfied" tone. Mary Poppins' character as portrayed by Andrews in the film is somewhat less vain and more sympathetic toward the children than the rather cold and intimidating nanny of the original book. Bert, as played by Van Dyke, was a composite of several characters from Travers' stories. Travers demanded that any suggestions of romance between Mary and Bert be eliminated, so lyrics were written for "Jolly Holiday" that clearly indicated that their friendship was purely
platonicPlato's influence on Western culture was so profound that several different concepts are linked by being called "platonic" or Platonist, for accepting some assumptions of Platonism, but which do not imply acceptance of that philosophy as a whole....
(some subtle hints of romance remain, however).
As mentioned above, Van Dyke played two roles in the film. Andrews did at least three: she provided the
robinThe European Robin , also known as a ruddock, robinet, or simply robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
's whistling harmony during "A Spoonful of Sugar", and was also one of the
PearlyPearly Kings and Queens, known as pearlies, are an organised charitable tradition of working class culture in London, England.The practice of wearing clothes decorated with pearl buttons originated in the 19th century. It is first associated with Henry Croft; an orphan street sweeper who collected...
singers during "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".
David TomlinsonDavid Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson was an English film actor. He is primarily remembered for his roles as authority figure George Banks in Mary Poppins, fraudulent magician Professor Emelius Brown in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and as hapless antagonist Peter Thorndyke in The Love Bug.-Early life:Born...
, besides playing Mr. Banks, also provided the voice of Mary's talking
umbrellaAn umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against precipitation or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun, and umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain...
as well as numerous other voice-over parts (including that of Admiral Boom's first mate). During the "Jolly Holiday" sequence, the three singing Cockney geese were voiced by
Marni NixonMarni Nixon is an American soprano renowned for dubbing the singing voices of featured actresses in well known movie musicals. This has earned her the sobriquet "The Ghostess with the Mostess", and also "The Voice of Hollywood"...
. (Nixon would later play one of Julie Andrews' fellow
nunA Nun, or also known as a Sister in some cases, is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s in
The Sound of MusicRodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music is a musical film directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews in the lead role. The film is based on the Broadway musical The Sound of Music, with songs written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and with the musical book written by the...
; she also provided the singing voice for
Audrey HepburnAudrey Hepburn was a British actress and humanitarian.Born in Ixelles as Audrey Kathleen Ruston, Hepburn spent her childhood chiefly in the Netherlands, including German-occupied Arnhem, Netherlands, during the Second World War...
in
My Fair LadyMy Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from professor Henry Higgins so that she can pass as a lady...
.)
Cast and characters
Mary Poppins
"
Practically perfect in every way". She comes down from the clouds in response to the Banks children's advertisement for a Nanny. She is not only firm in her use of authority, but kind and gentle as well (a major departure from the original books, in which the character was strict and pompous).
She was played by
Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
, who won a Best Actress Oscar award for the role.
Bert
Bert, portrayed by
Dick Van DykeRichard Wayne “Dick” Van Dyke is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer with a career spanning six decades...
, is a jack-of-all-trades and Mary's closest normal friend who is notable in that he is completely accustomed to her magic. Their interaction, such as in the song "Jolly Holiday", makes it clear they have known each other for a long time, and that this kind of story has repeated itself many times. When she sails away at the end of the film, he asks her not to stay away too long.
Bert has at least four jobs during the movie: a
one-man bandA one-man band is a musician who plays a number of musical instruments simultaneously using their hands, feet, limbs, and various mechanical contraptions. The simplest type of "one-man band" — a singer accompanying themselves on acoustic guitar and harmonica mounted in a metal "harp rack" below the...
, a sidewalk chalk artist (or "
screeverStreet painting, also commonly known as street art, is the activity of rendering artistic designs on pavement such as streets, sidewalks, and town squares with impermanent materials.-Origin:...
"), a
chimney sweepA chimney sweep is a person who cleans chimneys for a living.-History:The occupation of chimney sweep is considered to be one of the oldest in the world, as chimneys have been around since ancient times, though it is only in the last two hundred years that the chimney has grown large enough to hold...
, and a kite seller. Bert also hints at selling hot chestnuts. His various street-vending jobs meet with mixed financial success, but he retains his cheery disposition.
Bert also indirectly assists Mary Poppins in her mission to save the Banks family, as he plays a key role in helping the Banks children and Mr. Banks to understand each other better.
Mr. Banks
George Banks, played by
David TomlinsonDavid Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson was an English film actor. He is primarily remembered for his roles as authority figure George Banks in Mary Poppins, fraudulent magician Professor Emelius Brown in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and as hapless antagonist Peter Thorndyke in The Love Bug.-Early life:Born...
, is Mary Poppins' employer. He works at the Dawes Tomes Mousley Grubbs
Fidelity Fiduciary Bank"Fidelity Fiduciary Bank" is a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins, and it is composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.It is a song sung by the stodgy old bankers, led by the "Elder Mr. Dawes" , to the two children Jane and Michael, in the bank. It is sung in an attempt to get...
in the
City of LondonThe City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, and lives at 17 Cherry Tree Lane with his wife, Winifred, and their children. He is a driven and disciplined man (he could be called a "
Type A personalityThe Type A and Type B personality theory is a personality type theory that describes a pattern of behaviors that were once considered to be a risk factor for coronary heart disease...
" by modern standards) who callously dismisses the
women's suffrageWomen's suffrage is the right of women to vote, and historically includes the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending suffrage to women. The movement's modern origins lie in France in the 18th century. Of currently existing independent countries, New Zealand was the first to give...
movement and tends to treat his children, wife, and servants as
assetIn business and accounting, assets are economic resources owned by business or company. Anything tangible or intangible that one possesses, usually considered as applicable to the payment of one's debts is considered an asset. Simplistically stated, assets are things of value that can be readily...
s rather than persons — a fact clearly evidenced in his song "
The Life I Lead"The Life I Lead" is a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins, and it is composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. Academy Award winning music arranger, Irwin Kostal used the theme from this song as the leit motif of the protagonist, "George Banks" as it most expresses the way he...
". By the end of the movie, Mr. Banks'
attitudeMoral character or character is an evaluation of a particular individual's moral qualities. The concept of character can imply a variety of attributes including the existence or lack of virtues such as integrity, courage, fortitude, honesty, and loyalty, or of good behaviors or habits...
towards his family, his job, and Mary Poppins herself has changed dramatically.
Melodies in the score punctuate the children's need for their father's attention and love, and most of the dramatic tension in the film involves his journey from disconnected family autocrat to fully engaged family man.
According to the Special Edition Soundtrack Bonus Disc, Mary Poppins was George's own nanny when he was a child. Travers intended to have the script hint this strongly in a few places, but it was largely left out of the movie, except for the following words in Bert's opening song, "
Can't put me finger on what lies in store. .. But I feel what's to 'appen, all 'appened before. ..!" and George's own statement to the elder Mr. Dawes that "Poppins" was "my nanny". However, in Banks' initial interview with Mary Poppins, there is little or no indication that the two have ever met before, and his description of her as "my nanny" could easily be meant in the same way as "my maid" or "my cook".
Mrs. Banks
Mrs. Winifred Banks, played by
Glynis JohnsGlynis Johns is a British stage and film actress, dancer, pianist and singer . With a career spanning seven decades, Johns is often cited as the "complete actress", who happens to be a trained pianist and singer...
, wife of George Banks and the mother of Jane and Michael. She is more fully developed in the movie than in the books. She is depicted as a member of
Emmeline PankhurstEmmeline Pankhurst was an English political activist and leader of the British suffragette movement, which won women the right to vote...
's
suffragetteSuffragette is a term originally coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for the more radical and militant members of the late-19th and early-20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union...
movement and appears to be so dedicated to the women's cause to the extent that she, like her husband, neglects the children. Her main outfit is a blue and orange Edwardian-style dress with a white and blue
sashA sash is a cloth belt used to hold a robe together, and is usually tied about the waist. The Japanese equivalent of a sash, obi, serves to hold a kimono or yukata together. Decorative sashes may pass from the shoulder to the hip rather than around the waist...
that reads "Votes for Women" in black letters. She wears white gloves in the film (as did most Edwardian English women). Her song in the movie is "
Sister Suffragette"Sister Suffragette" is the pro-suffrage protest song pastiche sung by Mrs. Winifred Banks in the 1964 Walt Disney film Mary Poppins. The melody of the song was originally used for a scrapped piece called "Practically Perfect". It was written and composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B...
," which she sings with the other two women of the
householdThe household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
staff.
She is more sensitive to the needs of the children than her husband is, but also finds herself starved for his attention. As with the children, it is clear she loves George very much, but he is too wrapped up in his view of the way things "ought to be" to return her love satisfactorily. She only refers to him by his name and "dear," which was common among Edwardian wives. (George addresses his wife by her name only, common among Edwardian husbands.) Mrs Banks was originally named "Cynthia," but this was quickly changed to the more "English-sounding" Winifred.
Mrs. Banks' four "Votes for Women" sashes from the movie have all survived. One can be seen being "pulled out" of
Richard M. ShermanRichard Morton Sherman is an American songwriter who specializes in musical film with his brother Robert Bernard Sherman....
's "special musicians' trunk" on the Musical Journey seen on the 2004 DVD release.
Mrs. Banks and
Mary PoppinsMary Poppins is a series of children's books written by P.L. Travers and originally illustrated by Mary Shepard. The books centre on a mysterious, vain and acerbic magical English nanny, Mary Poppins. She is blown by the East wind to Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane, London and into the Banks'...
never speak to each other in the movie. In the book, they do speak to one another.
The Banks children
While the Banks family in the original novel had four children, only Jane and Michael appear in the movie. They were played by
Karen DotriceKaren Dotrice is a British actress known primarily for her role as Jane Banks in Walt Disney's feature film adaptation of the Mary Poppins book series. Dotrice was born in Guernsey to two accomplished stage actors...
and
Matthew GarberMatthew Adam Garber was a British actor best known for his role as Michael Banks in Walt Disney's Mary Poppins...
. Katie Nanna's stormy departure suggests that the children are impossibly undisciplined, and they do demonstrate some evidence of this in their own advertisement for a new nanny, as they promise not to "hide her spectacles so she can't see, put toads in her bed or pepper in her tea" while smiling at each other in remembrance of jokes on former nannies. Once Mary Poppins arrives, the children come across as mostly sweet and innocent.
All they want is for their father to love them, and they have falsely interpreted his indifference to their needs as disliking them. They have tried to live up to his demands on them, which has only left them with shaky self-esteem. Those elements come together in a bit of dialogue early in the film, in which they explain that they did not run away from Katie Nanna, their kite took them away from her. They say that the kite is not very good,
because they made it themselves. They suggest to their father that if he could help them with it, it would turn out better. At that point, Banks is too wrapped up in his philosophy, that a British household should be run like a British bank, to take this strongest of hints.
After inadvertently causing a run on the bank, the children give their father their tuppence, expressing the hope that it will make things right. At that moment, Mr. Banks finally understands, and his priorities take a 180-degree turn, leading to the film's happy resolution.
Minor characters
- Ellen, the maid of the Banks residence. She hates having to look after the children, when there is no nanny available in the household. (Hermione Baddeley
Hermione Baddeley was a English character actress of theatre, film and television. She was nominated for an Academy Award.-Biography:...
)
- Mrs. Brill, the cook of the Banks residence. (Reta Shaw
Reta Shaw was a familiar American character actress best remembered as the housekeeper in the The Ghost & Mrs...
)
- Admiral Boom, the Banks's neighbor and a naval officer. He has his first mate, Mr. Binnacle, fire a cannon from his roof every 8:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. When those firings are about to happen, the attendants of the Banks shout "Posts, everyone!" and rush to keep fragile possessions from falling to the ground while the house rocks. The admiral is known for his punctuality. (Reginald Owen
Reginald Owen, or John Reginald Owen, was a British character actor known for playing in many film roles in British and American movies and later in television programs...
)
- Mr. Binnacle, Admiral Boom's first mate. He gets excited when he is ordered to give the cannon a double charge. (Don Barclay
Don Barclay was an American actor.He played the character Mr. Binnacle in the Disney film Mary Poppins.-Selected filmography:* That Little Band of Gold * Honky Donkey...
)
- Constable Jones (Arthur Treacher
Arthur Veary Treacher was an English actor born in Brighton, East Sussex, England.Treacher was a veteran of World War I. After the war, he established a stage career and in 1928, he went to America as part of a musical-comedy revue called Great Temptations...
)
- Katie Nanna, the disgruntled nanny who quits the Banks family. Mrs. Brill never liked her one bit, although Ellen begged her not to have her watch over the children alone. (Elsa Lanchester
Elsa Sullivan Lanchester was an English character actress with a long career in theatre, film and television....
)
- Mr. Dawes Sr., the elderly director of the bank where Mr. Banks works (Dick Van Dyke
Richard Wayne “Dick” Van Dyke is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer with a career spanning six decades...
); he literally dies laughing toward the end of the film.
- Mr. Dawes Jr., the director's son and member of the board (Arthur Malet
Arthur Malet is a Welsh actor.Malet was born in Lee-on-Solent, England; he was raised in Wales, and later emigrated to the United States. He started out on the stage, winning two Drama Desk Awards in 1957. He came to prominence in the 1960s on starring in films as characters much older than he...
)
- Uncle Albert, a jolly, portly gentleman who loves to laugh uncontrollably and floats up every time he does so (Ed Wynn
Ed Wynn was a popular American comedian and actor noted for his Perfect Fool comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a dramatic actor....
); it also happens to other characters in the movie.
- The bird woman (Jane Darwell
Jane Darwell was an American theater and film actress. With appearances in over 100 major motion pictures, Darwell is perhaps best-remembered for her portrayal of Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, for which she received the Academy Award for best supporting actress.-Early life:Born Patti Woodard to...
in her final film appearance)
- The fox (Dallas McKennon
Dallas R. McKennon was an American actor, sometimes credited as Dal McKennon, with extensive work as a voice actor.-Career:...
), the fox Bert saves in the animated sequence.
Songs
- Overture — Orchestral medley of several of the songs from the film, including "Feed the Birds", "A Spoonful of Sugar", "Chim Chim Cher-ee" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".
- "Jolly Holiday" — A few bars of the song, played by Dick Van Dyke
Richard Wayne “Dick” Van Dyke is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer with a career spanning six decades...
with his "one man band" gear.
- "Sister Suffragette
"Sister Suffragette" is the pro-suffrage protest song pastiche sung by Mrs. Winifred Banks in the 1964 Walt Disney film Mary Poppins. The melody of the song was originally used for a scrapped piece called "Practically Perfect". It was written and composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B...
" — Dick Van Dyke, Glynis JohnsGlynis Johns is a British stage and film actress, dancer, pianist and singer . With a career spanning seven decades, Johns is often cited as the "complete actress", who happens to be a trained pianist and singer...
, Hermione BaddeleyHermione Baddeley was a English character actress of theatre, film and television. She was nominated for an Academy Award.-Biography:...
and Reta ShawReta Shaw was a familiar American character actress best remembered as the housekeeper in the The Ghost & Mrs...
, with non-singing interruptions by Elsa LanchesterElsa Sullivan Lanchester was an English character actress with a long career in theatre, film and television....
. Initially heard in an a cappellaA cappella music is vocal music or singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato style...
rendition by Johns, just prior to singing the full, orchestra-accompanied song with the house staff; and a music-only version in the "Step in Time" sequence.
- "The Life I Lead
"The Life I Lead" is a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins, and it is composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. Academy Award winning music arranger, Irwin Kostal used the theme from this song as the leit motif of the protagonist, "George Banks" as it most expresses the way he...
" — David TomlinsonDavid Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson was an English film actor. He is primarily remembered for his roles as authority figure George Banks in Mary Poppins, fraudulent magician Professor Emelius Brown in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and as hapless antagonist Peter Thorndyke in The Love Bug.-Early life:Born...
(later reprised with Julie Andrews as "A British Bank".)
- "The Perfect Nanny
"The Perfect Nanny" is a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins, and it is composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. This song is heard at the beginning of the film, and its theme is heard through the film as a leitmotif for the children. It is sung by the characters of Jane Banks ...
" — Karen DotriceKaren Dotrice is a British actress known primarily for her role as Jane Banks in Walt Disney's feature film adaptation of the Mary Poppins book series. Dotrice was born in Guernsey to two accomplished stage actors...
and Matthew GarberMatthew Adam Garber was a British actor best known for his role as Michael Banks in Walt Disney's Mary Poppins...
- "A Spoonful of Sugar
"A Spoonful of Sugar" is a song from Walt Disney's film and the musical versions of Mary Poppins, composed by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman....
" — Julie Andrews (the 2004 DVD release reveals that Andrews also performed the bird's whistling during this number)
- "Jolly Holiday
"Jolly Holiday" is a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins. It was composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The song is sung in the film by Bert and Mary in the pastel fantasy sequence before reaching the carousel...
" — Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews, with Thurl RavenscroftThurl Arthur Ravenscroft was an American voice actor and singer known for his deep, booming voice. For 53 years, he was best-known as the voice of Tony the Tiger in more than 500 television commercials for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes.Ravenscroft was the vocalist of the song "You're a Mean One, Mr...
, Marni NixonMarni Nixon is an American soprano renowned for dubbing the singing voices of featured actresses in well known movie musicals. This has earned her the sobriquet "The Ghostess with the Mostess", and also "The Voice of Hollywood"...
, Paul FreesPaul Frees was an American voice actor and character actor.-Biography:Born Solomon Hersh Frees in Chicago, he began his acting career in 1942, and remained active for over forty years...
and others
- "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is an English word, with 34 letters, that was in the song with the same title in the musical film Mary Poppins. The song was written by the Sherman Brothers, and sung by Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke...
" — Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke with J. Pat O'MalleyJames Patrick O'Malley , was an English singer and character actor, who appeared in many American films and television programs during the 1940s–1970s, using the stage name J. Pat O'Malley...
and others
- "Stay Awake
"Stay Awake" a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins, and it is composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.A lullaby sung by Mary Poppins , to the two children Jane and Michael, on a night of rain and thunder...
" — Julie Andrews
- "I Love to Laugh
"I Love to Laugh" is a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins. It was composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The song is sung in the film by "Uncle Albert" , and "Bert" as they levitate uncontrollably toward the ceiling, eventually joined by Mary Poppins herself...
" — Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews and Ed WynnEd Wynn was a popular American comedian and actor noted for his Perfect Fool comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a dramatic actor....
- "Feed the Birds" — Julie Andrews (Walt Disney's favorite song from the score, and the leadoff melody in the overture)
- "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank
"Fidelity Fiduciary Bank" is a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins, and it is composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.It is a song sung by the stodgy old bankers, led by the "Elder Mr. Dawes" , to the two children Jane and Michael, in the bank. It is sung in an attempt to get...
" — Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson and others
- "Chim Chim Cher-ee
"Chim Chim Cher-ee" is the Oscar winning song from Mary Poppins, the 1964 musical motion picture. It was originally sung by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. "Chim Chim Cher-ee" is also featured prominently in the award winning Cameron Mackintosh/Disney stage musical of the same name which...
" — Performed several times with different lyrics by Dick Van Dyke; also performed by Van Dyke with Julie Andrews, Karen Dotrice, and Matthew Garber (won the Academy Award for Best Original Song)
- "Step in Time
"Step in Time" is a song and dance number from Walt Disney's 1964 film Mary Poppins, and it is composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The choreography for this song was provided by Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood...
" — Dick Van Dyke
- "A Man Has Dreams
"A Man Has Dreams" is a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins, written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The song melody is a slowed down version of "The Life I Lead" which serves as Banks' leit motif...
" — David Tomlinson and Dick Van Dyke. This is a slower-paced rendition of "The Life I Lead" which incorporates a modified version of "A Spoonful of Sugar".
- "Feed the Birds" — Orchestral and choral reprise, played over Mr. Banks's solitary walk to the bank at night.
- "Let's Go Fly a Kite
"Let's Go Fly A Kite" is a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins, composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. This song is heard at the end of the film when the story's protagonist, George Banks , realizes that his family is more important than his job. He mends his son's kite and...
" — Glynis Johns, David Tomlinson, Dick Van Dyke and others.
- Closing credits theme — Includes an instrumental reprise of "Spoonful of Sugar" followed by a choral reprise of "Let's Go Fly a Kite".
In 2004, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" was ranked #36 in the
American Film InstituteThe American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
's list of the
100 Greatest Songs in Movie History|Part of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's 100 Years…100 Songs is a list of the top 100 songs in American cinema. The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute June 22, 2004 in a CBS special hosted by John Travolta, who appeared in two films honored by the list, Saturday Night Fever and...
.
Deleted songs
A number of other songs were written for the film by the
Sherman BrothersThe Sherman Brothers are an Academy Award-winning American songwriting duo that specialize in musical films, made up of Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman ....
and either rejected or cut for time. Richard Sherman, on the 2004 DVD release, indicated that more than 30 songs were written at various stages of the film's development. No cast recordings of any of these songs have been released to the public, only demos or later performances done by the songwriters — with the exception of the rooftop reprise of "Chim-Chim-Cheree" and the "smoke staircase yodel" mentioned below.
- "The Chimpanzoo", was originally to follow "I Love to Laugh" during the Uncle Albert "ceiling tea party" sequence, but it was dropped from the soundtrack just before Julie Andrews and company were to record it. The fast-paced number was not unveiled to the public until Richard Sherman, aided by recently uncovered storyboard
Storyboards are graphic organizers such as a series of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence, including website interactivity....
s, performed it on the 2004 DVD edition. The re-creation suggests it was to have been another sequence combining animation and live action.
- "Practically Perfect" was intended to introduce Mary but instead the melody of the piece was used for "Sister Suffragette
"Sister Suffragette" is the pro-suffrage protest song pastiche sung by Mrs. Winifred Banks in the 1964 Walt Disney film Mary Poppins. The melody of the song was originally used for a scrapped piece called "Practically Perfect". It was written and composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B...
" (used to introduce Winifred (Mrs. Banks)). A different song with the same name was written for the stage musical.
- "The Eyes of Love", a romantic ballad, was intended for Bert and Mary, but according to Richard Sherman, Julie Andrews suggested privately to Disney that this song was not suitable. In response, "A Spoonful of Sugar" was written.
- "Mary Poppins Melody" was to be performed when Mary introduces herself to the children. Elements of the song later became part of "Stay Awake
"Stay Awake" a song from Walt Disney's film Mary Poppins, and it is composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.A lullaby sung by Mary Poppins , to the two children Jane and Michael, on a night of rain and thunder...
". The melody was the basis for a couple of other songs that were ultimately cut from the film.
- "A Name's a Name". Heard on a recording taken of a meeting between the Sherman Brothers and P.L. Travers, this song was originally intended for the nursery scene that later became "A Spoonful of Sugar." The melody was reused for "Mary Poppins Melody".
- "You Think, You Blink" was a short piece that Bert was to sing just before entering the chalk painting (and starting the "Jolly Holiday" sequence). In the film, Dick Van Dyke simply recites the lyric instead of singing it.
- "West Wind" was a short ballad to be sung by Mary. The song was later retitled "Mon Amour Perdu" and used in the later Disney film, Big Red
Big Red is a 1962 American family-oriented adventure film from Disney Studios. Based on a 1945 novel by American author Jim Kjelgaard and adapted to the screen by American screenwriter Louis Pelletier, the film starred Walter Pidgeon....
.
- "The Right Side
"The Right Side" is a song from the Welcome to Pooh Corner Cable TV series which premiered in 1983 on the Disney Channel . The song was written by the Academy Award winning songwriting duo of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman...
" was to be sung by Mary to Michael Banks after he gets out of bed cranky. It was recycled for the Disney ChannelDisney Channel is a cable television channel specializing in television programming for children through original series and movies as well as third party programming. It is marketed to mostly children; however, in recent years the diversity of viewers has increased with an older audience,...
television series, Welcome to Pooh CornerWelcome to Pooh Corner was a live-action/puppet television series that aired on The Disney Channel, featuring the characters from the Winnie-the-Pooh universe portrayed by actors in human-sized puppet suits, except Roo, who was usually a traditional puppet....
as Winnie the Pooh's personal theme song.
- "Measure Up" was to accompany the scene in which Mary takes the tape measure
A tape measure or measuring tape is a flexible form of ruler. It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fiber glass, or metal strip with linear-measurement markings. It is a common measuring tool. Its flexibility allows for a measure of great length to be easily carried in pocket or toolkit and...
to Jane and Michael.
- "Admiral Boom" was to be the theme song for the cannon
A cannon is any tubular piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellants to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
-firing neighbor of the Banks Residence, but it was cut by Walt Disney as being unnecessary. The melody of the song remains in the film, and the bombastic theme is heard whenever Boom appears onscreen. One line from this song ("The whole world takes its time from GreenwichGreenwich is a district in south-east London, England, on the south bank of the River Thames in the London Borough of Greenwich. It is best known for its maritime history and as giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time.The town became the site of a Royal palace, the...
, but Greenwich, they say, takes its time from Admiral Boom!") is spoken by Bert early in the film.
- "Sticks, Paper and Strings" was an early version of "Let's Go Fly a Kite."
- "Lead the Righteous Life", an intentionally poorly-written hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word hymn derives from Greek , "a song of praise"...
, was to have been sung by Katie Nanna (Elsa LanchesterElsa Sullivan Lanchester was an English character actress with a long career in theatre, film and television....
) along with Jane and Michael prior to Mary Poppins' arrival. The melody was later reused for a similar song in The Happiest MillionaireThe Happiest Millionaire is a 1967 musical film, based upon the true story of Philadelphia millionaire Anthony J. Drexel Biddle. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Costume Design by Bill Thomas. The musical song score is by Robert and Richard Sherman...
- "The Pearly Song" was not deleted per se but was instead incorporated into "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".
The Compass Sequence, a precursor to "Jolly Holiday", was to be a multiple-song sequence. A number of possible musical components have been identified:
- "South Sea Island Symphony"
- "Chinese Festival Song"
- "Tim-buc-too" — elements of this were reused for "The Chimpanzoo" which was also cut
- "Tiki Town" — the melody was reused for "The Chimpanzoo"
- "North Pole Polka"
- "Land of Sand" — later rewritten as "Trust in Me
"Trust in Me " is a song in the widely popular Walt Disney film, The Jungle Book, from 1967. The song was sung by Sterling Holloway playing the part of "Kaa, the snake". The song was written by Disney staff songwriters, Robert and Richard Sherman. In the song, Kaa hypnotizes Mowgli, placing him...
" for the animated version of The Jungle BookThe Jungle Book is a American animated feature produced by Disney Animation Studios. Released on October 18, 1967, it is the 19th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It was inspired by the stories about the feral child Mowgli from the book of the same name by Rudyard...
- "The Beautiful Briny
"The Beautiful Briny" is a song written by Robert and Richard Sherman, originally for the Walt Disney film Mary Poppins, but eventually used instead in the 1971 musical film production Bedknobs and Broomsticks. David Tomlinson and Angela Lansbury perform the song as a duet under the water, in the...
" — later used in Bedknobs and BroomsticksBedknobs and Broomsticks is a musical film produced by Walt Disney Productions which combines live action and animation and was released in North America on December 13, 1971...
- "East is East" — another variation on the unused "Mary Poppins Melody".
Deleted scores and music
- The "Step in Time" sequence ends with the chimney sweeps being scattered by an onslaught of fireworks
A firework is a low explosive pyrotechnic device used primarily for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
fired from Admiral Boom's house. In the final film, the scene plays out with sound effects and no music. The DVD release included the original version of the scene which was accompanied by a complex instrumental musical arrangement that combined "Step in Time", the "Admiral Boom" melody (see above), and "A Spoonful of Sugar". This musical arrangement can be heard on the film's original soundtrack.
- Andrews recorded a brief reprise of "Chim-Chim-Cheree" which was to have accompanied Mary, Bert, and the children as they marched across the rooftops of London (an instrumental reprise of "A Spoonful of Sugar" was used as a march instead; however, Andrews and Dick Van Dyke can still be seen and heard singing a reprise of "Chim-Chim-Cheree" in that sequence, just before the other chimney sweeps appear for the "Step in Time" number).
- The robin Mary Poppins whistles with in "A Spoonful of Sugar" originally sang a lyric as well.
- Andrews also recorded a brief yodel
Yodeling is a form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch from the vocal or chest register to the falsetto/head register; making a high-low-high-low sound...
which breaks into the first line of "A Spoonful of Sugar" which was to have been used to "activate" the smoke staircase prior to the "Step in Time" number. Although cut from the film, footage of Andrews performing this exists and was included on the 2004 DVD. The DVD also indicates that an alternate version of the yodel performed by Dick Van Dyke may also exist.
Academy Awards
The film received 13
Academy AwardsThe Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is...
nominations and won 5 awards. This makes
Mary Poppins the most Oscar-nominated Disney film in history.
- Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
-- Julie AndrewsDame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is a British film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours...
- Best Film Editing
- Original Music Score
- Best Song for "Chim Chim Cher-ee"
- Special Visual Effects
Nominated
- Best Art Direction (Color) -- Carroll Clark
Carroll Clark was an American art director. He was nominated for seven Academy Awards in the category Best Art Direction He worked on 173 films between 1927 and 1968....
, William H. TuntkeWilliam H. Tuntke was a art director. He was nominated for two Academy Awards in the category Best Art Direction.-Selected filmography:Tuntke was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Art Direction:* The Andromeda Strain...
, Emile KuriEmile Kuri was a Mexican-born American set decorator. He won two Academy Awards and was nominated for six more in the category Best Art Direction....
and Hal GausmanHal Gausman was an American set decorator. He was nominated for five Academy Awards in the category Best Art Direction.-Selected filmography:Gausman was nominated for five Academy Awards for Best Art Direction:* The Untouchables...
(My Fair LadyMy Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from professor Henry Higgins so that she can pass as a lady...
won)
- Best Cinematography (Color) (My Fair Lady won)
- Best Costume Design (Color) (My Fair Lady won)
- Best Director -- Robert Stevenson
Robert Stevenson may refer to:* Robert Stevenson , first head men's basketball coach at DePaul University* Robert Stevenson , Scottish lighthouse engineer...
(My Fair Lady won)
- Music (Scoring of Music—adaptation or treatment) (My Fair Lady won)
- Best Picture (My Fair Lady won)
- Best Sound (My Fair Lady won)
- Best Adapted Screenplay (Becket
Becket is a 1964 film adaptation of the play Becket or the Honour of God by Jean Anouilh made by Hal Wallis Productions and released by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Peter Glenville and produced by Hal B. Wallis with Joseph H. Hazen as executive producer. The screenplay was written by...
won)
Others
American Film InstituteThe American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
recognition
- 2004 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs
|Part of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's 100 Years…100 Songs is a list of the top 100 songs in American cinema. The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute June 22, 2004 in a CBS special hosted by John Travolta, who appeared in two films honored by the list, Saturday Night Fever and...
:
- "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is an English word, with 34 letters, that was in the song with the same title in the musical film Mary Poppins. The song was written by the Sherman Brothers, and sung by Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke...
" #36
- 2006 AFI's 100 Years of Musicals
Part of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals is a list of the top musicals in American cinema. The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute at the Hollywood Bowl on September 3, 2006...
#6
Box office performance
This film was the #1 moneymaker of 1965, earning a net profit of
$The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States. The U.S. dollar is normally abbreviated as the dollar sign, $, or as USD or US$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies and from others that use the $ symbol. It is divided into 100 cents .The U.S...
28,500,000.
The Sound of MusicRodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music is a musical film directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews in the lead role. The film is based on the Broadway musical The Sound of Music, with songs written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and with the musical book written by the...
was #2 with $20,000,000;
GoldfingerGoldfinger is the third spy film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. The film stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title character. The film was...
was #3 at $19,700,000; and
My Fair LadyMy Fair Lady is a musical film adaptation of the Lerner and Loewe stage musical, My Fair Lady, based on the film adaptation of the stage play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. The ending and the ballroom scene are from the 1938 film Pygmalion rather than Shaw's original stage play...
was #4 at $19,000.000.
Home video releases
Mary Poppins was first released in the Early 1980s on
VHSVideo Home System, better known by its abbreviation VHS, was a video tape recording standard developed during the 1970s. It was released to the public during the latter half of the decade. During the late part of the 1970s and the early 1980s it formed one-half of the VHS vs Betamax war, which it...
and
laserdiscThe Laserdisc is an obsolete home video disc format, and was the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially marketed as Discovision in 1978, the technology was licensed and sold as Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Videodisc, Laservision, Disco-Vision, DiscoVision, and MCA...
. In 1994, it was re-released as part of the
Walt Disney Masterpiece CollectionThe Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection was a line of VHS videos and Laserdiscs released by Walt Disney Home Video from 1994 to 1999. The Spanish counterparts began selling in 1995....
. In 1998, this movie became Disney's first
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
. Two years later, it was released on
VHSVideo Home System, better known by its abbreviation VHS, was a video tape recording standard developed during the 1970s. It was released to the public during the latter half of the decade. During the late part of the 1970s and the early 1980s it formed one-half of the VHS vs Betamax war, which it...
and DVD as part of the Gold Classic Collection. In 2004, it had a 2-Disc DVD release in a Digitally Restored 40th Anniversary Edition. On January 27, 2009, the film was released on DVD again as a 45th anniversary edition.
The Cat That Looked at a King
In 2004, Julie Andrews appeared in a
live-action/animatedA live-action/animated film is a motion picture that features a combination of real actors or elements: live-action and animated elements, typically interacting....
short that was produced by
DisneyToon StudiosDisneyToon Studios is an American animated direct-to-video sequel production company and a division of Walt Disney Animation Studios.DisneyToon Studios Australia and DisneyToon Studios France , formerly known as Disney Television Animation Australia and Disney Television Animation France,...
for the 40th Anniversary DVD release of the 1964 film. Entitled
The Cat That Looked at a King, the film was based upon part of the P.L. Travers book
Mary Poppins Opens the DoorMary Poppins Opens the Door is the third children's novel by author P.L. Travers to feature the magical English nanny Mary Poppins. It was published in 1943 by Harcourt, Brace & World, Incorporated and illustrated by Mary Shepard and Agnes Sims....
and could be seen as something of a sequel or followup to the movie. The film was offered to The Answer Studio, which is partly made up of former employees of Walt Disney Animation (Japan), to be their first project. President Motoyoshi Tokunaga says that 20 artists/animators worked on the film for a period of three months.
The film opens in the modern day with two British children looking at chalk drawings at the same location where Bert did his artwork in the original movie (the set was recreated, down to the last detail using the originals, according to Julie Andrews). Andrews, dressed in modern clothes, greets the children and takes them into the chalk drawing where they watch the tale unfold. A cat (Tracy Ullman) comes into the presence of a king (
David Ogden StiersDavid Ogden Stiers is an American actor, voice actor, and musician, noted for his role in the television sitcom M*A*S*H as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III and the science fiction drama The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy...
) who loves the facts and figures of the world more than anything else. This includes his wife, the Queen (
Sarah FergusonSarah, Duchess of York , is a charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family...
). The Cat and the King challenge each other to three questions each: if the Cat wins, she gets the kingdom but if the King wins, he will become the smartest man in the universe. The Cat wins all her questions whilst the King wins none. When the King tells them he does not know who he is anymore, the Cat shows an image of him dancing with the Queen. She declines her prize and is given a brooch as a token of thanks by the Queen. The children and Andrews return to the park entrance where Mary declines that she took them into the painting, as she did in the film. The Prime Minister was also voiced by David Ogden Stiers.
Whether Andrews is playing a modern-day Mary Poppins or not is left to the viewer's imagination, although some sources identify Andrews' character as Mary Poppins. The shadow of Mary Poppins can also be seen when she looks down at the live action cat towards the end.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443733/combined
An orchestral reprise of Feed the Birds is heard to open the film and another reprise of Jolly Holiday is heard at the end. Quotes from the film such as Mary's catchphrase "Spit-spot!" and "I have no intention of making a spectacle of myself, thank you" are also featured. She also says "A respectable person like me in a painting? How dare you suggest such a thing!" which parodies "A respectable person like me in a horse race? How dare you suggest such a thing!" which she said when Jane and Michael told her of their adventure in Bert's chalk picture in the film.
Miscellany
- The Penguins from Mary Poppins can regularly be seen on the TV Show Disney's House of Mouse
Disney's House of Mouse is an American animated television series, produced by Walt Disney Television, that originally aired from 2001 to 2003.-Premise:...
. They reappear in 1988's Who Framed Roger RabbitWho Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis, produced by Steven Spielberg and based on Gary K. Wolf's novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit?. It was released by Walt Disney Pictures, under the Touchstone banner and co-produced by Amblin Entertainment...
, serving patrons at the Ink & Paint Club (one of the many character-related anachronismAn anachronism—from the Greek ανά and χρόνος —is an error in chronology, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other...
s in the film, which was set in 1947, seventeen years before the release of Mary Poppins).
- In a poll conducted by Channel 4 (UK TV channel) in 2003, Mary Poppins was voted the 5th best musical of all time.
- Mary Poppins, Bert, and the penguins appear at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
as costumed characterright|200px|thumb|Millie, once costumed character mascot of the [[Brampton, Ontario|City of Brampton]] in [[Ontario]], [[Canada]], is now the [[Brampton Arts Council]]'s representative....
s.
- At the world premiere of the film, a fundraiser was held for the opening of California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, California, in Los Angeles County, California. CalArts is authorized by the state of California to grant Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts in the visual, performing, and literary arts...
in Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
.
In popular culture
- The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
episode "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious"Simpsoncalifragilisticexpialacious", also known as Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala-D'oh-cious is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons
' eighth season and originally aired February 7, 1997...
" heavily parodies the movie. Plus, a Special Feature on the Simpsons Movie DVD includes a reference; When American IdolAmerican Idol is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent, created by Simon Fuller. It debuted on June 11, 2002 on the Fox network, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television...
's Simon CowellSimon Phillip Cowell is an English television personality, A&R executive, television producer, and entrepreneur. He is famous in the United Kingdom and in the United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, American Idol, The X Factor, and Britain's Got Talent...
is being judged on his vocal performance by the Simpsons, Homer heavily criticises him: "Lose the accent, Mary PoppinsMary Poppins is a series of children's books written by P.L. Travers and originally illustrated by Mary Shepard. The books centre on a mysterious, vain and acerbic magical English nanny, Mary Poppins. She is blown by the East wind to Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane, London and into the Banks'...
! This is American Idol!"
- In a Season 34 sketch on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a weekly late-night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975, under a slightly different title. The show features a regular cast of comedy actors, joined by a guest host and musical act...
, Anne HathawayAnne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the 1999 television series Get Real, but her first prominent role was in Disney's family comedy The Princess Diaries , which established her career.She continued to appear in family films over the next three years, with...
played Mary Poppins in a parody that included Bill HaderWilliam "Bill" Hader is an Emmy- and Peabody award-winning American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and repertory player on Saturday Night Live...
as Bert, Bobby MoynihanRobert "Bobby" Moynihan, Jr. is an American actor and comedian who is currently a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Career:...
and Casey WilsonCasey Rose Wilson is an American actress, comedienne and screenwriter known for her time as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Career:...
as the Banks children and Will ForteOrville Willis Forte IV, best known as Will Forte is an American actor, writer, and comedian.-Early life:Forte was born in Alameda County, California, the son of Patricia C. and Orville Willis Forte III. He was raised in Lafayette, California and graduated from Acalanes High School and UCLA with...
as an English policeman. The children ask what "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" means, and Mary Poppins responds that it is a fatal sexually transmitted diseaseA sexually transmitted disease , also known as sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans or animals by means of sexual contact, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
of the liverThe liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals; it has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
.
- In the The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents is an American animated television series created by Butch Hartman about the adventures of Timmy Turner, who is granted fairy parents named Cosmo and Wanda. The series started out as cartoon segments that ran from September 4, 1998 to March 23, 2001...
episode "Remy Rides Again", after Remy sends Vicky into space, Timmy's new babysitter is Susie Califragilistic, and her personality (and name) is an obvious parody of Mary Poppins (and SupercalifragilisticexpialidociousSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious is an English word, with 34 letters, that was in the song with the same title in the musical film Mary Poppins. The song was written by the Sherman Brothers, and sung by Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke...
). Also, in the episode "No Substitute For Crazy", the substitute teacher Ms. Sunshine is a parody of Mary Poppins herself, along with all the variations of SupercalifragilisticexpialidociousSupercalifragilisticexpialidocious is an English word, with 34 letters, that was in the song with the same title in the musical film Mary Poppins. The song was written by the Sherman Brothers, and sung by Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke...
used in the episode by Ms. Sunshine and Cosmo.
- The film Run Ronnie Run
Run Ronnie Run is a movie spin-off from the HBO sketch comedy show Mr. Show. The recurring character Ronnie Dobbs is the focal point of the movie...
has a short segment parodying the rooftop chimneysweep dance.
- The show MADtv
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licenses the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise has no connection with the humor magazine outside of animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first TV...
(in Season 6) parodied the movie with Julie Andrews (played by Mo CollinsMaureen "Mo" Aniheim Collins is an American actress and comedian. Collins is perhaps best known for being a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series MADtv. She became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show...
) showing a cut scene where Mary Poppins hires illegal aliensIllegal Aliens is a 2007 movie starring Anna Nicole Smith and Joanie Laurer. This comedy/science-fiction film is made in the mold of classic 1980s B-movies. Hitting stores on May 1, 2007, the release of the movie was pushed back following the death of Smith in February 2007 and it is her final film...
to do the house work. "Just a Few Illegal Aliens (Helps the Housework Get Done)" is a parody of "A Spoonful of Sugar."
- At the Frontierland
Frontierland is one of the "themed lands" at the many Magic Kingdom-style parks run by Disney around the world. Themed to the American west in the 1800s, Frontierlands are home to cowboys and pioneers, saloons, red rock buttes and gold rushes. Every instance of Frontierland has a Big Thunder...
Train Station in Walt Disney World, according to "The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdom," there is a wooden leg with the name "Smith" written on it, a reference to a joke made by Bert and Uncle Albert at the floating tea party.
- In a Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television sitcom, created by Seth MacFarlane, for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family which consists of Peter, Lois, Meg, Chris, Stewie, and their pet dog Brian...
episode, Peter Griffin mentions that he used to have a job as a nanny, which is then followed by a cutaway scene showing two children, highly resembling Jane and Michael Banks, discussing what their new nanny will be like, before Peter falls through the ceiling dressed as Mary Poppins and holding an umbrella, killing the children.
- In the BBC sitcom Beautiful People
Beautiful People is a British comedy drama television series based on the memoirs of Barneys creative director Simon Doonan. The first of six episodes aired on BBC Two on 2 October 2008. The series takes place in Reading, Berkshire in 1997, with short prologues and epilogues set in New York City in...
episode How I Got My Globe Simon Doonan decided to get a nanny and is also a fan of Mary Poppins. As he met his new English teacher at school, in which he thought acted like Mary Poppins, he imagines her as his idol.
- In the Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is an American animated television series created and produced at Cartoon Network Studios by animator Craig McCracken. It first premiered on Cartoon Network on August 13, 2004, as a 90-minute television movie, which led to a series of half-hour episodes...
movie Destination Imagination, a Mary Poppins parody briefly flies in using an umbrella at one point, saying, "Just a teaspoon of cinnamon!" before having the door slammed in her face.
- In the Flash RPG Sonny 2, the protagonist is called Mary Poppins by a character in game.
- In the comic The Sandman, the character of Death
Death is a fictional character from the DC comic book series, The Sandman . The character first appeared in The Sandman vol. 2, #8 , and was created by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg....
cites Mary Poppins as one of her favorite movies, specifically referencing Dick Van Dykes accent and quoting Mr. Dawes Sr. by saying that when you feed the pigeons, you end up with fat pigeons. She also tries to explain Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious to her brother, DreamDream is the fictional protagonist of DC Comics' Vertigo comic book series The Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman.One of the seven Endless, inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, all that is not in reality...
.
- In the television series Arrested Development, the character of Tobias, dressed as the nanny Mrs. Featherbottom, jumps from a second story landing, attempting to float under an umbrella.
See also
- Mary Poppins (musical)
Mary Poppins is a Walt Disney Theatrical musical based on the similarly-titled series of children's books by P. L. Travers and the Disney 1964 film. The West End production opened in December 2004 and received two Olivier Awards, one for Best Actress in a Musical and the other for Best Theatre...
by Disney Theatrical
- Films considered the greatest ever
External links