Review of Mary Poppins (1964) by Tim G — 07 Oct 2011

Crammed with magical highlights, unforgettable songs and superlative performances MARY POPPINS was one of Walt Disney's greatest crowning achievements, earning five Academy Awards. One of these awards went to lead actress Julie Andrews, who has never been better as the "practically perfect" title character who literally swoops down from the sky to whisk two lonely children on a series of adventures.

One of these outings is an extensive live action/animated interlude in which Mary, the children, and her carefree friend Bert (Dick Van Dyke, who effectively manages to make his character similarly memorable in spite of an outrageous but strangely not offensive Cockney accent) go on a "jolly holiday", riding a horse race and engage in a song-and-dance number with cartoonish "backups.

" If you're worried about this sequence coming across as tacky, fear not: it comes across as seamless and engaging as every minute in the film. Also memorable is a stop-motion "toy cleaning" sequence and a lively rooftop musical number.

But MARY POPPINS is more than just a children's fantasy; it is also a surprisingly thoughtful tale of an estranged father (who spends most of his time as a banker, and little with his family) learning to reconnect with his children.

It is this central thread that keeps even the most "adult" of viewers intrigued. Indeed, by the time the film ends, one will definitely feel as though that special "spoonful of sugar" has made its mark.

And of course, there's the Sherman Brothers' songs, all of which are classic-material and impeccably performed by everyone involved. Most amazingly, the film holds up well even today, reminding one of a time when "extravaganza" events like this weren't just about CGI effects or slam-bang action.

There is a genuine heart to this "supercalifragilisticexpialidocioius" picture which ultimately makes its "showstoppers" engaging instead of superfluous. MARY POPPINS is quite a long film, clocking in at over 2 hours and 20 minutes, but that is hardly a detriment.

As mentioned, every second one spends watching this film is worth it.