Mary Poppins 40th Anniversary (1964)

"...a crowning achievement... the kind of movie that will continue to play forever.   Leonard Maltin, The Disney Films
"It's more than just Disney's greatest live-action film ever. It's a truly perfect work of art.  At-A-Glance Film Reviews
"There's charm, wit, and movie magic to spare...A wonderful movie.  Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide
"Sheer delight--to the eye, the ear, the senses.  Newsweek
"Practically perfect in every way.  Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
"...as perfect a film musical as anyone would ever care to see...The blend of live action and animation is flawless...  The Motion Picture Guide

Editor's Note A magical, musical nanny brings a breath of fresh air into the stuffy Banks household in turn-of-the-century England. Overstuffed with gaiety, this children's fantasy is filled to the brim with wonderful dance numbers and outrageous songs (such as the seemingly unpronounceable "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"). The film's seamless blending of live-action with animation was a marvel in its day. This is Andrews' film debut and Darwell's last film appearance. Academy Award Nominations: 13, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best (Adapted) Screenplay. Academy Awards: 5, including Best Actress--Julie Andrews, Best Original Score, Best Song ("Chim Chim Cher-ee"), Best Editing, Best Special Visual Effects. Gold Collection Edition features "Hollywood Goes to a World Premiere."

	David Tomlinson
	Dick Van Dyke
	Ed Wynn
	Julie Andrews
	Bill Walsh - Producer
	Bill Walsh - Writer
	Don DaGradi - Writer
	Edward Colman - Director of Photography
	P.L. Travers - Based On The Books By
	Richard M. Sherman - Musical Score
	Robert B. Sherman - Musical Score
	Robert Stevenson - Director
	Walt Disney - Producer

Oscar-winning Disney musical about Mary Poppins, a British nanny with magical powers. She arrives at the home of the Banks family, and with her magical abilities transforms the lives of the entire clan. Mary's strongest influence is over the Banks' children, whom she introduces to a world of fantasy. Film features many classic songs, among them "Chim Chim Cheree." and "Supercalifragilisticexplialidocious." Premiere
"[T]he Poppins character was played to comely perfection by squeaky-clean Andrews, who won an Oscar." 04/01/2004 p.64

Entertainment Weekly
"[Andrews] openmouthed, eyebrow-cocked expressions became perfect embodiments of Mary's cheeky charm." 12/17/2004 p.66-7

Empire
"Mixing real-life action with animation to charming effect, it is still Julie Andrew's iconic performance that remains this film's cheeriest pleasure..." 03/01/2008 p.116

At-A-Glance Film Reviews 10 of 10
It's more than just Disney's greatest live-action film ever. It's a truly perfect work of art. If Ma

The Motion Picture Guide 10 of 10
...as perfect a film musical as anyone would ever care to see... The blend of live action and animat

Reel.com 9 of 10
Mary Poppins stands with The Wizard of Oz as one of the all-time great children's films, and one reason is certainly the memorable music. Richard and Robert Sherman won an Oscar for Best Original Score, which included that long and hard-to-spell word, Best Song winner "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Jolly Holiday," "Let's Go Fly a Kite," "I Love to Laugh," and Disney's personal favorite, "Feed the Birds"...Disney plucked Andrews off Broadway to star in her first film, a role she hesitated to accept because she was hoping to land the lead in My Fair Lady. Julie Andrews went on to beat out Audrey Hepburn for Best Actress that year; one fun extra shows her at the podium thanking the man who made it all possible: Jack Warner (who turned her down for the part of Eliza). In retrospect, Andrews was born to play Mary Poppins, just as she was made for the role of Maria in The Sound of Music, with its singing and similar lesson that life should be joyful...Like Peter Pan, Mary Poppins flies into London circa the early 1900s when children are in need of help. In this case, the super-nanny with magical powers answers an ad that two mischievous children placed. Jane and Michael Banks (Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber) have driven off every nanny so far, and their parents are too involved with work and the suffragette movement to give the children the attention they crave. Leave it to Mary Poppins to teach them how to behave and, with the help of chimney sweep/street artist Bert (Dick Van Dyke), show them how to cut loose and enjoy life?a lesson also learned by their parents, George (David Tomlinson) and Winifred (Glynis Johns). As with any "sweeping" epic or musical, some scenes go on a bit too long?the chimneysweep dance number approaches 15 minutes?but the magic is maintained throughout this classic, which, like its namesake, is practically perfect in every way. - James Plath

FilmCritic.com 8 of 10
Parents, you have a responsibility. Your kids should not know Julie Andrews just from the two Princess Diaries movies...Andrews is just perfect in the title role, a mystical nanny who literally falls from the London sky and into the lives of two lonely children in 1910. The kids desperately need some kind of attention. Their father (David Tomlinson) is a workaholic, brown-nosing banker, who treats his kids as two obstacles in keeping an orderly home. Mom (Glynis Johns) is no better, a dingbat who prefers supporting social causes to spending time with her kids. Funny how little things have changed, huh?...Mary Poppins certainly isn't timeless because of its periodic animation, which the crew at Pixar could probably put together on a lunch break. Simply put, every kid wants an adult who is their ally, who upon their arrival offers a world of magic and fun. Who is Mary Poppins, if not the perfect embodiment of that idea? She can make a room clean itself, enable snow globes to tell touching narratives, and make chalk drawings come to life. Kids will be floored by the magical possibilities. The movie's playful goofiness, courtesy of Van Dyke, Ed Wynn, and bouncy songs (which come one right after the other) will keep everyone glued to the set...Lessons are offered in Mary Poppins, but not in a way that'll have kids or adults rolling their eyes. In fact, the movie's educational stances are meant more for parents -- don't act so wrapped up in the material world, pay attention to your kids -- but in an amusing way that agrees with the movie's joyful tone. The message is clear: Everyone should take care of their jobs and responsibilities, but have fun as well. - Pete Croatto