Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney, with songs written and composed by the Sherman Brothers. The screenplay is by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, based on P. L. Travers's book series Mary Poppins. The film, which combines live-action and animation, stars Julie Andrews in her feature film debut as Mary Poppins, who visits a dysfunctional family in London and employs her unique brand of lifestyle to improve the family's dynamic. Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, and Glynis Johns are featured in supporting roles. The film was shot entirely at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, using painted London background scenes.
Mary Poppins was released on August 27, 1964, to critical acclaim and commercial success, grossing $31 million in its original domestic run. It became the highest-grossing film of 1964, and at the time of its release, was Disney's highest-grossing film ever. During its theatrical lifetime, it grossed over $103 million worldwide. It received a total of 13 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture—a record for any film released by Walt Disney Studios—and won five: Best Actress for Andrews, Best Film Editing, Best Original Music Score, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Song for "Chim Chim Cher-ee". It is considered Walt Disney's crowning live-action achievement, and is the only one of his films to earn a Best Picture nomination during his lifetime. In 2013, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
A biographical drama based on the making of the film, Saving Mr. Banks, was released on October 20, 2013. A sequel, Mary Poppins Returns, was released on December 19, 2018.
Plot[]
In the spring of 1910, Winifred Banks returns to her home in London after a suffragette rally ("Sister Suffragette") and learns that her children's babysitter, Katie Nanna, has quit after the children, Jane and Michael, ran away "for the fourth time this week". Winifred's strict, ambitious husband, George, returns home from his job at the bank ("The Life I Lead"). Constable Jones brings the children home and reveals they were chasing after a lost kite. The children ask George to help them make a better kite, but he dismisses them. George puts an advertisement in the newspaper for a stern, no-nonsense nanny. In contrast, Jane and Michael present their own advertisement for a kind, sympathetic nanny ("The Perfect Nanny"). Winifred strongly agrees with the children. However, George rips up the letter and throws the scraps in the fireplace, but a strong wind draws the scraps up through the chimney and into the sky.
The next day, multiple sour-faced nannies wait outside the Banks family's home, but a strong gust of wind blows them away. Jane and Michael then witness a young woman using an umbrella as a parachute to gracefully descend from the sky. The woman goes to the Banks family's home and introduces herself as Mary Poppins. To George's shock, Mary is holding the children's advertisement, and the scraps have been put back together. Mary agrees with the advertisement's requests but promises George that she will be firm with his children. Mary hires herself and convinces George it was originally his idea. Mary helps the children magically tidy their nursery ("A Spoonful of Sugar").
While walking outside, the trio encounters Mary's friend Bert, a jack of all trades working as a street painter; Mary transports the group into one of Bert's drawings. While the children ride on a carousel, Mary and Bert sing while strolling ("Jolly Holiday"), and Bert flirts with Mary. Mary then enchants the carousel horses to move on their own. Bert rescues a fox from a fox hunt. Bert and Mary take part in a horse race, which Mary wins. Describing her victory, Mary uses a nonsense word ("Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"). When a thunderstorm dissolves Bert's drawings, the group is returned to London. While putting the children to bed, Mary calmly sings a lullaby ("Stay Awake").
The next day, the trio and Bert meet Mary's odd Uncle Albert, whose uncontrollable laughter has caused him to float ("I Love to Laugh"). When Albert and Bert begin discussing a sad topic, Mary leaves with Jane and Michael. George becomes annoyed by the household's cheery atmosphere and threatens to fire Mary. She persuades him to take the children to his workplace. That evening, Mary sings a lullaby about a woman who sells bird food on the steps of the St. Paul's Cathedral ("Feed the Birds"). The next day at the bank, the children meet George's boss, the elderly Mr. Dawes Sr., who advises Michael to invest his tuppence in the bank, ultimately taking his coin ("Fidelity Fiduciary Bank"). Michael demands it back; other customers overhear the conflict, and they all begin demanding their own money back, causing a bank run.
Jane and Michael flee the bank and get lost in the East End of London. Bert, now working as a chimney sweep, escorts them home ("Chim Chim Cher-ee"). The three and Mary venture onto the rooftops, where they dance with other chimney sweeps ("Step in Time"). George and Winifred return home to find Bert's friends dancing in their home; George sends them away. George then receives a phone call from the bank, requesting a meeting with him regarding Michael's actions. The children overhear the phone call and become concerned. Bert advises George to spend more time with Jane and Michael before they grow up ("A Man Has Dreams"). Michael gives George the tuppence, hoping to make amends. George walks through London to the bank, where he is given a humiliating cashiering. Lost for words, he exclaims "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," tells a joke Uncle Albert had told the children, and happily heads home. When Mr. Dawes Sr. understands the joke, he floats up into the air, laughing.
The next day, Mary Poppins tells the children she must leave. George mends his children's kite and takes the family out to fly it. At the park, the family encounters Mr. Dawes Sr.'s son, Mr. Dawes Jr., who reveals that his father died laughing at the joke ("Let's Go Fly a Kite"). Mr. Dawes Jr. says his father had never been happier and gratefully re-employs George as a junior partner. Mary watches the family and decides her work is done. As Mary flies away, Bert looks up and says, "Goodbye, Mary Poppins. Don't stay away too long."
Cast[]
Live-action cast[]
- Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins, a magical and loving woman who descends from the clouds in response to the Banks children's advertisement for a nanny. She is firm in her use of authority but gentle and kind as well, a major departure from the original books, in which the character was more stern and pompous.
- Dick Van Dyke as Bert, a cockney jack-of-all-trades and Mary Poppins' closest friend, who is completely accustomed to her magic. Their playful interactions imply that they have known each other for a long time and that this kind of story has repeated itself many times. Bert has at least four jobs throughout the film: a one-man band, a sidewalk chalk artist, a chimney sweep, and a kite seller.
- Van Dyke also portrays Mr. Dawes Sr., the old director of the bank where Mr. Banks works. During the film's end titles, "Navckid Keyd", an anagram of Dick Van Dyke, is first credited as playing the role before the letters unscramble to reveal Van Dyke's name.
- David Tomlinson as George Banks, Mary Poppins' employer and strict father of Jane and Michael. He works at the Dawes Tomes Mousley Grubbs Fidelity Fiduciary Bank in London. He is a driven and disciplined man.
- Glynis Johns as Winifred Banks, the easily distracted wife of George Banks and the mother of Jane and Michael. She is depicted as a member of Emmeline Pankhurst's "Votes for Women" suffrage movement. Mrs. Banks was originally named Cynthia, but this was changed to the more English-sounding Winifred per Travers.
- Hermione Baddeley as Ellen, the maid of the Banks residence
- Reta Shaw as Mrs. Brill, the cook of the Banks residence
- Karen Dotrice as Jane Banks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Banks and Michael's older sister
- Matthew Garber as Michael Banks, son of Mr. and Mrs. Banks and Jane's younger brother
- Elsa Lanchester as Katie Nanna, the disgruntled nanny who quits the Banks family
- Arthur Treacher as Constable Jones, a police officer
- Reginald Owen as Admiral Boom, the Banks' eccentric neighbor and a naval officer. He has his first mate, Mr. Binnacle, fire a cannon from his roof every 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- Ed Wynn as Uncle Albert, a jolly gentleman who suffers from an unknown condition where he floats in the air due to his uncontrollable laughter. Although he likes having company over, he becomes sad and cries when his guests have to leave and he falls back to the ground, since it is the inversion of laughing.
- Jane Darwell as the "Bird Woman", an old woman who sells breadcrumbs for the pigeons on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral
- This was Darwell's last acting role before she died in 1967.
- Arthur Malet as Mr. Dawes Jr., the director's son and member of the board
- James Logan as a doorman who chases after the children in the bank
- Don Barclay as Mr. Binnacle, Admiral Boom's first mate
- Alma Lawton as Mrs. Corry, an old shopkeeper of a gingerbread shop and mother of two very tall daughters
- Marjorie Eaton as Miss Persimmon
- Marjorie Bennett as Miss Lark, owner of the dog named Andrew, who frequently runs away
- Cyril Delevanti as Mr. Grubbs (uncredited)
- Lester Matthews as Mr. Tomes (uncredited)
- Betty Lou Gerson as old crone (uncredited)
- Kay E. Kuter as man in bank (uncredited)
- Doris Lloyd as depositor (uncredited)
- Queenie Leonard as depositor (uncredited)
Voice cast[]
- Julie Andrews as Robin, Pearly Violinist, and the Bird Woman
- Marc Breaux as Cow
- Daws Butler as Penguin Waiter, Turtles
- Peter Ellenshaw as Penguin Waiter ("And Jane")
- Paul Frees as Barnyard Horse
- Bill Lee as Ram
- Jimmy MacDonald as animals
- Sean McClory as Bloodhound, Reporter #4
- Dallas McKennon as Fox, Bloodhound, Penguin Waiter, Horse, Carousel Guard
- Alan Napier as Old Huntsman, Reporter #3, Bloodhound
- Marni Nixon as Geese
- J. Pat O'Malley as Bloodhound, Master of Hounds, Hunting Horse #2, Pearly Drummer, Pearly Tambourinist, Penguin Waiter, Photographer, Reporter #2
- George Pelling as Bloodhound, Reporter #1
- Thurl Ravenscroft as Hog
- Richard M. Sherman as Penguin Waiter, Male Pearly
- Robert B. Sherman as Pearly Banjo Player
- David Tomlinson as Penguin Waiter, Jockey, Race Track Stewards, Mary Poppins' Parrot Umbrella
- Ginny Tyler as the Lambs
- Martha Wentworth as Cockney Cow