Mary Poppins
(1964)
|
Embraced by millions around the world, Mary Poppins is one of Disney's most enchanting fantasies and the motion-picture hit that made "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" a household word! Julie Andrews, in her Oscar winning performance, stars as the loveable nanny who soars out of the skies and into the hearts of everyone she encounters. Toting a carpetbag full of magical adventures, Mary and her fun-loving sidekick Bert (Dick Van Dyke) deliver endless joy and suprises to a troubled family. Mary Poppins remains an unparalleled blend of animation and live action, complete with an Oscar winning musical score (Best Song for 'Chim Chim Cher-ee') |
This is easily the best of Disney's experiments in combining animation and live action, and one of the studio's best-loved films. The last feature overseen by Walt Disney before his death, it was nominated for 13 Oscars and scooped five, including best actress for Julie Andrews in her screen debut. She is splendid as the prim nanny who transforms the lives of her young charges through their visits to her charming fantasy world. Quite why Dick Van Dyke was not even nominated for his performance as Bert the chimney sweep remains a mystery, as his energy is one of the picture's main assets (though his cockney accent does leave something to be desired). Packed with unforgettable sequences, adorable cartoon characters and timeless songs, it's quite simply supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
Halliwell's Film Guide
Sporadically a very pleasant and effective entertainment for children of all ages, with plenty of brightness and charm including magic tricks, the mixing of live with cartoon adventures, and just plain fun. It suffers, however, from a wandering narrative