Now, I'd seen Mary Poppins when I was a kid, but revisiting it just after It's a Wonderful Life draws a heck of a lot of connections between the two! Both are optimistic fantasies about frustrated bankers, where a wingless angel comes down from the sky to fix their problems, after all. And with my head full of Doctor Who, it's so hard not to see Mary as a Time Lady, with her bag that's bigger on the inside, and an obvious former companion in Bert (and the house staff keeps going on about the Master!). It's a piece of whimsy, to be sure, with plenty of memorable songs, crazy effects (some I don't even know how they could be achieved in 1964, plenty of expert roto-scoping, I expect) and laugh-out-loud moments. The wit is positively Wildean at times! The whimsy is for the kids, but the adults will recognize that it's about saving the father's soul, and in a sense, society's. One of the keys is the mom participating in the Suffragette movement, but not being quite so liberated in attitude. It's 1910, we're on the cusp of social change, and there's something symbolic in a woman upending a patriarchal world, imposing her rule, and changing the family's values. Has anyone written a thesis called "Mary Poppins and the End of the British Empire" yet?
Add your comment
Comments 1 - 13 of 13
marlarkey
Dick Van Dyke's accent :)Henry K Hurtin
The movie of my childhood...our neighbors had it on VHS. Loved going over to watch it...probably a hundred times.Rohit
I hate musicals and I loved thisSiskoid
Now, I'd seen Mary Poppins when I was a kid, but revisiting it just after It's a Wonderful Life draws a heck of a lot of connections between the two! Both are optimistic fantasies about frustrated bankers, where a wingless angel comes down from the sky to fix their problems, after all. And with my head full of Doctor Who, it's so hard not to see Mary as a Time Lady, with her bag that's bigger on the inside, and an obvious former companion in Bert (and the house staff keeps going on about the Master!). It's a piece of whimsy, to be sure, with plenty of memorable songs, crazy effects (some I don't even know how they could be achieved in 1964, plenty of expert roto-scoping, I expect) and laugh-out-loud moments. The wit is positively Wildean at times! The whimsy is for the kids, but the adults will recognize that it's about saving the father's soul, and in a sense, society's. One of the keys is the mom participating in the Suffragette movement, but not being quite so liberated in attitude. It's 1910, we're on the cusp of social change, and there's something symbolic in a woman upending a patriarchal world, imposing her rule, and changing the family's values. Has anyone written a thesis called "Mary Poppins and the End of the British Empire" yet?IreneAdler
A really enchanting, beautiful children's movie. Loved it when I was a kid!Rosenrotta
I've seen this movie close to 30 times. Always as enjoyable. Heck sometimes I even sing the songs aloud to the befuddlement of friends and family.Ozil911
this Movie certainley is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious :)Esnaider
hate the anti-feminism messagedanisanna
It's the world's most famous acid trip next to Alice In Wonderland but oh it's fabulous!Dieguito
movies grandmas like to watchtroggie7mtdew
I don't like musicals and I didn't like this.george4mon
so cheesynicolaskrizan
hasn’t contained its supercalifragilisticexpialidociousnesshttp://beyond1001movies.wordpress.com/2014/01/02/1143/