Mary Poppins is a
Disney classic about a nanny who flies around London and gets caught up in crazy-fun, acid-trip-like adventures. Damn, guess I missed out as a kid. Nominated for 13 Academy Awards after its 1964 release, it's definitely a product of the times (you were wondering why England seemed a little Haight-Ashbury?).
Mary Poppins mixes a traditional warm-fuzzy-feelings story about family unity with trippy pink-horses-on-clouds type stuff. Today's animated
Pixar movies are all well and good, but have any recent movies successfully fused animation and real people the way Mary Poppins did? No, didn't think so. Here are fifteen of the greatest moments from this awesome Disney classic.
At the start of the movie, Jane and Michael's old nanny quits because she gets tired of the little brats/grumpy dad combo. Future advertising execs Jane and Michael pitch a revolutionary ad for a new nanny, much to the dismay of their father, Mr. Banks: "have a cheery disposition. Rosy cheeks, no warts. Play games, all sorts." Daddy, not recognizing their true talent, rips up the ad and dramatically throws it into the fire. But, as a testament to the power of sheer talent, the smoke floats up into the sky as Mary Poppins floats down with her umbrella...
The Chimney Sweep Night Club
Loads of catchy songs in the classic Disney style we all know and love puts this scene on the list. After a huge fiasco at their father's bank (more on that later) Jane and Michael need a little pick-me-up. Not the kind you're thinking of; these are kids, remember? Bert the chimney sweep takes the children to explore the chimney sweep world. They discover that chimney sweeps have some kind of secret dance club at night, where they all come together on the rooftops of London and do a coordinated dance routine to 'step in time.' Now that's what I call a party.
Bert has a strange drum/guitar/cymbals contraption known as a 'one man band' which he carries with him, making music as he goes. I've really got to find one of these on craigslist. Sure, it actually sounds like banging a frying pan against a wall, but it looks cool. Bert's nice guy charm really endears the audience in this scene (despite Dick Van Dyke's terrible British accent). Though I can't imagine how he'd make any money off that thing.
Jane and Michael's first Mary Poppins adventure begins when they jump into one of Bert's chalk drawings, which magically sucks them away from dreary ol ' England and plops them into an animated countryside. Not bad, eh? Mary and Bert argue over the best means to get there: "Think, wink, and double-blink? Close your eyes and jump? Of course not! Bert, what utter nonsense! Why do you always complicate things that are really quite simple? 1-2-3 is most sufficient." Because of course you have to be methodical about entering a cotton-candy-inspired dream world. Of course. Crazy hijinks ensue as they find themselves amidst a carousel horse race. Cool huh?
The Kids Cause A Riot At The Bank
Mr. Banks, the uptight dad, takes the children on a day-trip to the bank when he gets suspicious of their "highly questionable outings" with Mary Poppins. Understandably pissed that they don't get to hang out with chimney sweeps and cartoon horses, Michael causes a mass riot at the bank when he refuses to hand over his "toppins" to the decrepit bank owners. A client sees this and somehow everyone assumes that the bank has gone bankrupt. Panic erupts and everyone tries to withdraw their money while Jane and Michel escape into the ghetto part of London. Well done kinds. I wouldn't hand over my dolla dolla bills to that crotchety old man either.
The Kids Give the Hobo Lady Money For Bird Food
Jane and Michael find themselves in Trafalgar Square and see an old homeless lady outside Saint Paul's Cathedral selling bird food. Her ballad "Feed the Birds" inspires a healthy defiance in Michael, who gives Bird Lady the toppins he refused to give the bank. Not exactly what I would call a sound investment, but kudos for supporting aspiring musicians. Who knew the bird ballad would be remembered for decades afterward.
This isn't the exact scene, but you'll catch a glimpse of the bird lady:
Mary and Bert team up in "Jolly Holiday" in order to convince Jane and Michel to jump into a chalk-drawing (a la number 12). They end up dancing through an animated forest surrounded by penguins and other animals that obviously belong in forests. Apparently I'm not consuming the right substances, because I've never been that chalked-up. Reportedly, Mary and Bert dated in the books, but Disney decided to c***-block that part out.
Mary Poppins' Cool Floating Umbrella
Mary Poppins makes her big debut and final departure from the Banks residence with the assistance of her cool floating umbrella. She drifts in and out of everyone's lives, saving the day as she goes. Where does she come from? Nobody will ever know. Seriously.
Check out her sick entrance in the Original 1964 Theatrical Trailer:
Mary Poppins' Cool Neverending Bag
Along with the flying umbrella, this is one of Mary Poppins' best gadgets, as well as the perfect tool to earn any child's respect. She gets them to shut up and clean the nursery by spooking them by pulling unnaturally large objects out of her purse: lampshades, wardrobes, you name it.
Bert's Talk With Mr. Banks
After the debacle at the bank/Michael giving his money to the bird-feeding hobo woman, Bert decides to have a man-to-man with Mr. Banks about his lack of fatherly love. This later inspires Mr. Banks to... (see number 5.) One of the best warm-and-fuzzy turning points of the movie.
Mr. Banks Finds His Heart and Rebels Against the Bank
Mr. Banks gets fired from the bank after Michael causes the mass panic withdrawal. However, at his hearing Mr. Banks realizes that he's over corporate drudgery and ironically gives 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' as his explanation. Then he tells an Uncle Albert joke and makes a run for it like a crazy man. The head of the bank gets the joke and floats to the ceiling. Mr. Banks runs home, hugs his kids and they all go and fly kites together, giving new meaning to high-as-a-kite.
Mary Poppins makes a fairly dramatic exit as she floats away without telling anyone that she's leaving. It seems like she does this because she has completed her work by reuniting the Banks family. You'd think the family would miss her more, since she is the whole point of the movie, but they don't seem all that upset. Nonetheless, a feel-good scene.
When Mary Poppins first arrives at the house, she decides to take charge and make Jane and Michael tidy their rooms by bribing them with sugar. Rich kids like Jane and Michael might be snobby enough to refuse to clean when threatened, but no kid can resist the bribe of sugar, especially when sung to by a beautiful lady with birdie backup singers.
Mary and Bert take the kids to teatime with crazy Uncle Albert. Loony Uncle Albs tells jokes that don't really make sense, and floats to the ceiling whenever he laughs (at his own jokes). They all sit on floating chairs and have a fancy-shmancy tea party. Is it just me, or does everybody seem kind of high in this scene?
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Mary wins the animated horse races, and describes her bliss as 'supercalifragalisticexpialidocious'. The hippies of '64 would definitely appreciate that one. The kids stare in awe at the awesomeness of their new nanny (or maybe they're just confused as to how everything suddenly turned into a cartoon.) Either way, it's pretty darn supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.