Title: Mary Poppins Director: Robert Stevenson Year: 1964 Run time: 2hrs 13m

“Join the “practically perfect” Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) for a “Jolly Holiday” as she magically turned every chore into a game and every day into a whimsical adventure. Along the way, you’ll be enchanted by unforgettable characters such as the multitalented chimney sweep Bert (Dick Van Dyke). You won’t need a “Spoonful Of Sugar” to love every moment of this timeless Disney classic!”

Live blog

1:12 - Is that background a painting? Cos it’s quite odd. 3:01 - I would never have enough co-ordination to be a one (wo)man band. 4:44 - I expect him to say “me ol’ bamboo” any moment now. 5:48 - Is he beating that drum with a tennis racquet? I only just noticed. 8:23 - I’ve just realised what she’s up to. Ah, the beauty of watching kids films as an adult. Suffragettes! 11:44 - Gosh, back in the days when banking was profitable and the word banker wasn’t bad. 13:31 - I can’t imagine being married to someone quite so orderly. Who plans down to the very minute, really? 15:09 - The boy looks just like his father. 23:32 - Ms Poppins really doesn’t make a good first impression. 28:26 - I’m always slightly disappointed when I see the green screening. Mr C’s fault. 36:55 - Sil-yoo-wet. Honestly. 46:47 - Dancing penguins! 53:11 - It’s funny that the marks in the ground don’t always match up to the pole of the horse. 59:20 - Empty threats to children don’t work. Would she really call a policeman if they didn’t sleep? 1:07:20 - I wonder about this laughing bit. Surely laughing is a good thing? Why do they make it seem a serious mistake to laugh? 1:13:00 - I think I would like to start using “jolly well” in sentences. 1:26:44 - Now that I know that is Mr Van Dyke, it’s so freaking obvious from his gangly legs. 1:32:20 - This bit reminds me of Oliver, something about running through the back streets of London. 1:41:59 - Come on, if you could, you’d want to run about on the rooftops like that, wouldn’t you? 1:57:39 - Bless the children wearing pink for a girl and blue for a boy. 2:10:31 - Now he’s been made a partner, isn’t he just going to go back to being a workaholic, and all Mary’s efforts will have been wasted?

Conclusions

Mary Poppins is a staple of the Christmas holiday. I always look for it as soon as the TV schedules are released because the festive season isn’t right without it. I hadn’t realised quite how long the film is, considering it’s a kid’s one, but you can’t help but love it.

Having been instilled in one as a child, I can’t help but love the film, even if watching it back highlights some rather serious flaws in the whole thing. I know people get mad at the dodgy cockney accent but I find it kinda loveable.

Rating: 5/5

Be Kind, Rewind - Dec 2018

On a second viewing, the length of this film was more of a problem for me. They’re fun adventures, sure, but wow they do go on a bit. I was craving the kite action from about the time they were on the Uncle’s ceiling.

But I was more impressed than I remember with the animation, and enjoyed deconstructing a lot of the special effects - not green screen as I had previously imagined.

I’ve changed as a person since watching this - not so much blessing the blue for a boy and pink for a girl thing, and also quite enjoyed the dad’s minute by minute scheduling. It’s weird how you can view a film completely differently just a few years later.