Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins Returns is released today in theatres and I have to say it is quite the magical film; I cannot stop gushing about it! The story telling is filled with adventure and wonder. It really does do the original film justice while featuring fresh characters and songs. The charm of the Mary Poppins books is also present in this new film. Disney should be proud of producing such a captivating movie and I like to think that Mary Poppins Returns is an instance classic!

To celebrate the release, here are some Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious facts about the original Mary Poppins film, the books, and Mary Poppins Returns:

• The first Mary Poppins book was published in 1934.
• It took Walt Disney over two decades to get the rights to the Mary Poppins books. P.L. Travers was very hesitant in giving up the rights to her characters, but Walt was persistent as he had promised his daughters that he would turn the books they loved so much into a movie.
• Walt was so sure that he would get the rights that he already had a team working on the film before he gained them The Sherman Brothers even wrote a number of songs before learning that Disney didn’t have the rights.
• It was the Sherman Brothers who suggested changing the setting of the film from the 1930s, when the book was set, to the 1910s.
• Robert Sherman got the idea for “A Spoonful of Sugar” from one his children who said that he got the polio vaccination with a spoonful of sugar instead of a needle.
• A professional whistler was hired to do the robin’s whistles in “A Spoonful of Sugar.” However, it was just not the sound Disney wanted and Julie Andrews ended up whistling instead.
• The voice of Mary Poppins’ parrot umbrella was done by David Tomlinson, who also portrayed Mr. Banks.
• The Banks’ home is No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane.
• Dick Van Dyke played not only Bert in the film, but also Mr. Dawes Sr. the bank director. He was credited as Navckid Keyd, an anagram of Dick Van Dyke.
• He then went on to play Mr. Dawes Jr. in Mary Poppins Returns.
• There are a total of eight Mary Poppins books by P.L. Travers:

Mary Poppins (1934)
Mary Poppins Comes Back (1935)
Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943)
Mary Poppins in the Park (1952)
Mary Poppins from A to Z (1962)
Mary Poppins in the Kitchen (1975)
Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane (1982)
Mary Poppins and the House Next Door (1988)

• Mary Poppins premiered at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on August 27, 1964.
• The film was a huge success and profits from the film were used to purchase land for the future Walt Disney World.
• Mary Poppins was nominated for 13 Academy Awards and went on to win in 5 categories.

Nominations

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography, Color
Best Art Direction, Color
Best Costume Design, Color
Best Sound
Best Adaptation or Treatment Score

Wins

Best Actress in a Leading Role – Julie Andrews
Best Film Editing – Cotton Warburton
Best Visual Effects – Peter Ellenshaw, Eustace Lycett, Hamilton Luske
Best Original Song – “Chim Chim Cher-ee” – Richard and Robert Sherman
Best Score – Richard and Robert Sherman

• Disney Legend and artist Peter Ellenshaw painted the beautiful backgrounds for Mary Poppins. He was then credited in Mary Poppins Returns as well for his artistic inspiration.
• The Mary Poppins musical ran on the West End from September 2004 to January 2008, and ran on Broadway from November 2006 to March 2013.
• “Feed the Birds” is famously known for being Walt Disney’s favourite song.
• The manufacturing department of WED Enterprises was originally named MAPO, after Mary Poppins.
• The story of Walt Disney trying to get the rights to the story from P.L. Travers was made into a film in 2013 called Saving Mr. Banks. The film also heavily focuses on P.L. Travers’ childhood and on the Sherman Brothers composing the songs.

Are you excited for Mary Poppins Returns? What is your favourite fun fact about this practically perfect nanny?