Mary Poppins Returns

Previously (7/3/14) I had occasion to review the original 1964 “Mary Poppins” with Julie Andrews in the title role, which I combined with a review of “Saving Mr. Banks”, the 2013 film which portrayed how Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) managed to pry the rights to Mary Poppins away from the original author, Pamela Travers (aka Helen Goff), played by Emma Thompson.   Incidentally, that’s two “Saving” movies Hanks has done, with the Private Ryan version being a bit more exciting than his portrayal of Walt Disney. 

Now there’s a new movie, “Mary Poppins Returns”, with Emily Blunt in the title role.  It takes place years after the original, the original children now adults, the boy being a widower with three young children of his own.   Sadly, the family is facing the repossession of that same house to the same bank the father – now a deceased grandfather – worked for in the original film.   Remarkably, but not surprisingly, Mary Poppins descends from the London sky by talking umbrella and takes care of the children on yet more magical adventures while Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) and his sister Jane (Emily Mortimer) attempt to un-f**k their financial dilemma. 

The cast itself impressed me.  David Warner – who I most affectionately remember as Sark in “Tron” and Jack the Ripper in “Time After Time” – is here as the neighboring admiral blasting away on the hour.  Colin Firth – the rabid Arsenal fan in the original “Fever Pitch” and George VI in “The King’s Speech” – is here in a rare unsympathetic role as a bank manager, Wilkins.  Even Dick Van Dyke – hold on, he’s still alive?? – is back, albeit NOT as a chimney sweep or gaslighter.  “Cockney rhyming slang” is invoked here:  in my case, I’m a septic tank (Yank).  Oh, and we shouldn’t forget Meryl Streep as Cousin Topsy – including a musical segment – or Angela Lansbury in a more modest role as a balloon lady towards the end of the film. 

Yes, there is a major animated sequence in the middle, putting some live action characters into proper animal format (Firth turns into a wolf).   Not “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” but along the same lines.   “You can’t judge a book by its cover” is the highly pertinent lesson imparted thereby.   In addition to the animated/live action sequence being suitably evocative of the original is the highly amusing business wherein Poppins discusses the matter with the children once they return to their bedroom.  One child accurately describes the events in question, only to have Poppins dismiss said events as “just a dream”.  Hold on, assert the other two:  we had exactly the same dream!  Never mind implausible, how is that even possible? [Expect the impossible…]

Predictably, the financial issues are resolved, Wilkins disposed of properly, and “there was much rejoicing”.  Oddly, the original took place in 1910, at least 10-15 years must have passed for Michael and Jane to be their current ages, but London still looks like it’s before WWI and not the 1920s or 30s (and no references to the “Great War”, which is what WWI was called before WWII came around – moreover, Michael’s age suggests he would be old enough to be a veteran of the trenches), with the exception of Cousin Topsy, who appears to be a flapper (1920s single woman).   Overall, an excellent sequel which faithfully understands its source material and what a sequel should be.  Bravo!

Finally, the picture above is taken from what I found to be a highly informative Vanity Fair article discussing the new movie, and invoking a familiar Disney film with Angela Lansbury, “Bedknobs and Broomsticks”, https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/12/is-mary-poppins-returns-based-on-the-books