Emily Blunt created her own Mary Poppins; exactly what Dame Julie Andrews wanted her to do. Blunt is a little more “blunt” and edgy, but completely delightful in this Director Rob Marshall (Into the Woods, Chicago, Nine) follow up to the 1964 Disney classic based on the books by P.L. Travers. Marshall contacted Andrews early on for her to do a cameo for a pretty penny, but Andrews replied, “I really want her to take this and run with it, because she’ll be brilliant.” And she is.
The sets, the costumes, the animation, and the fantastic adventures Mary Poppins provide are colorful, fun, beautifully done, and heartwarming. Back are the penguins and the talking parrot umbrella. The songs by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman (Hairspray) are pleasant and well done, but not memorable. They’re nothing you’ll hum coming out of the theater, but Marshall did include Walt Disney’s favorite song, “Feed the Birds” in the film. In an interview awhile back with Richard Sherman of the Sherman Brothers who wrote the music for the original Mary Poppins, Richard told us Walt Disney would look wistfully out his office window and ask them to play the song for him whenever they were in his presence.
Set during the Great Depression in 1934, Marshall brings back the nostalgia following the children who are now grown and one has children of his own. Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) works at his father’s old bank in a lesser position. He has three children (Pixie Davies, Natanael Saleh, Joel Dawson), but, as in most Disney films, he has lost his wife. He’s also in trouble with foreclosure looming on their Cherry Lane home. Michael’s sister, Jane, played by the adorable and energetic Emily Mortimer, tries to help Michael find documentation of shares that could save it. Dame Julie Walters is always good and has fun as Ellen, the cantankorous housekeeper trying to manage this chaotic household.
The ensemble cast adds the extraordinarily talented Lin Manuel-Miranda as Lamplighter Jack, who used to work for Bert, the Chimney Sweep, so memorably played by Dick Van Dyke in the original film. Van Dyke is back as an old bank exec and brings down the house in a 3 minute tap dance number on a table top at the bank. The actor’s energy is infectious at the age of 93. The concerned cast reportedly gasped when he jumped up on the desk to do his thing. He is amazing. And he follows it with a monologue that got Director Marshall so choked up, he became distracted by his performance and forgot to yell, “Cut!” Blunt finally yelled it for him!
Manuel-Miranda is also energetic and a good partner for Emily Blunt in their dance with the animated penguins. His cockney accent left a little to be desired and he’s a little too theatrically sweet or forced at times. But he complements Blunt’s Mary in their duo dance number. And his athletic song and dance with the other lamplighters is well choreographed and almost as fun as Burt’s was in the original film. We also loved how Marshall has him carry the whole family on his bike balanced on the straddled lamplighter’s ladder.
Colin Firth plays William Weatherall Wilkins, the mean bank president of the Federal Fiduciary Bank you won’t like at all. He’s much too good at playing grumpy. But somebody has to be the bad guy. Meryl Streep makes a scary appearance singing as the garish Topsy Tartlet, the owner of the trinket shop who turns upside down once a week.The upside down shots in her shop are dizzying but give her a whimsical presence.
But Blunt is absolutely the star of this show. She takes command and brings magic to the role. Ironic that she has very different bathtub scenes in two films getting her notice this year. The one in A Quiet Place is so frightening. But Mary’s expression saying “Off we go.” launching this bathtub adventure following the smiling dolphin is a nice touch of surprise leading to more fun with the Banks children.
Blunt is perfect in the role, charming without going overboard, but reserved giving it a little edge. Blunt had to overcome fear of taking on such an iconic role. She also has a fear of heights and thought she was going to die when she got stuck hanging from a crane 50 feet in the air for the flying scenes. And she feared not being able to sing well enough. Her voice is not as clear and distinctive as Julie Andrews’ was, but it is beautiful and very pleasing. She seems to do it all effortlessly. Director Marshall’s attention to detail is evident as well as his pacing of the film. Thoroughly enjoyable, this film is sure to become another holiday classic. Mary has returned and continues to be flying high for families to enjoy over and over again.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures 2 hours 10 minutes PG
