Mary Poppins - 10 stars out of 10

Mary Poppins - 10 stars out of 10

"Mary Poppins" is practically perfect in every way.  Not just the character, but the entire movie!  This Jolly Holiday is Walt Disney's live-action masterpiece.  Whether it is the music, characters, script, special effects, art direction, or any other aspect that you can name, it is difficult to find fault with "Mary Poppins."  The amazing thing about this film is that, as much as I enjoyed it as a child, this classic definitely gets better with age.  In addition to the "magical" moments that make this film perfect for children, it also has a certain sophistication about its characters and some more complex themes that a child might not absorb.  You really can't beat the acting in this film.  Julie Andrews made this role into what it is, David Tomlinson is perfect as the father that works too many hours to get to know his children (not to mention his comical flustered moments), and who could forget Ed Wynn as Uncle Albert, laughing on the ceiling during a tea party.  Reta Shaw (Cook), Hermione Baddeley (Maid), and Glynis Johns (Mother) are a wonderful trio of comic relief.  And you simply have to save Dick van Dyke for last in his dual roles, first as Bert, the storyteller with a different occupation each day, and hilariously disguised as Mr. Dawes Sr.  Its memorable songs are known by every child and adult, even the ones who have never seen it, from A Spoonful of Sugar to Let's Go Fly A Kite, Feed the Birds to Step in Time, and Chim Chim Cher-ee to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.  Even the secondary songs are awesome!  I particularly enjoy these songs as an adult because the lyrics mean so much more to me (sometimes in a sentimental way, but more often in a comical, clever way).  But the most important aspect of "Mary Poppins" is the film's magical quality.  What other movie has someone riding up a banister in reverse, a tea party in mid-air, a bottomless carpet bag, a delightful cartoon world inside of a sidewalk chalk picture, a rooftop staircase made of smoke, a duet with your reflection (and a whistling bird), carousel horses that race without a carousel, and a nanny who comes and goes by way of umbrella?  The number of special effects is countless, my favorite of which being Bert's dance with the cartoon penguins.  This family-friendly film is the definition of a classic.  To anybody who has seen it, the words "Mary Poppins" will automatically bring a smile to their face and once you've seen it, you will also find yourself with a sentimental smile at the simple mentioning of its title.