Mary Poppins (film)
Walt Disney first asked to buy the film rights to Mary Poppins in 1938. He traveled to London to meet author P.L. Travers at her home in Chelsea. Travers refused his request repeatedly for over twenty years. She did not believe a movie could capture the spirit of her books. Disney kept trying until he finally succeeded in 1961. Even then, Travers demanded script approval rights before she would agree. Her relationship with Disney remained tense throughout the entire process.
Filming took place between May and September 1963 at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. A special camera was fitted with a prism that filtered sodium vapor light to create accurate mattes. Actors were filmed against a white screen lit by yellow-hued lamps instead of blue screens. This technique allowed partially transparent veils on costumes to let background light through. The result created crisp images where live actors interacted seamlessly with animated penguins. Peter Ellenshaw, Eustace Lycett, and Hamilton Luske won an Academy Award for this visual effect.
Julie Andrews accepted the role while three months pregnant because Disney promised to postpone filming until after birth. She had just been passed over for My Fair Lady when Jack L. Warner chose Audrey Hepburn instead. Dick Van Dyke played Bert after seeing his work on The Dick Van Dyke Show. He also portrayed Mr. Dawes Sr. despite being considered too young for the part. Van Dyke later admitted his Cockney accent remains one of the worst in film history. English character actor J. Pat O'Malley provided some coaching but could not fix the accent completely.
Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman composed all music and lyrics for the film. They took inspiration from Edwardian British music hall traditions. Irwin Kostal arranged and conducted the score for Buena Vista Records. The soundtrack sold millions of copies as a pivotal release for Disney's record division. Famous artists like Johnny Mathis and Louis Prima covered songs such as Chim Chim Cher-ee. Even cartoon characters like The Chipmunks recorded versions of the tunes. Richard Sherman voiced a penguin while Robert Sherman played a Pearly Banjo Player during recording sessions.
The film premiered on the 27th of August 1964 at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. It received thirteen Academy Award nominations which was a record for any Walt Disney Studios release. Julie Andrews won Best Actress for her performance as Mary Poppins. The team also won awards for Film Editing, Original Music Score, Visual Effects, and Original Song. Critics praised the musical sequences and performances throughout reviews. Time magazine called it witty yet impeccably sentimental with luxuriant sets. Bosley Crowther described it as wonderful cheering movie full of enchantments.
Mary Poppins earned $31 million in theatrical rentals within the United States and Canada during its initial run. Worldwide rentals reached $44 million in total across all territories. The production cost between $4.4 million and $6 million to make. Cobbett Steinberg reported it became the most profitable film of 1965 with net profits of $28.5 million. Walt Disney used these huge earnings to purchase land in central Florida. He financed the construction of what would become Walt Disney World using this money.
The first home media release occurred in December 1980 on Betamax CED LaserDisc and VHS formats. A second release appeared in November 1982 featuring a cropped image from Stepintime roof dance fireworks scene. The third version arrived on the 6th of November 1985 showing a full-length picture cover. the 4th of October 1988 marked the final issue in the Walt Disney Home Video collection. In 1998 the film became Disney's first feature released on DVD format. the 4th of July 2000 brought a Gold Classic Collection edition while the 14th of December 2004 offered a Digitally Restored 40th Anniversary Edition. February 2024 saw reclassification from U to PG due to Admiral Boom's use of the word hottentot.
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Common questions
When did Walt Disney first try to buy the film rights to Mary Poppins?
Walt Disney first asked to buy the film rights to Mary Poppins in 1938. He traveled to London to meet author P.L. Travers at her home in Chelsea and kept trying until he finally succeeded in 1961.
Where was the filming of Mary Poppins conducted during 1963?
Filming took place between May and September 1963 at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. A special camera fitted with a prism filtered sodium vapor light to create accurate mattes for the production.
Why did Julie Andrews accept the role of Mary Poppins while pregnant?
Julie Andrews accepted the role while three months pregnant because Disney promised to postpone filming until after birth. She had just been passed over for My Fair Lady when Jack L. Warner chose Audrey Hepburn instead.
Who composed all music and lyrics for the Mary Poppins film soundtrack?
Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman composed all music and lyrics for the film. They took inspiration from Edwardian British music hall traditions and Irwin Kostal arranged and conducted the score for Buena Vista Records.
When did the Mary Poppins film premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre?
The film premiered on the 27th of August 1964 at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. It received thirteen Academy Award nominations which was a record for any Walt Disney Studios release.
How much money did Mary Poppins earn during its initial theatrical run?
Mary Poppins earned $31 million in theatrical rentals within the United States and Canada during its initial run. Worldwide rentals reached $44 million in total across all territories with net profits of $28.5 million reported by Cobbett Steinberg.