They were born to play the roles, the kids were incredibly awesome actors too for their age. I fell in love instantly.Īnd there are many reasons for that: It was such a treat to see Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke and the rest of the cast playing these characters. At the end of the movie, my voice inside was shouting ´Amazing! Genius! Wonderful!´. Funny enough, I was introduced to this guy’s vision thanks to Julie Andrews without even knowing it (but that´s another story).īeing 12 years old, I knew I was a bit too old to watch a silly kid’s film about a flying nanny. I was already into knowing all things Disneyland, which for me was Walt Disney´s greatest dream. Because Mary Poppins is not just one film, like the thousands released… It is an experience. And if it were released again today, it would still be a huge hit (of course, bringing in today´s technology - something that Mary Poppins Returns, a sequel to the original one, will have as an advantage). Why do I bring all this up? Because 50 years later… I still feel that such success is justified. It introduced an incredible actress to the world, the talented Julie Andrews, and it made Dick Van Dyke a household name.

When the promise became a reality, it also came with a big success, giving Walt Disney and his entire team incredible reviews, 13 Oscar nominations (including Best Picture), winning 5 of them, being a big Box office hit… so huge that eventually some of the revenue was used to open MAPO (Walt Disney Imagineering´s Division of developing new rides for Disneyland, like Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion - both funded with the money that came from Mary Poppins). It was, after all, a promise to his daughter Diane. I can only imagine his face of joy and happiness of seeing a project completed after almost 20 years of trying to get it done. And he knew it was something… For he rented the Chinese Theater and that had huge symbolism: it was the first time Walt Disney made a grand premiere for a movie since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. It was Walt Disney´s greatest cinematic accomplishment. Mary Poppins was ready to be shown to the world. And the movie that was about to be presented was filled with charm, magic, imagination, wonderful music, amazing cast… It was a whole experience, that was build out of innocence, conflict, and overall… a work of love. It was, in all aspects, a grand Hollywood premiere. The location was the Grauman´s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, and a huge party was taking place. Like something is brewing, and bout to begin,Ĭan´t put my finger on what lies in store,īut I feel what´s to happen… All happened before

Pl travers walt disney