Mary Poppins

1964 ยท Musical fantasy

Recommended. Age: 5+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.

Our review

The magic is window dressing. The real story is a father who has given his heart to the bank and gets it back. Mary Poppins never lectures; she lets a tuppence, a kite, and a song about feeding the birds do the work. Kindness to the poor and to one's own children is the whole moral. The only reservation is one dated slur a parent may want to skip past.

For parents

Good for every age; the chimney-sweep cannon fire and the bank run are the only tense moments. Ask: what did Mr. Banks love most at the start, and at the end? Why does the Bird Woman matter more than the tuppence? A gentle door into almsgiving and a father's vocation.

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