A fan of Disney's Mary Poppins as an eight-year-old, Kathryn Hughes was given Pl Travers's book. But she found it dull, odd and severely lacking in dancing penguins. As Saving Mr Banks arrives in cinemas, she re-encounters a classic story
Being given a copy of Mary Poppins by Pl Travers for my eighth birthday was both a thrill and, as it turned out, one of the greatest disappointments of my young life. A thrill, because for the last five years I had lived and breathed the Disney version, which had come out in a blaze of glory in 1964. At school I won the unofficial prize for the person who had seen the film the most times (I said eight, although it was actually only six: but in the Disney universe, believing something hard enough is the key to making it come true). I did, though, definitely win the competition for who could say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" backwards.
Being given a copy of Mary Poppins by Pl Travers for my eighth birthday was both a thrill and, as it turned out, one of the greatest disappointments of my young life. A thrill, because for the last five years I had lived and breathed the Disney version, which had come out in a blaze of glory in 1964. At school I won the unofficial prize for the person who had seen the film the most times (I said eight, although it was actually only six: but in the Disney universe, believing something hard enough is the key to making it come true). I did, though, definitely win the competition for who could say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" backwards.
- 12/7/2013
- by Kathryn Hughes
- The Guardian - Film News
The Astaires, a dazzling double act, now have the biography they deserve
Although their first film, Flying Down to Rio, had been a smash, Fred Astaire was adamant that he didn't want to be teamed with Ginger Rogers for their follow-up. It wasn't that Astaire didn't like Rogers – he had dated her briefly when they had both been hoofers on Broadway – but as he said in an uncharacteristically strident letter to his agent in early 1934: "I've just managed to live down one partnership and I don't want to be bothered with any more."
That earlier partnership had been with Adele Astaire, his older sister by three years. Starting as a child act on the vaudeville circuit, supporting flame-throwers and performing seals, the Astaires had developed into slick, serviceable "dancing comedians". Their big break came in 1923 when they appeared in Stop Flirting on Shaftesbury Avenue. Although the piece hadn't been tailor-made,...
Although their first film, Flying Down to Rio, had been a smash, Fred Astaire was adamant that he didn't want to be teamed with Ginger Rogers for their follow-up. It wasn't that Astaire didn't like Rogers – he had dated her briefly when they had both been hoofers on Broadway – but as he said in an uncharacteristically strident letter to his agent in early 1934: "I've just managed to live down one partnership and I don't want to be bothered with any more."
That earlier partnership had been with Adele Astaire, his older sister by three years. Starting as a child act on the vaudeville circuit, supporting flame-throwers and performing seals, the Astaires had developed into slick, serviceable "dancing comedians". Their big break came in 1923 when they appeared in Stop Flirting on Shaftesbury Avenue. Although the piece hadn't been tailor-made,...
- 7/4/2012
- by Kathryn Hughes
- The Guardian - Film News
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