Years ago a friend excitedly told me 'My Fair Lady' was being restored, and my immediate reaction was to think that the only worthwhile restoration would be one that replaced Audrey Hepburn with Julie Andrews.
But Shaw's loss was P. L. Travers' gain and Andrews was practically the only thing about this glossy, overlong travesty that never leaves the studio that Travers liked. (Although Disney did her the courtesy of giving her a credit as ''Consultant' it's unlikely that she got consulted much, and what she really thought of the end result is evident from the fact that she never authorised a sequel.) Another thing that Travers did like, however, was 'Feed the Birds'; which moved me to add another point to my rating.
The one moment in the entire film that captures the rather remote and mysterious Ms Poppins of the original book - and one of the few understated moments in the entire movie - is the first appearance of Mary seen from behind in long shot sitting on a cloud; but already the noisy music score signals what to expect.
The special effects now look primitive, but CGI will probably look even more dated in sixty years time; and at least the camera isn't constantly swaying about in steadicam the way it is today.
Dick Van Dyke's Cockney accent has been much mocked, but the gusto with which he throws himself into the part amply compensates; and if you can buy dancing animated penguins, singing suffragettes (featuring rather earlier than they did historically since the film is set in 1910), mechanical robins and a talking umbrella, what's a silly accent between friends?
(P. S. Van Dyke as the bank president manages to look even older than he now does at 95; and this must be one of the very few films from the early sixties in which three of the four leads are still with us.)
But Shaw's loss was P. L. Travers' gain and Andrews was practically the only thing about this glossy, overlong travesty that never leaves the studio that Travers liked. (Although Disney did her the courtesy of giving her a credit as ''Consultant' it's unlikely that she got consulted much, and what she really thought of the end result is evident from the fact that she never authorised a sequel.) Another thing that Travers did like, however, was 'Feed the Birds'; which moved me to add another point to my rating.
The one moment in the entire film that captures the rather remote and mysterious Ms Poppins of the original book - and one of the few understated moments in the entire movie - is the first appearance of Mary seen from behind in long shot sitting on a cloud; but already the noisy music score signals what to expect.
The special effects now look primitive, but CGI will probably look even more dated in sixty years time; and at least the camera isn't constantly swaying about in steadicam the way it is today.
Dick Van Dyke's Cockney accent has been much mocked, but the gusto with which he throws himself into the part amply compensates; and if you can buy dancing animated penguins, singing suffragettes (featuring rather earlier than they did historically since the film is set in 1910), mechanical robins and a talking umbrella, what's a silly accent between friends?
(P. S. Van Dyke as the bank president manages to look even older than he now does at 95; and this must be one of the very few films from the early sixties in which three of the four leads are still with us.)