margaritamikaelian this is great for old ages people In the first of many gripping twists,"Mary Poppins" is one of that select group of films that can truly be called 'Classic', a project conceived in love and filled with so much child-like wonder that it will never grow old or 'out-of-date'. Certainly the crowning achievement of Walt Disney's remarkable career, both story-wise and technically, the film remains an unsurpassed achievement!Based on P.L. Travers' tales of a magical nanny who arrives to bring families closer, the rights to the stories had been pursued by Disney since 1938, but Travers had seen what studios had done to other authors' works, and withheld her approval unless she could maintain some creative control. Years of negotiations only whetted Disney's desire to make a definitive, truly 'special' film, and by 1960, despite the box office failure of another fantasy-themed 'pet' project, "Darby O'Gill and the Little People", he was more confident than ever in the story's potential, bringing together a remarkable array of talent, including songwriting brothers Richard and Robert Sherman, production head Bill Walsh, and the brilliant artist Peter Ellenshaw to 'visualize' 1910 London through his matte paintings.With Travers' grudging approval, casting began. While American stage and TV star Dick Van Dyke was an odd choice to play a Cockney chimney sweep, he was a gifted mime and physical comedian, and had such a wholesome exuberance that Disney knew British audiences would forgive his shaky accent. Popular British actors Glynis Johns and David Tomlinson would play the preoccupied parents, with Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber (from "The Three Lives of Thomasina") as the neglected children. Veteran stars Ed Wynn, Elsa Lanchester, Reginald Owen, Arthur Treacher, and Jane Darwell (as the Bird Woman, in her last screen appearance), headed the strong supporting cast.But it was the casting of Julie Andrews, in her first film, as Mary Poppins, that truly 'made' the film! Passed over by Jack Warner for the movie version of her stage hit, "My Fair Lady" (he opted for Audrey Hepburn), Disney caught her performance in "Camelot" on Broadway, knew, instantly, that she was the right 'Mary', and approached her for the role. "But I'm pregnant," she told him. "No problem," he replied. "I'll wait!"And thus a Classic was born!A multiple 1964 Oscar winner (including 'Best Actress' for Andrews, who got to share the stage with her "Lady" costar, Rex Harrison, who won 'Best Actor'), the film was a major hit, worldwide, and quickly achieved the legendary status it holds today.With songs both silly and sublime, seamless intermission of live performers and animation as only the Disney studio, at that time, was capable of, and the undeniable magnetism of Andrews and Van Dyke, it is nearly impossible NOT to like "Mary Poppins"!

Lee Eisenberg People who like obscure movies probably know that Turkey made a bunch of no-budget versions of famous American movies: "The Wizard of Oz", "The Exorcist" and "ET", to name a few.I had assumed that the Turkish rip-offs were the weirdest possible movies. However, I didn't know that the Soviet Union made its own version of "Mary Poppins"! "Meri Poppins, do svidaniya" has to be the most whacked-out movie ever made. A dancing cat, an animated statue, and so-bad-it's-good '80s music (yes, somehow the Soviet Union got its hands on that) all in one movie. Seriously, this flick is like a combination of a "Weird Al" Yankovic song, and something created by Hunter S. Thompson. To be certain, the Bert character - played by Dick Van Dyke in the more famous version - looks like a cross between Elliott Gould and Keith Richards; when they first showed him, I thought that it was someone in a Michael Myers mask (that's the killer in the "Halloween" movies, not the guy who played Austin Powers).All in all, this is the sort of movie that could seemingly appear on "Mystery Science Theater 3000". I, for one, consider this flick to cool for that (I would have put the more famous version on "MST3K" in a second). This is one movie like nothing that you've ever seen.PS: Mrs. Andrew was played by a man in drag. It surprises me that they were allowed to do that in the Soviet Union, where homosexuality was illegal.

Jelena I saw that movie when I was about 7 or 8 years old. It was amazing movie for me. Handsome Mary Poppins (I didn't know then that it was Natalya Andreichenko, one of the most beautiful Russian actress in the 80's), imposing Cat-dancer and incredible Miss Andrew (this role was played by the greatest actor Oled Tabakov). Moreover, all the roles in this movie are played by very famous Russian stars. The atmosphere of fairy-tale stays even after movie watching. Songs and music are still moving to tears because the memory goes back to the childhood. I remember one moment well - balloons lying in the light of a lantern on the cobblestone pavement and sounds the song about the colour dreams which only children can see. I really like that movie and advice to watch it.

Kosmopol There are some movies that stay for eternity in your heart. This is kind of such moves - half-musical, giving your hope, with most beautiful film music I have ever heard. What a pity, this movie is so little known.The movie is made in times of perestroika's beginning - the whole Soviet world was waiting for something new and fresh. This movie has its freshness, but this freshness is also actual for our days.Check it out - you'll be really happy to know that move, I bet!Sometimes, if I have depression or stress, I sing to myself the optimistic song from this movie "Wind of Changes".This is really warm and wise song, that let you feel the essence of your life. I cannot really describe the feelings, you get while of watching this movie.