Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Visiting… the Banks family in London. Jane and Michael Banks are quite the handful. After running off for the fourth time in a week, the unruly children have caused their latest nanny to quit. Mary Poppins arrives from out of nowhere, with her magical umbrella and bottomless carpet bag, ready to fill the vacated position.
Profession… nanny. Upon arriving, Mary Poppins hires herself as the new caretaker for the Banks children. She is an instant success. She quickly wins Jane and Michael’s respect and is even able to convince them to tidy up: “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and snap! The job’s a game.”
Interests… singing, taking strolls, and cleaning. Mary Poppins likes it when things are in order, but that doesn’t mean she is uptight. She is always up for a good, light-hearted sing-along or casual walk in the park.
Relationship Status… single. Her closest friend is Bert, an energetic chimney sweep/kite merchant/one-man-band/street artist. Mary Poppins has known him for ages and he often accompanies her on outings with the children.
Challenge… bringing the Banks family closer together. Getting Jane and Michael to behave is the easy part of Mary Poppins’ mission. Her main goal is to convince the strict, work-obsessed Mr. Banks to become a less distant and more caring father.
Personality… kind but authoritative. Mary Poppins is sweet and nurturing, but she is no pushover. She guides Jane and Michael in the right directions with a gentle, but firm hand. All in all, Mary is one supercalifragilisticexpialidocious nanny!
Get to Know her in...
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The movie combines a diverting story, songs, color and sequences of live action blended with the movements of animated figures. Mary Poppins is a kind of Super-nanny who flies in with her umbrella in response to the request of the Banks children and proceeds to put things right with the aid of her rather extraordinary magical powers before flying off again.
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In Depression-era London, a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, along with Michael's three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins following a personal loss. Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives.
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By P.L. Travers, the author featured in the movie Saving Mr. Banks. From the moment Mary Poppins arrives at Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane, everyday life at the Banks house is forever changed. It all starts when Mary Poppins is blown by the east wind onto the doorstep of the Banks house. She becomes a most unusual nanny to Jane, Michael, and the twins. Who else but Mary Poppins can slide up banisters, pull an entire armchair out of an empty carpetbag, and make a dose of medicine taste like delicious lime-juice cordial? A day with Mary Poppins is a day of magic and make-believe come to life!
