MovieChat Forums > Mary Poppins (1965) Discussion > Awards, overrations and underrations

Awards, overrations and underrations

posted 9 years ago by tucostevens54
3 replies | jump to latest

I love this film, I really do, but am I the only one who thinks Julie Andrews didn't really deserve an Oscar for it? She was sweet and twee, with just an ocassionally bit of snark, and no real character development. On the other hand we had Dick Van Dyke, who while perhaps not Award worthy, gave a moving performance as Bert (and a funny one as Mr Dawes Sr.) changing from jolly to meaningful in the space of a few moments (Step in Time to A Man Has Dreams, and his speech to Jane and Michael about their father), and most of all, David Tomlinson, deeply underrated as the tragic figure of Mr Banks. In the hands of a lesser actor, you wouldn't care less about this distant, pompous man but Tomlinson makes you really feel for him and smile when he realises the true importance of his children over his job.

Any thoughts?

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] liscarkat (16530) 5 years ago

Rations? Do you mean ratings?

[–] rudeboymurray (3241) 3 years ago

If anyone deserved acting nominations for MP it was David Tomlinson and Glynis Johns, who between them waltz off with the film. It has been widely stated that Andrews’ Oscar win was, at least in part, helped by her well-publicised loss of the lead in My Fair Lady, which she had originated on stage, to Audrey Hepburn. She does everything that is called for in Mary Poppins, but it’s a one-note role, and she isn’t even in the second half of the movie all that much.

My personal favourite for Best Actress that year was Anne Bancroft in what may be her best performance in The Pumpkin Eater.