High Country audiences will soon be singing “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” when everyone’s favorite nanny descends in Boone as part of the inaugural Saturday Morning Family Film Series at the historic Appalachian Theatre. Due to a generous sponsorship by Allen Wealth Management, “Mary Poppins” is being offered free of charge to the general public at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 6, 2022. The film follows the upcoming screening of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” the prior week on Saturday, July 30.
“Mary Poppins” is the fourth of six family-friendly movie classics being screened during the summer months on select Saturday mornings from now through August 27. This is the first time the film will be shown at the venue since its App Theatre debut 57 years ago. The movie runs two hours and twenty minutes in duration.
The free screening begins at 10 a.m. and is followed by a tour of the newly-renovated and restored 1938 vaudeville theatre and cinema. Please note that attendees under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Family-appropriate concessions will be available for purchase, including popcorn, candy, bottled water, and soft drinks, among other items. Free popcorn is being provided by Magic Bound Travel to audience members who stop by their information table in the lobby.
“Mary Poppins” is a 1964 American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney, with songs written and composed by the Sherman Brothers. The screenplay is by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, and is based on the P. L. Travers’s book series of the same name.
The movie musical, which combines live-action and animation, stars Julie Andrews in her feature film debut in the title role. Mary Poppins visits a dysfunctional family in London and employs her unique brand of lifestyle to improve the family’s dynamic. Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, and Glynis Johns are featured in supporting roles. The film was shot entirely at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, using painted London background scenes.
“Mary Poppins” was released to critical acclaim and commercial success. It became the highest-grossing film of 1964 and, at the time of its release, was Disney’s highest-grossing film ever. It received a total of 13 Academy Awards nominations, including Best Picture – a record for any film released by Walt Disney Studios – and won five: Best Actress for Andrews, Best Film Editing, Best Original Music Score, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee.”
This classic is considered Walt Disney’s crowning live-action achievement and is the only one of his films which earned a Best Picture nomination during his lifetime. In 2013, “Mary Poppins” was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
A number of fun facts about the film will provide context for audience members. It took more than 20 years to convince P.L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, to sell the movie rights; later she is said to have hated the movie with a passion. The Sherman Brothers wrote 30 songs for the movie, and “A Spoonful of Sugar” was inspired by the polio vaccine. Astute viewers will note that some of the nannies lined up at the beginning of the movie are actually men.
The remaining films on the inaugural Saturday Morning Family Film Series are “Lady and the Tramp” on August 13, and “Heidi” on August 27. For a complete performance schedule and of all upcoming events, please visit the Appalachian Theatre’s website at www.apptheatre.org.
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