“Mary Poppins Returns” is a spoonful of delight

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Each year, the holiday season begs for a blockbuster family production to lighten our hearts and awaken our inner child. Disney offers a spoonful of sheer delight with catchy tunes, dazzling choreography and a fanciful mix of live action and hand-drawn animation. Spit spot, it’s an old-fashioned movie musical honoring its predecessor.

Emily Blunt accepts the challenge to carry the role immortalized by the iconic Julie Andrews. The risk was if Blunt misses by a little, she misses by a lot, and probably never lives it down. Fortunately, she nails it with a similar gravitas, charm and snarky tone to treat an entirely new generation of fans to the character created by P.L. Travers in 1934.

This sequel comes over a half-century after the original “Mary Poppins” (1964). Although the original movie classic was set in the early 1900s, its release was in the midst of the cultural and political upheaval of the tumultuous 60s. So, maybe it’s fitting that Mary Poppins returns now to save us all once again. Mary explains, “I’ve come to look after the children.” Little Anabel asks, “Us?” Mary replies, “Oh yes, you too!”

Rob Marshall (“Chicago” “Into the Woods”) directs, produces, choreographs and co-writes this production. A choreographer by trade and $120 million of Disney bucks in hand, director Marshall decides to “have a go at it.” He indulges himself with a free reign to assemble an 82-piece symphony orchestra, 448 original costumes by Sandy Powell, and a continuous stream of upbeat tunes by Marc Shaiman and Scott Whitman.

The most dazzling number includes 100 BMX bikes, 50 dancers, 25 gas streetlamps, 18 ladders, five cameras, a three-story fountain and a partridge in a pear tree. From what we could see, it was money well spent. There is sufficient razzle-dazzle, but if the magic does not measure up to the original, a fairer comparison might be to any recent family musical or “La La Land,” (2016) which “temporarily” won Best Picture of the year.

Set in Depression-era London, decades after Mary’s original visit, the magical nanny returns to help the now grown Jane and Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer), along with Michael’s children. Mary helps the family rediscover the joy of childhood missing in their lives. Little John Banks proclaims, “We have grown up a good deal in the past year.” Mary snaps, “Well, we’ll have to see what can be done about that.”

Lin-Manuel Miranda, (“Hamilton”) makes his major motion picture debut as Jack, the street lantern lighter. If you can get past his revolutionary war identity, he is a charming bloke as Mary’s helper with the children. Once again, Disney introduces heavy issues into a kid-flick, including parental death, home foreclosure and joblessness.

The strong supporting cast includes the incomparable Meryl Streep as Mary’s peculiar cousin, Topsey. Even with a set that took seven months to create, Streep’s elaborate song and dance number might be the weak point of the movie. Colin Firth is the evil banker, Julie Walters the quirky maid and Dick Van Dyke, at 93, offers a bright spot “reprising” his role as the dancing bank CEO, Mr. Dawes…Jr.

In a role Julie Andrews turned down, the 92-year Angela Lansbury is the balloon lady. Michael explains that it’s been too long since he’s had a balloon. The balloon lady tells Michael, “You’ve forgotten what it’s like…to be a child.”

“Mary Poppins” is 130 minutes and rated PG for some mild thematic elements and brief action. This is now the longest gap between a live-action film and its sequel, but Uncle Walt would approve. Jane Banks says it best, “You came back. I thought we’d never see you again.” Mary replies, “Nothing’s gone forever, only out of place.”

When Andrews endorsed Emily Blunt for the lead role, Blunt cried tears of joy. Marshall’s style and structure were produced to give a similar feel as the original family-friendly spectacle. However, the lavish production sometimes feels more concerned with precision than spontaneity. Other than that, it’s practically perfect in every way.

Ron’s Rating: A
Leigh’s Rating: B