AFI blew it by omitting "Mary Poppins" from its 100 greatest American films. It's pure cinema, with state of the art special effects for its time. But the effects serve a lovely story, well told and acted, with charming song and dance numbers. The overture, underscoring Poppins's flight over London, is classic: worth the price of admission or rental; maybe the best overture ever, on screen or stage. I was 3 when the film debuted; I thought I'd die if I never got to see it again.
Review of Mary Poppins
