Mrs Bank song aot figting fo women’s rigt t vot i argualy on o th mos powerful song in th film.
beyond diary writings that give any indi- cation as to her sexuality. Many of Mary Poppins personality
traits and belongings come from Travers’ own life experiences. Her Aunt Ellie was the formidable Victorian with a sharp per- sonality and little bedside manner. Te parrot-headed umbrella is based on the umbrella that was used by a family maid when the author was younger. Te general look of Mary Poppins is based from a wooden spoon doll that she once owned. Her love of ballet is the source for Mary Poppins always standing in first position.
Te Bok Tere are many Mary Poppins books. In
fact, they are: Mary Poppins (1934); Mary Poppins Comes Back (1935); Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943); Mary Poppins in the Park (1952); Gingerbread Shop (1952), an adapted version of the ‘Mrs. Corry’ chapter from Mary Poppins; Mr. Wigg’s Birthday Party (1952), an adapted version of the ‘Laughing Gas’ chapter from Mary Poppins; Te Magic Compass (1953), an adapted version of the ‘Bad Tuesday’ chap- ter from Mary Poppins; Mary Poppins From A to Z (1963); Mary Poppins in the Kitchen (1975); Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane (1982); (1988). Look carefully at the dates: Ms Travers wrote a Mary Poppins book almost every decade of her adult life! She died 23rd April 1996 and is buried in Twickenham. It was in between the last book and her death that she worked with Cameron Mackintosh and Julian Fellows on the stage production Mary Poppins the musical. She insisted they all be English, and no one who previously worked on the film. Travers didn’t live to see the end re- sult, and the actresses who have played the lead have been English, Welsh, Australian and even American.
Te Caractrs Mr George Banks is modelled on her fa-
ther, who worked in a bank. Ms Travers developed this character with great detail, as we know about his own dreadful nanny, his job, his habits and his opinions. Mrs Banks is instrumental but doesn’t have a first name, which is why Walt Disney had to create one for her: “We’ll call her
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Cynthia,” he said. Ms Travers protested and sent him a list of suitable British names, and the last one on the list was Winifred. Jane and Michael are typical children who find mischief and adventure around every corner with a nanny at the helm. Tere are two other children in the book, a set of twins, called John and Barbara. Mr Banks has told his wife he can afford a nice house or four children, but not both. So he is expectedly upset when a fifth child, baby Annabelle, comes into the story. Of course, for a simplified story, John, Barbara and Annabelle are cut from the film. Disney created Bert from the amalgama-
tion of a few characters in the books: a street artist, a one-man band and a chim- ney sweep. Tere is always a sense that per- haps there is an element of attraction between Bert and Mary, but this was some- thing P. L. Travers insisted not to be true. Te verse in Jolly Holiday, in which Mary sings about how Bert is such a gentleman was written by Te Sherman Brothers. If you watch Bert’s face, you can practically see he is disappointed to remain “in the friend zone”.
Te Locations None of the original movie was filmed in
London, but on sound stages in Burbank, California. Tey are now called Te Julie Andrews Studios, and it is also where she filmed Te Princess Diaries. However, Ms Travers took inspiration from London for specific places in the books. For example, if you take a walk on Hampstead Heath, not far from the station near Kenwood House, you will come across a street called Admiral’s Walk. On that little street is a house that appears to look like a ship. Tey have conveniently written ‘Admiral’s House’ in paint on the side to connect it to Admiral Boom, the eccentric neighbour of the Banks’ who can’t seem to retire from the Navy. Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane does not
exist. Travers was interviewed many times and said: “It’s one of those places that doesn’t show up on a map.” Go read the books, taking note of places and bus routes that are mentioned or visited by the nanny and children. Ten grab some old maps of London, dating anywhere between 1870 and 1920. You won’t find Cherry Tree Lane. Te internet has been helpful to in- accurately fill in the blanks of where Cherry Tree Lane or the house might exist. Recently, a plaque was placed on a house on Smith Street where Travers lived in the late 50’s early 60’s, and the trendy website Londonist claimed it was where she wrote the book. Tour guides often spout that she told Disney this was the house of her vi- sion for the Banks’ home but it cannot be confirmed. She lived in Mecklenburgh Square when she first arrived to London, and as the houses there look identical to the house on Cherry Tree Lane, it is proba- bly more likely to be imagined from her own previous address. Tere is also a debate about where
Cherry Tree Lane would be if it existed. Many swear that it is in Primrose Hill, often citing Chalcot Crescent because of its colourful painted fronts and picturesque curved street but this is better related to Michael Bond’s Paddington Bear stories. Others will claim it is in Chelsea or Regent’s Park, and some even say Kensington Gardens. Tis is both the mys- tery and beauty of Cherry Tree Lane. Because, as Travers said, it doesn’t actually exist, we can make it up in our own minds. Because the film was made in Californian studios, you can sit on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral, but with sadness knowing that the bird lady never really sat there herself. Incidentally, it is not advised to feed the birds. Te common London pigeon is a nuisance to say it politely. Te cathedral employs a professional bird master with a bird of prey to visit regularly to keep the pigeons at bay. Signs are often posted warning: “do not feed the birds” near the
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