Throwback Thursday-Julie Andrews Double Feature-Mary Poppins (1964) And The Sound Of Music (1965)

While there are some movies and some performers whose work receives mixed or bad reviews, there are others who are universally loved and treasured.

Julie Andrews is one of those performers, those movies are Mary Poppins (1964) and Sound Of Music (1965).

Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) is a nanny who is brought in by Mr. and Mrs. Banks (David Tomlinson and Glynis Johns) to take care of their children. But Mary is not just any nanny. She has magical powers and takes her charges into an animated, fantastical world with the help of Bert (Dick Van Dyke). But in the end, it is not just the kids whose lives she touches, but their reserved father.

This movie is a childhood classic. Successfully combining live action with animation, this movie is an experience for audience members of all ages.

A year after Mary Poppins, she starred in what may be the most iconic movie of her career, The Sound Of Music. Based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Von Trapp,  the movie is the story of Maria. Maria is a young novice who has not quite conformed to the rules of the Abbey in which she lives. She accepts a job where she will be the governess for the children of widowed Navy Captain Georg Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). While the children are rebellious and test her in the beginning, their father is the real test and will force Maria to question what she really wants to do with her life.

This movie, while a little on the schmaltzy side, is incredible.  I have yet to meet someone who has not loved this movie and related to it somehow on a personal level.

And just because it was so incredible, I am including Lady Gaga’s tribute to Sound Of Music from last weekend’s Oscar’s. I got chills watching her perform.

I highly recommend them both.

 

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Throwback Thursday- Superstar (1999)

Over it’s forty year history, Saturday Night Live has seen introduced it’s audience to many interesting and sometimes crazy characters.

Among the few (and only female) character who has made it to the big screen is Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon). The 1999 movie, Superstar, expanded Mary Katherine’s world from a five minute weekly sketch to a full length movie.

Mary Katherine is an orphaned high school student who has been labelled an outcast by her classmates. She has one dream: to be kissed soulfully. With the announcement of the school talent contest, Mary Katherine has only one dance partner in mind, Sky Corrigan (Will Ferrell). But Sky’s girlfriend (Elaine Hendrix) is in the way. Guided by her grandmother (Glynis Johns), Mary Katherine and her follow special ed students will put on a performance that will hopefully turn Sky’s heart and mind.

What I love about this movie is that underneath the silliness is the truth of being an social misfit in high school and having dreams, despite the obstacles that stand in front of us. Mary Katherine fervently believes in her dreams, despite what some of her classmates are saying.

I recommend this movie.