In 1934, Pamela Travers created the ‘practically perfect’ woman in Mary Poppins who bought order into the chaos of people’s homes. Decades later, the magical English nanny is still adored by children and parents alike.

Featuring interviews with Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson, The Real Mary Poppins reveals the fascinating story of her creator and the truth that lies behind the enthralling fictions. The documentary draws on an extensive archive, interviews and clips from the original Mary Poppins movie and 2013’s Saving Mr Banks, which features Emma Thompson as Pamela Travers, to tell the real story of a complex woman with many contradictions.

She could be vain, bossy, and fiercely independent. In short, she was Mary Poppins. And like her creation, Pamela saw – and gave others the ability to see – the magical in the commonplace, the extraordinary in the everyday.

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