Mary Poppins, Goodbye

Mary Poppins, Goodbye (Russian: Мэри Поппинс, до свиданья, translit. Meri Poppins, do svidaniya) is a Soviet 1983 musical film in two series ("Lady Perfection" and "Week ends on Wednesday") directed by Leonid Kvinikhidze loosely based on a Pamela L. Travers stories. Produced Mosfilm by the order of Gosteleradio of USSR. Screenplay by Vladimir Valutsky. Runtime - 141 min. Lyrics by Naum Olev. Original music score by Maksim Dunayevsky, conductor - Sergei Skripka (State Symphony Orchestra of Cinematography). Cinematography producer - Valentin Piganov. Stage producer - Viktor Petrov.

[edit] Cast

Natalya Andrejchenko as Mary Poppins (voiced by Tatyana Voronina)
Albert Filozov as Mr. Banks
Lembit Ulfsak as Mr. A (Robertson), poet and composer (voiced by Pavel Smeyan)
Oleg Tabakov as Miss Andrew
Larisa Udovichenko as Mrs. Banks
Filipp Rukavishnikov as Boy (Michael)
Anna Plisetskaya as Girl (Jane)
Irina Skobtseva as Ms. Lark, dog owner
Zinovi Gerdt as Admiral Boom
Marina Nudga as Ma'am Corrie
Gali Abajdulov as Sir Ljudovik
Semyon Sokolovsky as elderly gentleman
Igor Yasulovich as Park cleaner
Pavel Babakov as Butcher
Leonid Kanevskiy as Bob Goodetty
Yuri Moroz as Mailman
Ilya Rutberg as Official
Eduard Levin as Policeman
V. Karklinsh as Marble boy
Anatoli Gorokhov (voice only)

Anna Plisetskaya (Jane) is a niece of Maya Plisetskaya.
Leonid Kvinikhidze reported in an interviews later that his intention was not a film for the kids, but for adults. The fact that it was very kindly met by children was unexpected for him.
Musical material was recorded by the music ensemble Voskresinie (Sunday) - Vadim Golutvin (guitar), Petr Podgorodetskiy (keyboard), Vladimir Voronin (drums).
In both episodes of the film Michael's tape recorder playbacks Robert Palmer's hit «Looking for Clues» (1980). This song is also heard in the Return of the Living Dead 2.
There's an interesting poster in the Robertson's room, visible as he sings «33 cows». It clearly reads «INVITATI… AU VOYAO…». It's the poster of an Invitation au voyage 1982 film [1] (a year before Mary Poppins, Goodbye was released). In the film a pop singer dies, electrocuted in a tub of milk and her twin brother drains the milk into bottles. Robertson song is a possible reference on that film - Milk diet is good for poets if they are under 6 years old...