Mary Poppins Returns

n the mid-1930s, widower Michael Banks lives in his childhood home with his children Annabel, John, and Georgie; his housekeeper Ellen and sister Jane are helping him raise the children. However, Michael has taken a loan from the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank to cover expenses, and William Weatherall Wilkins’ associates come to the house to warn him the family’s home will be repossessed if the loan is not repaid in full by Friday. Michael and Jane remember their father George left them shares in the bank that can cover the loan, and search the house for the certificate proving their ownership of the shares. During the search, Michael finds his old kite, but sees no worth in it anymore and puts it out to give away.

A strong wind whips up, taking the kite to the park where Annabel, John, and Georgie find it. Georgie grabs the kite string and is nearly pulled into the sky, but saved by lamplighter Jack. As they gain control, Mary Poppins descends with the kite. Returning to Cherry Tree Lane to take care of the three children as their nanny, Michael and Jane are astonished. Mary begins her duties by drawing the children a bath, which leads down to an imaginative oceanic world. However, when Mary and the children return to the house, she denies anything fantastical happened.

Michael and Jane go to the bank to see if he can find proof of his shares, but bank manager Wilkins denies that there are any records of them – and destroys the records as soon as they’re out of sight. Later, Annabel and John decide to sell their mother’s “priceless” Royal Doulton bowl to help pay off the debt. Georgie tries to stop them, and the bowl ends up damaged while the three fight over it. Jack greets Mary and joins her and the children on a trip inside the bowl’s painting. There, the group meets the talking animals drawn on the bowl, and Mary creates the Royal Doulton Music Hall. However, after the performance, Georgie is kidnapped by a wolf, a weasel, and a badger, and Annabel and John go to rescue him. They succeed, but end up falling off the edge of the bowl, quickly waking up in their beds, where they are comforted by Mary over their mother’s death.

The next day, Mary and the children go to see Mary’s cousin Topsy to get the bowl fixed. Although Topsy initially refuses as her shop has turned upside-down, Mary helps her see things from a different perspective, and she agrees to fix the bowl. They then go to the bank to give Michael his briefcase, but when the children go to Wilkins’ office to ask him for help, they overhear him planning to repossess their house regardless. Georgie interrupts the banker’s meeting, and the children are forced to flee. Michael sends the children home with Mary, but they become lost in fog. They encounter Jack and his fellow lamplighters, who teach the children Cockney rhyming slang and light their way home. There, Michael reprimands his children for putting his situation at risk and begins to break down, having been grieved over his wife’s death, to which the children comfort him, echoing Mary’s words.

The Banks family prepares to move out of their house, but while examining his old kite, Michael realizes Georgie used parts of the shares certificate to cover the kite’s holes. Michael and Jane head to the bank while Mary and the children go with Jack and the lamplighters to Big Ben to “turn back time”. Jack and Mary turn Big Ben back five minutes, giving Michael and Jane enough time to reach the bank. Wilkins, however, refuses to honor the certificate. Mr. Dawes Jr. arrives and ousts his nephew Wilkins from the bank for his corrupt practices. Dawes Jr. affirms Michael and Jane’s ownership of the certificates and reveals George had invested Michael’s tuppence from 25 years ago, giving them enough money to pay off the loan.

The next day, the Banks family go to the park, and purchase balloons which carry them into the sky, while Mary Poppins senses it is time for her to leave. The Banks family and Ellen return to their home on Cherry Tree Lane. Michael and Jane realize Mary Poppins has left once more, and speak their thanks to her. As Mary flies away, she turns back and smiles down on London.