It was 1964. I was nine.And I was going to see Mary Poppins.
My entire family was going. Parents, brother, aunt and uncle and cousins.
It was a huge event. I lived in Van Nuys, so we had to drive all the way into the "city" (Los Angeles) to see the movie. It was playing at a beautiful old theatre called The Carthay Circle theatre (it was later demolished, considered obsolete in light of modern multi-plexes).
In those days, you didn't just throw on a pair of jeans and run out the door to see a movie. Oh no. You had to "dress". I remember getting all dolled up, in a dress, patent leather shoes, and a pair of white gloves.
Yep, you heard me right...white gloves.
Movie going was serious business in those days. (Christ, I sound old...oh yeah, I AM)
As I have written about before (in fact, coincidentally, exactly two years ago to the day) all first run movies were shown in the city. So the trek had to be made over the hill if we were to see Mary Poppins.
I can't begin to tell you the anticipation and excitement I can still remember feeling. The whole event was like a dream come true.
Julie Andrews was so beautiful...who wouldn't have wanted her as their nanny. Not that I would have known what a nanny was!
I often wonder if seeing a movie is as exciting for a little girl today. Knowing that you can rent it in a few months if you miss it, and then watch it 50 times over, probably takes the same excitement out of it. But I wouldn't know...being so old and all.
I truly hope that's not the case. I truly hope that the same excitement and heart pounding anticipation is experienced today by little girls going to see a long awaited movie.
It's an experience that I can still feel and smell and taste all these years later.
6 comments:
I have fond memories of Mary Poppins, too. If I'm not mistaken, it was the first movie I ever saw at the theater, and I believe I saw it with my grandfather, who was still alive at the time. We have the movie soundtrack album, too.
It is one of the loveliest movies that came out in the sixties but is timeless in its entertainment value.
"Step in time, step in time...!"
Sigh. What a wonderful story :-).
Cxx
Christ, I sound old...oh yeah, I AM)
Older than I am. ;) Somebody has to be.
I love this! Nothing is that special anymore, I fear. We try like crazy to make some things memorable, but everything has a teaser and a trailer and is already leaked online. Not just movies. Everything. Sigh.
One of my favorite childhood movies also (who wasn't in love with Julie Andrews?). My daughter is friends with Jane Banks' daughter who looks exactly like Jane Banks in the movie.
But what I really want to hear more about is the Carthay Circle Theatre. I am OBSESSED with this place even though it was torn down twenty years before I moved to L.A. I used to live about a block from where it once stood and I still drive by there almost every day and every single time wince at the horror that stands there now. What a magnificent building that was. I have a collection of photos and artifacts from the theatre and I want to hear every memory you have of the place!!
thanks all, for your comments.
Danny, I wish I could remember more about the theatre...I just remember how beautiful and special it was, but nothing specific.
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