Something quite atrocious?
Mary Poppins rating altered as U.K. reckons with racism in classics
The age rating of children's film Mary Poppins has been increased by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to Parental Guidance due to discriminatory language.
The musical about a magical nanny, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, charmed audiences upon its release in 1964 and has become a classic beloved by generations of viewers.
But alongside its indelible, irresistible songs such as Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and A Spoonful of Sugar, it includes two uses of the word “Hottentot.” The term is a derogatory word used by Europeans to refer to the people of southern Africa.
“While Mary Poppins has a historical context, the use of discriminatory language is not condemned, and ultimately exceeds our guidelines for acceptable language” at its previous rating level, a BBFC spokesperson said via email.
The recent rating change moves Mary Poppins from U — appropriate for all audiences — to Parental Guidance, indicating that it contains scenes that may be unsuitable for young children but should not unsettle a child eight and older.
The rating body's spokesperson said its research had shown that a key concern, particularly among parents, is “the potential to expose children to discriminatory language or behaviour which they may find distressing or repeat without realizing the potential offence.”
Organizations involved in distributing content have in recent years grappled with how to handle depictions, particularly relating to race, that remain frozen in time while social norms have evolved. Steps have ranged from the mild — a changed classification — to the more substantial, such as changing the original work.
Michele Aaron, professor of film and television studies at the University of Warwick, said in an email that taking steps to address inappropriate content in old movies was “invaluable as part of a recalibration of society as anti-racist,” including the removal of racist words.
“Where the racism is more than a mere matter of one word, it's really important that racist content does not go unchecked or undiscussed,” she said.
Such measures can also be controversial. When Puffin U.K. released reprints of Roald Dahl's much-loved children's books with edits made to sections judged to be offensive or noninclusive, the changes sparked an international outcry. They were called “absurd censorship” by literary giant Salman Rushdie, and the chief executive of PEN America said the organization was “alarmed” by the decision.
One option, taken up by some streaming services, is a written advisory before the film or program starts. On Disney+, viewers of the 1953 Peter Pan film are informed that it “includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures.” The film includes caricatures of Indigenous peoples, including in song. “Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation,” the advisory adds.
Warner Bros. Entertainment uses similar language on its page for Gone With the Wind, writing that the 1939 release is “a product of its time and depicts racial and ethnic prejudices that have, unfortunately, been commonplace in American society.”
Others have removed offensive content — or resisted calls to make changes. Breakfast at Tiffany's, the 1961 Audrey Hepburn romance that includes a white actor playing a Japanese character for laughs, streams through Prime Video without an advisory, though the relevant scenes were cut completely when it aired on the U.K.'S Channel 5 in 2022, local media reported.
The BBFC has the option to change its classification when films are formally resubmitted for review, often before they are released in home formats or return to cinemas.
This is what happened with Mary Poppins, which is set to be re-released in theatres starting in March. The body's guidelines are updated about every five years.
Last year, the BBFC increased the age rating for films such as Return of the Jedi (from U to PG, for reasons including “moderate violence”), while Jurassic Park and School of Rock each went from PG to 12A for reasons that included “bloody images” and “discriminatory terms,” respectively.
The non-governmental organisation has also decreased the ratings of some films. Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull went from 18 to 15, as did Aliens and The Terminator, upon a reassessment of the violence and language in those movies.
Where the racism is more than a mere matter of one word, it's really important that racist content does not go unchecked or undiscussed.