The movie “Mary Poppins” has been given a new age rating, going from U (suitable for all) to PG (parental guidance advised) by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), around 60 years after its initial release.
The reason for the change is the use of discriminatory language in the film. The term in question, “Hottentot,” is offensive and refers to the Khoikhoi people of southern Africa. It was used by the character Admiral Boom in the movie, both when referring to people offscreen and when describing the film’s child stars with soot-covered faces.
The BBFC explained that their decision is influenced by concerns raised in their racism and discrimination research. Parents worry about exposing their children to discriminatory language, which they might find distressing or repeat unintentionally. Content that actively condemns such language is likely to receive a lower rating.
This rating change specifically applies to the cinema version of the film; the home entertainment versions will maintain a U rating, according to the BBFC. The use of term “Hottentot” was adopted by Dutch settlers and later used to refer to all black people, making it offensive.
This movie follows a trend of classic films having their ratings updated. For instance, the 1978 animated film “Watership Down” received a PG rating due to violent scenes, while the 1979 film “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” was upgraded for mild language, violence, and threat. The BBFC considers various factors like dangerous behavior, discrimination, references to drugs and sex, language, nudity, and scenes of threat, horror, and violence when deciding on film classifications. They pay particular attention to discriminatory language or behavior, deeming it unacceptable unless disapproved of, in an educational or historical context, or in a particularly dated work with no likely appeal to children.
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