Here's why the 'Mary Poppins' age rating was just changed to PG
Newsy
"Mary Poppins" will soon celebrate its 60th anniversary, but it'll have a different age rating when it hits limited theaters.
"Mary Poppins" is no longer fit for just any child; the iconic Walt Disney film and its leading nanny are instead only advised for children whose parents have deemed it okay — at least, in the U.K.
The British Board of Film Classification has upgraded the age rating of the Julie Andrews classic from U, meaning it contains no material likely to offend or harm, to PG, meaning some material may not be suitable for children and parental guidance is suggested.
The shift is due to "discriminatory language," the BBFC said. The board didn't specify where this occurs in the film, however, multiple outlets report a BBFC spokesperson cited the film's two uses of the word "Hottentots" as the reason for the change.
The derogatory term was first used by white Europeans to refer to the Khoekhoe, an indigenous South African group. In "Mary Poppins," Reginald Owen's character, Admiral Boom, uses it once to refer to people off-screen and again to reference the chimney sweeps, whose faces are covered in soot.
"We understand from our racism and discrimination research… that a key concern for people, parents in particular, is the potential to expose children to discriminatory language or behavior which they may find distressing or repeat without realizing the potential offense," the BBFC spokesperson said. "Some language or behaviors are therefore not permitted at U or PG in any circumstance or are wholly dependent on context. Content with immediate and clear condemnation is more likely to receive a lower rating."
