Mary Poppins rating raised by British Board of Film Classification due to ‘discriminatory language’

The rating of the classic 1964 musical Mary Poppins has been raised to PG

Mary Poppins’ age rating has been raised from U to PG by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) almost 60 years after its release.

The age rating was changed because of “discriminatory language,” the BBFC said.

The 1964 film, starring Dame Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, uses the colonial term Hottentots, a derogatory word historically used by white Europeans to refer to the Khoikhoi people in South Africa.

Mary Poppins starring Dick Van Dyke, as Bert, Julie Andrews, as Mary Poppins, and the Banks children

Actor Reginald Owen’s character, Admiral Boom, uses the term twice in the film, once when he asked one of the children, Michael, if he was going on an adventure to “defeat Hottentots”.

Later, when chimney sweeps with soot-covered faces are spotted by the admiral, he shouts “we’re being attacked by Hottentots”, before launching fireworks in their direction.

The BBFC said: “While Mary Poppins has a historical context, the use of discriminatory language is not condemned, and ultimately exceeds our guidelines for acceptable language at U.

“We therefore classified the film PG for discriminatory language.”

The film has been classified as containing “some scenes [that] may be unsuitable for young children”.

The BBFC added: “We understand from our racism and discrimination research … that a key concern for … parents is the potential to expose children to discriminatory language or behaviour, which they may find distressing or repeat without realising the potential offence.

“Content with immediate and clear condemnation is more likely to receive a lower rating.”

Pixar’s Ratatouille was reclassified by the BBFC from a U to a PG rating due to instances of “comic violence” and “mild bad language”.

Brad Pitt’s Fight Club was downgraded from an 18 rating to 15 despite its portrayal of “sequences of graphic and brutal violence”.

BBFC ensures its compliance officers always classify content in line with its classification guidelines, which means “older content may require a higher or lower age rating”.

Mary Poppins, alongside the hit 1965 classic The Sound of Music, made a global star of Dame Julie. One of the biggest box office draws of the 1960s, Dame Julie has been honoured with the Kennedy Center Honors in 2001, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2007, and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2022.