The UK has raised the age rating for musical films “Mary Poppins”from 1964, because it contained “discriminatory language,” local media reported.
Members of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) have re-rated the classic Disney film from 'U' (for all audiences) to 'PG' (with parental supervision) because the film uses the derogatory term 'Hottentot'.
The character Admiral Boom, a former British marine played by Reginald Owen, uses the word twice in the film. The first time, one of the protagonist's children asks if they will “fight against the Hottentots.” Later, in the scene where the chimney sweeps are dancing on the roof with their faces black with soot, the Admiral shouts: “We are being attacked by Hottentots.”
The Oxford Dictionary explains that the term, used in colonial times to refer to the nomadic people of southern Africa, is “generally considered archaic and derogatory.” The BBFC said the word could cause distress in children or cause them to repeat it “without realizing the potential offence”.
For this reason, experts advise parents to be present when their children watch the movie.
The film “Mary Poppins,” starring Julie Andrews, won five Oscars in 1965, including best actress and best song.
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