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The United Kingdom raised the age rating for the 1964 musical “Mary Poppins” because it contained “discriminatory language,” they said. Local media.
Members of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) Reclassified This Disney classic is rated “U” (for all audiences) to “PG” (with parental supervision) due to the use of the derogatory term “Hottentot” in the film.
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 a scene in which chimney sweeps dance on the roof with their faces blackened with soot, the Admiral chants: “We're under attack by the Hottentots.”
The Oxford Dictionary explains that the term, used in colonial times to refer to a nomadic people in 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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