Here's Why Mary Poppins Was The Most Complained-About Film Of Last Year

Julie Andrews in Mary PoppinsDespite it being 60 years old, more people made official complaints to the British Board of Film Classification about Mary Poppins than any other film in 2024, it’s been revealed.Last year, the classic Disney movie found itself at the centre of a minor media furore when the BBFC made the decision to downgrade the film from a U certificate (meaning “universal for all”) to a PG, denoting that “parental guidance” is advised when it came to showing the film to children.This decision was made based on a throwaway moment in the film in which the film’s sea captain character twice uses the slur “hottentots” to refer to soot-covered chimney sweeps seen in its iconic Step In Time sequence.While this term was originally used by Europeans specifically to refer to the Indigenous Khoekhoes of South Africa, it eventually became adopted as a more general slur towards Black people.In the BBFC’s annual report, it was revealed that the decision to switch Mary Poppins from a U rating to a PG generated more complaints than anything else last year, with a total of 56 complaints from those who felt a “U” rating was sufficient.Responding to these complaints, they pointed out that the usage of the term is “neither criticised nor condemned”, which could increase “the risk that very young viewers might repeat it without realising the potential for offence”.Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet in the first Dune movie, released in 2021Other films listed in the report include Dune: Part Two – which sparked 13 complaints from viewers who felt its depiction of knife-related violence was too severe for a 12A rating – and Saltburn.The 10 complaints about Saltburn were apparently from viewers who felt the “depiction of sexual obsession was too disturbing” for a 15 certificate.However, the BBFC argued: “Given the blackly comic tone of the film and that the key scenes, while strong, lacked graphic nudity and other visual explicitness, Saltburn meets our standards at a 15 classification.”Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in SaltburnMary Poppins was released in 1964, famously mixing animation with live-action sequences, earning Julie Andrews the Academy Award for Best Actress and giving the Disney film studio new signature songs in the likes of A Spoonful Of Sugar, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Feed The Birds, (notably a favourite of Walt Disney’s).It is currently available to stream on Disney+, where it appears without a content warning, and is listed as suitable for all viewers.READ MORE:This Is Why Miley Cyrus' Fans Are Suddenly Talking About Hannah Montana AgainRachel Zegler Reveals How She Really Feels About 'Alarming' Snow White DramaPirates Of The Caribbean Producer Teases Return Of Classic Characters In Much-Hyped Reboot

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