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You have to wonder whether a Family Movie Night screening of Mary Poppins was a mistake when one of your children bounces around the house, singing sweetly:
“Although we adore men individually,
As a group, we must admit,
They’re rather stuuuuu-pid.” *
Except of course we don’t use words like stupid, so that part gets dramatically hummed.
* It’s Mrs. Banks, in her suffragette garb, explaining why women need the vote. Apparently that part of the song is really really catchy.
We don’t say “stupid” here either, but every once in awhile it comes out of my youngest. He utters the word in excited whispers. As if the taboo word is a thrill among thrills. At those time I choose to ignore it, but boy it is quite funny.
I love Mary Poppins. Now I have step in time stuck in my head.
You’re welcome.
How would you rate MP on the scariness scale? Last year we could not get past the opening scene where some policeman?politicans?mean men? talk in harsh words.
My kids have never found it scary so much as just… startling?, so that once they’ve watched it once, no one’s bothered by any of it. The dad is pretty stern, though.
I’m trying to remember what else might be scary… There’s the retired naval captain next door who yells and also sets off a fireworks cannon; there’s the scene where Mr. Banks takes the children to the bank and an elderly Dick Van Dyke pries a coin out of Michael’s hand while singing; there’s a moment where Jane and Michael run away from their father and run into an unsavory character or two and a barking dog before being found by Bert; there’s the scene where Mr. Banks gets fired and the other bankers poke a hole in his hat; and… that might really be all. I think the bit with the dog is probably the scariest, but it lasts for literally two second before Bert appears.
Last weekend, my daughter Kaya and I just watched Mary Poppins for the first time together. I forgot how much I love this movie! And yes, Kaya asked me “Did she say stupid?” but I still stand by the fact that this has got to be one of the best family films ever!
Plus it’s TWO HOURS AND TWENTY MINUTES LONG, which means we can start it at five o’clock and by the time it’s over, whoa there, bedtime! Already! Which does make for a very relaxing Friday night.