In her latest film she takes on the role of cult character Mary Poppins.

And Emily Blunt looked like a real Hollywood leading actress when she entered the world premiere of “Mary Poppins Returns” in LA on Thursday night.

The 35-year-old English actress looked absolutely stunning in a sheer white dress with puffy sleeves and a deep V-neck that perfectly showcased her delicate cleavage.

In love! Emily Blunt looked like a Hollywood leading lady when she appeared with husband John Krasinski at the world premiere of Mary Poppins Returns in LA on Thursday night

There, Emily was accompanied by her husband John Krasinski, who looked dapper in a burgundy suit, polygon-patterned shirt and contrasting herringbone tie as he held his loved one's hand down the red carpet.

Surrounded by fans and photographers, the couple only had eyes for each other at the celebration. They looked at each other lovingly on the carpet.

In her white dress by Russian fashion designer Yanina Couture, the Golden Globe winner was a style icon.

Wonder in white! Emily looked stunning in a ruched white dress with flowing sleeves and a plunging neckline at the world premiere of Mary Poppins Returns in LA on Thursday. Gorgeous: The dress epitomised pure elegance, with a ruched centre and floor-length skirt, as well as full peasant sleeves. Partners in everything! The happy couple work closely together and have two beautiful daughters, Hazel and Violet. Supporting role: By her side was husband John, who looked dapper in a burgundy suit while holding his ladylove's hand. A bit of glitter: Emily's look also included dazzling chandelier earrings with a collection of rings

The dress embodied pure elegance, with a gathered center and floor-length skirt as well as long peasant sleeves.

Emily tied her vanilla locks back into a low chignon for an adorable undone touch and kept her makeup looking natural.

Her look also included dazzling chandelier earrings and an assortment of rings.

Emily enjoyed posing at the event with her friend Lin Manuel-Miranda, who plays Jack, the lamplighter.

The look of love! Surrounded by fans and photographers, the two looked loved up on the red carpet Like a fine wine: The 'Office' star teamed her burgundy polygon-print shirt with a contrasting herringbone tie while holding her ladylove's hand on the red carpet You're glowing, girl! Emily tied her vanilla tresses back in a low chignon for an adorably undone touch and wore her makeup with a natural shine Loving that shimmer: The Hamilton creator was joined by his wife Vanessa Nadal, who glowed in a shimmering one-shoulder salmon-colored dress Broadway's favorite bride! Emily beamed as she struck a stunning pose with her boyfriend and co-star Lin-Manuel A Hollywood icon! The legendary Dick Van Dyke looked chipper at the premiere No stranger to romance! The comedian played narrator and trusty chimney sweep Bert in the original film No way! Dick seemed speechless about the news that lead actress Emily told the experienced film star

The Hamilton creator was accompanied by his wife Vanessa Nadal, who glowed in a shimmering one-shoulder salmon-colored dress.

He also became friends with the legendary 92-year-old Dick Van Dyke, who appeared in good spirits at the event.

The comedian, who played narrator and loyal chimney sweep Bert in the original film, looked dapper in a navy suit, jazzed up by an aquamarine tie.

Even though Dick carried a cane, he was still quite lively.

Sealed with a kiss: Van Dyke kissed his wife and lovely companion Arlene Silver, who is 46 years his junior, on the red carpet Delighted! Dick was happy to be able to spend time with the exquisite Emily at the event A secret to be revealed! Co-stars Dick and Lin-Manuel seemed to get on splendidly during the event They went the extra mile! Emily Mortimer opted for a dress full of embellishments that was covered in pearls and jewels for a luxurious effect Artistic! Emily's on-screen sibling Ben Whishaw was chic in a white suit that looked like it was covered in graphite doodles

He made the most of the premiere, romping around on the red carpet, getting close to leading lady Emily, and kissing his wife and lovely date Arlene Silver, who is 46 years his junior.

Emily Mortimer, who plays an adult version of the character Jane in the film, also wowed in white.

She opted for an embellished dress that was studded with pearls and jewels for a luxurious effect, and her red clutch added a colorful accent that matched her cherry red lips.

Emily's on-screen sibling Ben Whishaw wore a sleek white suit that looked like it was covered in graphite scribbles.

Dressed to match! Matt Damon and wife Luciana Barroso were perfectly matched for their date night at the premiere.Sexy! Luciana gave a sexy glimpse of her side in a black spaghetti strap dress with lace panels down the side.Gray lady! Karen Gillan, of Dr. Who fame, looked perfectly demure in a cropped gray argyle sweater that revealed just a hint of her midriff.A perfect pair! Equal parts classic and fashion-forward, a steel brocade skirt rounded out the entire ensemble.Dyed red or not! Karen complemented her porcelain skin with a swipe of red lipstick that matched the velvet bow that held her luscious auburn locks together, as well as a tiny, red crocodile leather handbag.That includes two: John Stamos and wife Caitlin McHugh also enjoyed a night on the town and looked loved up on the red carpet.

Karen Gillan, known from “Dr. Who”, looked absolutely demure in her short, grey argyle sweater that showed just a bit of belly.

A steel brocade skirt was both classic and fashionable and rounded off the entire ensemble.

To show off her sense of style, she complemented her outfit with pointed patent leather ankle strap shoes for a little flair.

Karen accentuated her porcelain skin with a touch of red lipstick that matched the velvet bow that held together her luscious auburn locks, as well as a tiny red crocodile leather handbag.

Masterful monochrome: Beth Behrs paired a black and white bow blouse with textured blonde curls, pops of color, and block heels. Sleek! Arrow's Katherine McNamara looked chic in a fashionable little black velvet dress and pointed ankle boots. Elegant in ivory: Bellamy Young looked elegant in a crisp white pantsuit with matching heels and a shiny gold belt. Chic: Jordana Brewster looked chic in wide silk pants with a simple illustrated top. Sleek: She wore her hair straight and accessorized with pointed Mary Jane heels.

Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso had a date at the event. They were perfectly coordinated for their evening: Matt was dressed all in black, while Luciana showed off a sexy side in a black dress with spaghetti straps and lace inserts on the side.

The 42-year-old Argentinian beauty wore a loose updo, applied fresh makeup and framed her face with gold hoop earrings.

John Stamos and his wife Caitlin McHugh also enjoyed a night on the town and looked rejuvenated on the red carpet. The Full House alumnus, 55, looked dapper in a pinstripe suit with a red pocket square, while Caitlyn wore an emerald green lace dress with a thigh-skimming hem.

Jordana Brewster wore wide-leg silk pants and a simple patterned top. The Furious 7 star wore her cinnamon-colored hair elegantly and pointed Mary Jane pumps.

Keep warm! Josh Gad, part of the Disney family through his roles in Frozen and the live-action Beauty and the Beast, bundled up in a black pea coat and plaid pants. Peek a boo! Lori Loughlin flashed a bit of skin in a striped blouse with sheer black ties. Lost! Set years after the original, Mary Poppins Returns features the magical nanny (Blunt) as she returns to the Banks siblings (Mortimer and Whishaw) to help raise their children. Tiny talent! Joel Dawson plays little Georgie Banks in the movie Little Star! Tiny Brit Pixie Davies plays the character Anabel Banks in the movie Cast! At the premiere, there were extras dressed as chimney sweeps and townspeople. Greetings from Russia: The Golden Globe winner's white dress by Russian fashion designer Yanina Couture was a model of style

The “Saved By The Bell” actress paired checkered navy pants with her little daughter’s beige and blue patterned blouse.

Beth Behrs paired a black and white pussy bow blouse with textured blonde curls, bold colors, and layered shoes.

Katherine McNamara from Arrow wore a stylish little black velvet dress and pointed ankle boots. Bellamy Young looked elegant in a crisp white pantsuit with matching heels and a shiny gold belt.

Lori Loughlin flashed some skin in a striped blouse with transparent black stripes. She combined the look with velvet leggings, over-the-knee boots, a Gucci belt and a matching chain bag.

Cute couple! Matthew Morrison and his wife Renee both chose a fashionable ensemble for the evening. Well suited! Lesley Ann Warren looked chic in a black suit with a double-breasted jacket tailored to her feminine figure. Old and new: Utkarsh Ambudkar from The Mindy Projects wore traditional Indian clothing for the occasion. Wright's stuff! Mark Wright from The Royals opted for a simple olive sports jacket with boots and slim trousers.

Lesley Ann Warren looked chic in a black suit with a double-breasted jacket tailored to her feminine figure.

Burgundy heels and curly chestnut locks completed the look, along with a red satin snap-button clutch.

Set years after the original film, Mary Poppins Returns follows the magical nanny (Blunt) as she returns to the Banks siblings (Mortimer and Whishaw) to help raise their children.

“Mary Poppins Returns” will be released in the US on December 19, 2018.

He makes her laugh: Billy Crystal wore a suit with sneakers while attending the event with his wife Janice, mama's daughter! Caroline Rhea looked great in red as she took her daughter Ava Rhea Economopoulos to the premiere She's got the blues: The little talent Ariana Greenblatt, who played the young Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War, looked adorable in powder blue

The post Emily Blunt seems radiant in white as she dances with hubby John Krasinski at Mary Poppins Returns appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

As classy as the whole thing looked on screen, Julie Andrews has revealed that “a few Anglo-Saxon swear words” were used during a botched harness stunt during the filming of “Mary Poppins.”

Andrews appeared on Stephen Colbert's “The Late Show” in the US when she revealed the near-catastrophic incident.

“There was a very dangerous day at the very end of filming when I was in this unbearably painful harness,” she said.

“And I spent the longest time hanging up there with the umbrella.

(Source: CBS)

“I thought I felt the wire give way and fall about six inches. I was nervous… and very tired.

“So I called down and said, 'Excuse me, if you let me down, could you let me down very gently because I feel like I'm slipping and I just don't feel very safe up here.'”

And what happened next?

“I fell on the stage. I did. And then there was a terrible silence for a minute and I must admit that a few Anglo-Saxon swear words flew from my soul.”

Arguably the most classic Disney musical, it came out 53 years ago when Andrews – now 83 – was 28.

The sequel, “Mary Poppins Returns,” is planned for 2018, with Emily Blunt in the role of the magical nanny.

At her side are Ben Whishaw as the adult Michael Banks, Emily Mortimer as his adult sister Jane, as well as Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Angela Lansbury and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Dick Van Dyke, who of course played chimney sweep Burt in the original, will also have a cameo appearance.

Read more:
Angela Lansbury appears in Mary Poppins Returns
Is “Logan” the best Wolverine movie of all time?
Matt Reeves will NOT direct The Batman

The post Julie Andrews reveals she ‘nearly died’ on the set of Mary Poppins appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The chimney sweep dance in “Mary Poppins,” led by Dick van Dyk’s likeable all-rounder Burt, is reminiscent of typical blackface motifs, claims a scientist.

Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, a professor of English and gender studies at Linfield College in Oregon, explained in a New York Times article that the sequence in PL Travers' book meant “race panic.”

Pollack-Pelzner simply refers to the scene as “blacking up,” and while this may seem harmless, it has other, more disturbing connotations.

“This might seem like a harmless comic scene if Travers' novels did not associate the chimney sweeps' blackened faces with racist caricatures,” he writes.

“'Don't touch me, you black heathen,' cries a maid in Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943), as a house broom extends its dark hand. When he tries to approach the cook, she threatens to stop: 'If that Hottentot goes into the fireplace, I'm going out the door,' she says, using an archaic insult for black South Africans that recurs in book and screen.

“The 1964 film re-enacts this racial panic in absurd fashion. As the dark figures of the chimney sweeps step onto a roof in time, a naval buffoon, Admiral Boom, shouts 'We are being attacked by Hottentots!' and orders his cannon to be fired at the 'insolent devils.'”

“We're in on the joke for what it is: these aren't real black Africans, but grinning white dancers with blackened faces. It's a parody of the black threat; it was even posted on a white nationalist website as evidence of the film's racial hierarchy. And it's not just fools like the Admiral who use this language. In the 1952 novel Mary Poppins in the Park, the nanny herself says to an exasperated young Michael, 'I understand you're acting like a Hottentot.'”

Pollack-Pelzner also pointed to other examples of archaic, racially charged language in Travers' Poppins books, which in one case even led to her books being banned from the San Francisco Public Library in the early 1980s.

Travers later rewrote the chapters in a revised edition of the book, in which Poppins, Jane and Michael Banks are abducted to a South Sea island, where the nanny uses the offensive phrase “pickaninny” and speaks in a racially charged South American dialect.

However, she later said that this was “not an apology for anything I have written, the reason is much simpler: I don't want to see Mary Poppins hidden in a closet.”

Disney has not yet commented on the matter.

But in an online post after the Times article was published, Pollack-Pelzner explained: “The main reason I wrote this article was in the hope that a Disney executive would read it, take another look at the upcoming Dumbo remake and ask if there was anything in it that was even the slightest bit racist that he should perhaps reconsider before it goes on the screen.”

“After writing this article and receiving tons of hate mail in response, I learned one thing about the alt-right: Mary Poppins definitely suits them very well!”

Read more
Duncan Jones criticizes David Bowie film
Russell Crowe transforms into Roger Ailes
Zombieland 2 first poster

The post ‘Mary Poppins’ chimney sweep ‘blackface’ dance is racist, claims tutorial appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Mary Poppins (Source: Disney)

The chimney sweep dance in “Mary Poppins,” led by Dick van Dyk’s likeable all-rounder Burt, is reminiscent of typical blackface motifs, claims a scientist.

Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, a professor of English and gender studies at Linfield College in Oregon, explained in a New York Times article that the sequence in PL Travers' book meant “race panic.”

Pollack-Pelzner simply refers to the scene as “blacking up,” and while this may seem harmless, it has other, more disturbing connotations.

“This might seem like a harmless comic scene if Travers' novels did not associate the chimney sweeps' blackened faces with racist caricatures,” he writes.

“'Don't touch me, you black heathen,' cries a maid in Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943) as a house broom extends its dark hand. When he tries to approach the cook, she threatens to stop: 'If that Hottentot goes into the fireplace, I'm going out the door,' she says, using an archaic insult for black South Africans that recurs in book and screen.

“The 1964 film re-enacts this racial panic in absurd fashion. As the dark figures of the chimney sweeps step onto a roof in time, a naval buffoon, Admiral Boom, shouts 'We are being attacked by Hottentots!' and orders his cannon to be fired at the 'insolent devils.'”

“We're in on the joke for what it is: these aren't real black Africans, but grinning white dancers with blackened faces. It's a parody of the black threat; it was even posted on a white nationalist website as evidence of the film's racial hierarchy. And it's not just fools like the Admiral who use this language. In the 1952 novel Mary Poppins in the Park, the nanny herself says to an exasperated young Michael, 'I understand you're acting like a Hottentot.'”

Pollack-Pelzner also pointed to other examples of archaic, racially charged language in Travers' Poppins books, which in one case even led to her books being banned from the San Francisco Public Library in the early 1980s.

Travers later rewrote the chapters in a revised edition of the book, in which Poppins, Jane and Michael Banks are abducted to a South Sea island, where the nanny uses the offensive phrase “pickaninny” and speaks in a racially charged South American dialect.

The story goes on

However, she later said that this was “not an apology for anything I have written, the reason is much simpler: I don't want to see Mary Poppins hidden in a closet.”

Disney has not yet commented on the matter.

But in an online post after the Times article was published, Pollack-Pelzner explained: “The main reason I wrote this article was in the hope that a Disney executive would read it, take another look at the upcoming Dumbo remake and ask if there was anything in it that was even the slightest bit racist that he should perhaps reconsider before it goes on the screen.”

“After writing this article and receiving tons of hate mail in response, I learned one thing about the alt-right: Mary Poppins definitely suits them very well!”

Read more
Duncan Jones criticizes David Bowie film
Russell Crowe transforms into Roger Ailes
Zombieland 2 first poster

The post ‘Mary Poppins’ chimney sweep ‘blackface’ dance is racist, claims tutorial appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

To kick off the holiday season, the Peninsula's 75-year-old Hillbarn Theater stages its biggest production of the season, suitable for audiences of all ages.

The stage version of Mary Poppins is based on the 1964 Disney film, which in turn was based on a series of episodic children's books by PL Travers. Hillbarn artistic director Dan Demers leads a cast that includes Caitlin McGinty as the nanny who is “practically perfect in every way” – always managing to be prim and sassy at the same time – and Jim Ambler as the crazy one Chimney sweep Burt.

“Mary Poppins”: Friday, November 25, 8 p.m.; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, November 26; 2:00 p.m. Sunday, November 27th. Wednesday-Sunday until December 18th. $45-48. Hillbarn Theater, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City. (650) 349-6411. www.hillbarntheater.org

The post ‘Mary Poppins’ descends on Hillbarn appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The chimney sweep dance in Mary Poppins, led by Dick van Dyk's affable jack-of-all-trades Burt, is reminiscent of blackface themes, one academic has claimed.

In an article in the New York Times, Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, a professor of English and gender studies at Linfield College in Oregon, said that the sequence in PL Travers' book means “racial panic.”

Pollack-Pelzner simply calls the scene “blackout,” and while it may seem harmless, it has other, more disturbing connotations.

“This might seem like a harmless comic scene if Travers' novels did not associate the blackened faces of chimney sweeps with racist caricatures,” he writes.

“'Don't touch me, you black heathen,' screams a maid in Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943) as a sweep extends his dark hand. When he tries to approach the cook, she threatens to stop: “If that Hottentot goes down the chimney, I'm going out the door,” she says, using an archaic insult to black South Africans that appears repeatedly on page and screen occurs.

“The 1964 film recreates this racial panic in an absurd tone. As the dark figures of the chimney sweeps step onto a roof in rhythm, a naval idiot, Admiral Boom, shouts: “We are being attacked by Hottentots!” and orders his cannon to be fired at the “insolent devils”.

“We’re in on the joke such as it is: These aren’t really black Africans; They are grinning white dancers in blackface. It's a parody of The Black Menace; It is even posted on a white nationalist website as evidence of the film's racial hierarchy. And it's not just fools like the Admiral who invoke this language. In the 1952 novel “Mary Poppins in the Park,” the nanny herself says to the upset young Michael, “I understand that you are behaving like a Hottentot.”

Pollack-Pelzner has also pointed out other examples of archaic, racially charged language in Travers' Poppins books, in one case her books were actually banned from the San Francisco Public Library in the early 1980s.

Travers later rewrote the chapters in a revised edition of the book, in which Poppins, Jane, and Michael Banks are transported to a South Seas island, where the nanny uses the offensive phrase “pickaninny” and speaks in a racially charged South American dialect.

However, she later said she “didn't do this as an apology for anything I've written, the reason is much simpler: I don't want to see Mary Poppins hidden in a closet.”

Disney has not yet commented on the matter.

However, after the Times article was published, Pollack-Pelzner posted online: “The main reason I wrote this article was in the hope that a Disney executive would read it, take another look at the upcoming Dumbo remake and ask “If it was there.” If it was all a bit racist, maybe they should think again before it hits the big screen.

“One thing I learned about the alt-right after writing this article and receiving countless hate messages in response: They really like Mary Poppins!”

Read more
Duncan Jones hits David Bowie film
Russell Crowe turns into Roger Ailes
First poster for Zombieland 2

The post ‘Mary Poppins’ chimney sweep ‘blackface’ dance is racist, claims educational appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

TV's “Supernanny” may correct bad behavior, but only a nanny adds magical powers and flying with an umbrella to her repertoire.

The musical “Mary Poppins” opened yesterday at the Detroit Opera House and promises to delight children and adults alike through January 2nd.

Directed by producer Cameron Mackintosh, the Disney musical is based on the fantasy book series by PL Travers and the 1964 film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.

The popular childhood story follows a magical nanny who works for the hapless family of a cold banker and features popular songs such as “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “Step in Time” and “Supercalifraglisticexpialidocious.”

New songs by Olivier Award winners George Stiles and Anthony Drewe also grace the stage production.

The show premiered in London's West End in 2004, with a Broadway counterpart premiering two years later.

It received seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical and Best Set Design.

A national tour began in Chicago in March 2009.

Nicolas Dromard takes on the role of chimney sweep Bert after spending the last 1 1/2 years as Fiyero in the San Francisco production of “Wicked.”

His enthusiasm for the plum part was evident during a recent telephone interview at a tour stop in Des Moines, Iowa.

“It’s such an incredible show,” Dromard said. “Of all the shows I have done, this is my favorite. I love performing it every night.”

He believes the timeless message speaks to everyone and still resonates today.

“Kids connect with the Disney magic and adults connect because they remember the movie,” he said.

“The story about the father trying to reconnect with his children and the mother feeling like she's lost her purpose – that's very timely, even though it's set in the early 20th century.”

The national tour is not Dromard's first foray into the role.

He was part of the original Broadway cast and understudy Bert before taking over the role of Gavin Lee.

While he realizes his performance will inevitably draw comparisons to Van Dyke's iconic performance, he's not worried about whether he can keep up.

“How great to have such a role model,” he said of the star. “I don’t try to copy anything he does, but rather put my own spin on it while staying true to the character.”

Born in Ottawa, Dromard began dancing at the age of six after being inspired by a film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

He studied music at De La Salle High School, a performing arts school in Ottawa, and participated in community theater and dance competitions in Canada and the United States.

After high school, he planned to study music in college, but while in New York City to compete in a dance competition finals, he auditioned for and booked “The Radio City Christmas Spectacular” in Branson, Missouri.

From there, his theater opportunities grew – “West Side Story” at the Stratford Festival in Canada, the North American premiere of “Mamma Mia,” “Oklahoma!” and “The Boy From Oz” on Broadway, “Hairspray” in Toronto, the first national Tour of “Wicked” and “Mary Poppins” on Broadway.

Dromard puts his talents to work in the role of the lovable Cockney Bert, taking the lead role in several songs, acting as narrator and dancing up a storm in the peppy number “Step in Time.”

“That’s my favorite number,” he said. “I get to knock upside down – how could you not like that?”

According to Dromard, new melodies, including Mary's introductory piece “Practically Perfect”, fit perfectly with the original numbers and flesh out the stories of the main characters.

“It's a perfect mix of favorite songs from the film and Travers' book and new songs that fit together so perfectly you'd think the entire score was written at the same time,” he said.

Bob Crowley's bizarre stage design provides a much-vaunted backdrop for the stage action.

“The tour set is incredible,” Dromard said. “We have a house that is more like a dollhouse or a pop-up book.

“It starts closed, then at the end of the show I come out and do a little intro and it comes to life.

“It is visually beautiful and amazes the mind.”

The magical world of “Mary Poppins” unfolds at the Detroit Opera House through January 2nd.

Tickets, starting at $25, are available at the Fisher Box Office, Ticketmaster locations, www.broadwayindetroit.com and by calling 1-800-982-2787.

The post Basic musical “Mary Poppins” drops into Detroit Opera Home – The Information Herald appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Dick Van Dyke was one of the 2021 Kennedy Center Awards honorees. The film and television legend's career was showcased as he accepted the award alongside fellow honorees Debbie Allen, Joan Baez, Garth Brooks and Midori.

At age 95, Van Dyke has a long resume in the entertainment industry dating back to the late 1950s, according to IMDB. One of his most popular roles was in the 1964 film “Mary Poppins,” in which he played both the role of jack-of-all-trades Bert the chimney sweep and the role of bank boss Mr. Dawes.

In an interview with CNN, Van Dyke once said “Mary Poppins” was his favorite role in his six-decade career. “I probably enjoyed the role in Mary Poppins the most,” he said. “It was so much fun. That's my favorite movie too.”

The Oscar-winning classic film was a great example of Van Dyke's singing and dancing skills.

Here's a look back at some of Van Dyke's most famous appearances in Mary Poppins.

“Pavement Artist/Chim Chim Cher-ee”

One of the most famous songs from “Mary Poppins” is “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” the famous duet by Van Dyke and Julie Andrews. But Van Dyke also performed a solo version of the song while his character did his chalk drawings on the streets of London.

The character Bert didn't exist until composers Robert and Richard Sherman wrote the song. They were inspired by a sketch of a whistling chimney sweep and initially thought Mary Poppins would sing the song to the children, but Walt Disney intervened and suggested that it would be better to create a new character.

“Walt said, 'You know, we've got this guy who paints pictures on the sidewalk, and we've got a one-man band, and we've got a guy who flies kites – why don't we make them all one guy and call him Bert? and he will also be the chimney sweep?” Robert Sherman once said, according to SongFacts.

“Step in Time” with the chimney sweep cast

Who can forget “Step in Time,” Van Dyke’s famous number featuring Bert and the other chimney sweeps dancing and singing on London rooftops? It was one of the liveliest routines in the film.

More than 55 years later, Van Dyke's legendary “Mary Poppins” performance was also remembered when professional dancer Derek Hough performed a version of “Step in Time” in his honor.

“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” with Julie Andrews

One of the hardest song titles to pronounce – let alone spell – “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” made its debut in the Mary Poppins story when the Sherman brothers adapted PL Travers' book into a feature film, according to BBC News. The magical nanny Mary and her chimney sweep buddy recited the tongue twister word several times in one of the film's most famous sequences.

Richard Sherman once said the word came about the same way he and his brother invented words as children.

“We used to come up with the big double-speak words, we could think of a big offensive word for the kids and that's where it started,” he said. “We started with 'hideous,' and then you can sound smart and be precocious at the same time. We had “precocious” and “hideous” and we wanted something super colossal and that's cheesy, so we took “super” and doubled over to go “califragilistic,” which means nothing, it just came out that way. That’s what we did for two weeks in a nutshell.”

“I Love to Laugh” with Ed Wynn and Julie Andrews

Van Dyke showed off his Cockney accent more than his singing skills in the “I Love to Laugh” sequence. He told CNN that he focused primarily on dancing for the film, and the filmmakers gave him a vocal coach, who turned out to be Irish.

“And his Cockney wasn’t much better than mine,” Van Dyke said.

“While I was taking the picture, no one was making fun of me about the accent, but I definitely took it in afterwards,” he added.

Of the flights he took in the film – and particularly during this song – Van Dyke told the New York Times: “We had to fly all the time. Once [on the original movie] We were all up there playing “I Love to Laugh” and they were on their lunch break and everyone left and forgot we were DJing there. It must have taken 15 minutes for someone to notice and come and abandon us.”

CONTINUE READING: Kennedy Center Honors Artists and Presenters 2021

The post Dick Van Dyke’s Greatest Mary Poppins Performances [VIDEO] appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Mary Poppins (Source: Disney)

The chimney sweep dance in Mary Poppins, led by Dick van Dyk's affable jack-of-all-trades Burt, is reminiscent of blackface themes, one academic has claimed.

In an article in the New York Times, Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, a professor of English and gender studies at Linfield College in Oregon, said that the sequence in PL Travers' book means “racial panic.”

Pollack-Pelzner simply calls the scene “blackout,” and while it may seem harmless, it has other, more disturbing connotations.

“This might seem like a harmless comic scene if Travers' novels did not associate the blackened faces of chimney sweeps with racist caricatures,” he writes.

“'Don't touch me, you black heathen,' screams a maid in Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943) as a sweep extends his dark hand. When he tries to approach the cook, she threatens to stop: “If that Hottentot goes down the chimney, I'm going out the door,” she says, using an archaic slur for black South Africans that appears repeatedly on page and screen occurs.

“The 1964 film recreates this racial panic in a bizarre tone. When the dark figures of the chimney sweeps appear in time on a roof, Admiral Boom, a naval fool, shouts: “We are being attacked by Hottentots!” and orders his cannon to be fired at the “insolent devils”.

“We’re in on the joke such as it is: These aren’t really black Africans; They are grinning white dancers in blackface. It's a parody of The Black Menace; It is even posted on a white nationalist website as evidence of the film's racial hierarchy. And it's not just fools like the Admiral who invoke this language. In the 1952 novel “Mary Poppins in the Park,” the nanny herself says to the upset young Michael, “I understand that you are behaving like a Hottentot.”

Pollack-Pelzner has also pointed out other examples of archaic, racially charged language in Travers' Poppins books, in one case her books were actually banned from the San Francisco Public Library in the early 1980s.

Travers later rewrote the chapters in a revised edition of the book, in which Poppins, Jane, and Michael Banks are transported to a South Seas island, where the nanny uses the offensive term “pickaninny” and speaks in a racially charged South American dialect.

The story goes on

However, she later said she “didn't do this as an apology for anything I've written, the reason is much simpler: I don't want to see Mary Poppins hidden in a closet.”

Disney has not yet commented on the matter.

However, after the Times article was published, Pollack-Pelzner posted online: “The main reason I wrote this article was in the hope that a Disney executive would read it, take another look at the upcoming Dumbo remake and ask “If it was there.” If it was all a bit racist, maybe they should think again before it hits the big screen.

“One thing I learned about the alt-right after writing this article and receiving countless hate messages in response: They really like Mary Poppins!”

Read more
Duncan Jones hits David Bowie film
Russell Crowe turns into Roger Ailes
First poster for Zombieland 2

The post ‘Mary Poppins’ chimney sweep ‘blackface’ dance is racist, claims educational appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

It’ll take more than a spoonful of sugar for the “discriminatory language” of 1964’s “Mary Poppins” to be overlooked by the UK’s movie-rating system.

The classic film, which stars Julie Andrews as the titular nanny, has officially been reclassified from a “U” (universal) rating to “PG” (parental guidance) by the British Board of Film Classification. BBC first reported the rating switch.

The reason for the stricter rating more than 50 years later? The Oscar-winning musical includes a “derogatory term originally used by white Europeans about nomadic peoples in southern Africa” in reference to “soot-faced chimney-sweeps,” per the BBC. The term, which historically referenced the the Khoikhoi and San people, is used twice by Admiral Boom (Reginald Owen). Usage of the word is considered offensive today.

Due to its inclusion, the BBFC noted the film “exceeds our guidelines” for a U rating.

“Most recently, the film was resubmitted to us in February 2024 for another theatrical re-release, and we reclassified it PG for discriminatory language,” a BBFC spokesperson told the BBC. “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 reasoning included the “potential to expose children to discriminatory language or behavior which they may find distressing or repeat without realizing the potential offense”.

The BBFC originally classified the film in 1964 as U. It revisited — and reinstated — the rating in 2013 for a re-release. A U rating states that a film is suitable for children four years and over; PG is for kids eight and older.

The original “Mary Poppins” is rated G by the MPA (Motion Picture Association, fka MPAA) in the U.S. Its long-awaited sequel in 2018 is rated PG. The MPA cannot change its rating of a movie unless the owner or studio behind a movie, in this case Disney, asks the MPA to re-rate the movie. That’s because the MPA is a voluntary system and has a relationship and trust with the studios on the self-evaluation of its movies. The BBFC on the other hand is affiliated with the government and has more autonomy.

Disney did not respond to a request for comment about whether it would request a rating change from the MPA for “Mary Poppins.”

Emily Blunt is the present-day Mary Poppins. Lin-Manuel Miranda played Bert the chimney sweep, originally portrayed by Dick Van Dyke in the 1964 film.

The original “Mary Poppins” isn’t the only film being scrutinized by the UK ratings system: Yorgos Lanthimos’ Oscar-nominated “Poor Things” was recut to land a certified 18 rating by the BBFC. The modified scene included a brothel sequence in which Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) teaches two young boys how to have sex as they watch her and their father consummate.

When the MPA gives a rating, a filmmaker can either accept that rating or appeal the ruling, or they can re-edit the film to attempt for a different rating. The MPA deals with roughly 1-3 appeals each year.

Additional reporting by Brian Welk

The post ‘Mary Poppins’ Ranking Modified in UK Attributable to ‘Discriminatory Language’ – IndieWire appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.