Suffragette

I was watching Mary Poppins over the weekend, and before it really started I blurted to my sister "Mrs. Banks is a suffragette!" I think I was a bit too happy about that, but, I love watching children's movies and seeing things that I didn't see as a child.

I found it interesting that Michael and Ellen are some of the worst behaved kids and their mother is a feminist. I asked myself in 1964 was Disney trying to say that feminist mummy=out of control children. Hence the point of the movie, Mary Poppins had to come in and turn their behavior around, the family dynamic, etc.

Mrs. Banks is also very wishy-washy. She believes in women's rights but always lets Mr. Banks overshadow her and make the "important" decisions. His ego is more important than her beliefs which are crucial enough for her to sing a song about. I find it interesting that although Mr. Banks literally spends 3 minutes with his kids a day (do the math, it's in his first song), and shooes them off whenever they enter the room, he is able to make choices for them and the family. Family roles...not always the best idea ever created.

Nonetheless, I love me some Mary Poppins.