completely random mary poppins movie question

[bodhigirlsmiles]

completely random observation about a mary poppins song....

in the song "jolly holiday", bert sings a song to mary in which he observes how lovely it is spending the day with her. he goes on for some time about the wonderfull attributes of mary poppins....and then it's her turn. it may just be me and my crazy mind, but it seems to me that her "warnings" to him are a little harsh....

(bert singing)

Ain't it a glorious day?

Right as a mornin' in May

I feel like I could fly

'Ave you ever seen

The grass so green?

Or a bluer sky?

(lovely sentiments about the beautiful day)

Oh, it's a jolly holiday

With Mary

Mary makes your 'eart so light

When the day is gray

And ordinary

Mary makes the sun shine bright!

(how could she help but feeling happy after hearing such kind words?)

Oh 'appiness is bloomin'

All around 'er

The daffoldils are smilin'

At the dove

When Mary 'olds your 'and

You feel so grand

Your 'eart starts beatin'

Like a big brass band

Oh, it's a jolly holiday with Mary

No wonder that it's Mary that we love!

(more kindness....nothing nefarious about that....i don't think anyway)

Now then what'd be nice

We'll start with raspberry ice

And then some cakes and tea

Order what you will

There'll be no bill

It's complimentary

(and then we get to mary's part....)

Oh, it's a jolly holiday

With you, Bert

Gentlemen like you are few

Though your just a diamond

In the rough, Bert

Underneath your blood is blue!

(a little cautious?)

You'd never think of pressing

Your advantage

For bearance is the hallmark

Of your creed

A lady needn't fear

When you are near

Your sweet gentility is crystal clear!

Oh, it's a jolly holiday with you, Bert

A jolly, jolly holiday with you!

(say what?? is she afraid of him? did she think that his motives are less than pure? she was politely telilng him he could take a leap of a cliff if he thinks their relationship will ever progress further?)

observations great and small....this certainly qualifies as a small observation, but what do you think?

[beefche]

Bert is a product of the streets. He is a rough character (as rough as Disney allowed him to be in a G rated movie). Typically, he would not be allowed near a lady, even to pass her on the street.

So, Mary's observations are high praise indeed. She is a lady and recognized as such by all. Bert is not a "gentleman" as defined by the society of the day. He's "common" and therefore, not worthy to be near Mary as his baser instincts are likely to kick in (again, as society thought of fellows such as he).

[bodhigirlsmiles]

Bert is a product of the streets. He is a rough character (as rough as Disney allowed him to be in a G rated movie). Typically, he would not be allowed near a lady, even to pass her on the street.

So, Mary's observations are high praise indeed. She is a lady and recognized as such by all. Bert is not a "gentleman" as defined by the society of the day. He's "common" and therefore, not worthy to be near Mary as his baser instincts are likely to kick in (again, as society thought of fellows such as he).

i had never thought of it in that way. thank you, that makes sense.

[Elgama]

Mary is a Nanny, so at the top of the servants tree so to speak. Bert was as low as you could go, street artist and chimney sweep. In reality she would have probably lost her job for associating with him never mind being nice to him. She is also English not quite middle class and would have been very cautious, even when I was growing up the middle classes/upper working class expected people to behave in a certain way.

It is widely acknowledged that in England people in Mary's and her employer's positions were the guardians of morality, people from the upper class and lower classes (of which Bert was one) did not automatically conform - even Queen Victoria's son was named Dirty Bertie, by the satirists and until recently was rumoured to be a suspect or at least connected to Jack the Ripper. Crime in 19th Century London was appalling (violent crime was higher than it is today), alcholism was out of control, and people were incredibly poor.

Although the film was made in 1964, the first book was published in 1935 and seems to be set in Edwardian England. Mary was female and not quite posh, she would have had standards and couldn't be seen to be forward.

She was an Uptown Girl.

-Charley

[BenRaines]

Ah so Bert was like Eliza Doolittle, "I'm a good girl, I am." One of my favorite movies. "My Fair Lady"

Ben Raines

[Elgama]

Ah so Bert was like Eliza Doolittle, "I'm a good girl, I am." One of my favorite movies. "My Fair Lady"

Ben Raines

yes he would have been from a similar background - he was a chimney sweep so marginally better off. At the time of the books there was no welfare state (well maybe at the time the 4th one came out), we hadn't had WWII and the huge changes it brought to British Society. There were some improvements had he been just a few decades earlier, Bert would not have been the chimney sweep it would have been a small child that could fit up the chimney and it really was the lowest rung job.

-Charley

[Moksha]

You'd never think of pressing

Your advantage

For bearance is the hallmark

Of your creed

A lady needn't fear

When you are near

Your sweet gentility is crystal clear!

Oh, it's a jolly holiday with you, Bert

A jolly, jolly holiday with you!

(say what?? is she afraid of him? did she think that his motives are less than pure? she was politely telling him he could take a leap of a cliff if he thinks their relationship will ever progress further?)

I think it is a mixed message, much like romance novel readers would say to Fabio. What she really means is, "Take me now Bert. Ravish me as I have dreamed about so many times before. Make the earth tremble so I will shout 'Supercalifragilisticextralidocious' at the top of my lungs".

Just a thought. :)

[BenRaines]

I think Mary's words are words of praise of the man Bert. I do like Moshka's definition as well.

Ben Raines

[Wingnut]

"Blue blood" also refers to royalty. It has its roots in Spain in the early 19th century. She may have been implying that although on the outside Bert is a mere chimney sweep, covered in dirt and soot, and perhaps crass and crude at a glance, that he is really of the finest mettle there is.