Soliders in Petticoats Vs. Political Prisoners

  In the Walt Disney movie,  Mary Poppins and in the powerful movie, Iron Jawed Angels the word suffragist is used roughly about the same. Iron Jawed Angels focused more directly on the actual women's suffragist movement and followed the life of Alice Paul (Hilary Swank), and Lucy Burns (Frances O'connor) as they heroically put their lives on the line for the women's right to vote. Mary Poppins, is set in the early 1900's and has many refrences to the woman's suffrage movement. A big part is in the first 15 minutes of the movies, when Mrs. Banks comes home from a women's suffrage rally, she breaks out in song about the movement it's self and states:

Cast off the shackles of yesterday!
Shoulder to shoulder into the fray!
Our daughters' daughters will adore us
And they'll sign in grateful chorus
"Well done, Sister Suffragette!"

(Mary Poppins 1964)

     This is one of the big moments that the reference to the era and suffrage movement is forwardly seen. In Iron Jawed Angels most of the women are active in their demand for equal rights, with the exception of Carrie Chapman Catt (Anjelica Huston), and actively participate in rallies and strikes. In Mary Poppins, Mrs. Banks appears to be an activist who participates in rallies for Woman's right to vote, however throughout the movie she so typically of the time, waits on her husbands, Mr. Banks, beck and call. In one part of the movie, Mr. Banks wants to have a talk with Mary Poppins about her influence on the children and their imagination. Mrs. Banks mentions she needs to leave to attend a rally, all it takes is Mr. Banks to say he needs her to stay and she immediately complies. So, while she does attend rallys and believes in the women should have equal right to vote, she is not very active in obtaining equality in her own home life. Mary Poppins however is very stern and independent which is very atypical for women of her time. She, while not active in the woman suffrage community, is active in her personal life. The fact that Mary Poppins has a job is a step up from many woman of time all in itself. While, the movie Mary Poppins is a great children movie and teaches under all the Disney animation and fluff suggest some good moral standings, it does not accurately depict the suffragist movement. It has references to the politics and issues of the time, but is not forward about the movement itself, where Iron Jawed Angels thoroughly represents and describes the women and troubles of the early 1900s. Iron Jawed Angels, obviously portrays the era more precisely since it did not have to sugar coat the issues for the sake of children's entertainment. Watching Mary Poppins now, for the first time in over one decade, I realize all the underlying issues of the time that I really did not know about or concern myself with when I was younger. It is now more obvious to me the role of women, their position in the suffrage movement and how they are represented in the movie. In Iron Jawed Angels the stereotype of feminism definitely came into play. They were strong willed, independent women who's self supporting personalities made them stand out from women of their era. However, the stereotype of women hating men which was discussed in Megan Seely's book, "Fight Like a Girl" (Seely 1) is definitely fought against in this movie as Alice Pauls relationship with Ben Weissman is focused on and explored throughout the entire movie. In Mary Poppins, to me Mrs. Banks seems like the type of woman who would not normally be seen at rallies like Emily Leighton in Iron Jawed Angels. Male and female relationships are depicted differently not between each movie, but between the characters in each movie. Senator Leighton and Mr. Banks seem to have the same look on the women's rights movement. While Senator Leighton openly speaks about his oppositions to women equality. Mr. Banks treats Mrs. Banks as if he is superior and demands her to do things. On the flip side, in both films there is a man who does not treat women any differently and seems to consider them an equal like Bert, and Ben Weissman. Marriage appears to be depicted as something between upper class families. The men in both the movies have different roles as said before. Senator Leighton and Mr. Banks are the typical patriarchal men who believe "in a system that values men over women, a system that promotes men over women and a system that allows and, some would encourages the violation of women (Seely 3)" which seems to be typical of the time. They are leaders of the house hold who control the life of his wife and children, then in contrast the roles of Bert and Ben who are considerate of women. The women in each film is depicted some what the same. The upper class woman, Mrs. Burns and Emily Leighton, are stay at home moms who take care of the children and take care of the household chores, while the men, Mr. Burns and Senator Leighton go to work and support the family financially. Both movies represent the era differently and from different points of view.




Seely, Megan. Fight Like a Girl: How to be a Fearless Feminist. New York and London: New York University Press, 2007.

"Iron Jawe Angels-A Film by Katja Von Garnier". 29 January 2010 .

"Mary Poppins 1964". Answers.com. 29 January 2010 .