
The 1964 film Mary Poppins features several references to banks and the world of finance. The film's protagonist, Mary Poppins, is hired as a nanny to the Banks family, which comprises Mr. Banks, a banker, his wife, and their two children, Jane and Michael. Mr. Banks is a cold and rigid banker with a strong belief in discipline and rules, who initially thinks his family should be run like a bank. The film also includes a song, Fidelity Fiduciary Bank, in which bankers attempt to convince Michael to invest his tuppence in their bank. The 2018 sequel, Mary Poppins Returns, also references banking, with Mr. Dawes telling Michael that the tuppence he invested as a child has grown enough to pay off his debt.
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What You'll Learn
- George Banks, the father of the Banks children, is a banker
- The song 'Fidelity Fiduciary Bank' is sung by bankers
- Mr Banks tries to convince his children to invest their money in a bank
- The film explores the theme of love and how Mr Banks learns to love through Mary Poppins
- Mr Banks is fired from the bank after a run on the bank

George Banks, the father of the Banks children, is a banker
In the film, George attempts to convince Michael to deposit his tuppence into the bank, telling him about the world of finance and the benefits of accumulating wealth. When Michael refuses, saying he wants to feed the birds, Mr. Dawes Sr. takes the money from him, leading to a run on the bank. George is held responsible for the incident and is fired from his job.
The character of George Banks is inspired by P.L. Travers' own father, who was a strict and no-nonsense banker, as well as Walt Disney's father, Elias. The story explores the themes of family and love, with Mary Poppins helping the Banks family become closer and George learning the importance of love and affection through her.
In the 2018 sequel, "Mary Poppins Returns," Mr. Dawes tells Michael Banks that the tuppence he invested as a child has grown large enough to pay off his debt, highlighting the moral lesson of the original film. The song "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank," sung by the bankers in the original film, also reflects the theme of banking and finance in the story.
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The song 'Fidelity Fiduciary Bank' is sung by bankers
The song "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank" from the 1964 film Mary Poppins is indeed sung by bankers. The stodgy old bankers at the Dawes, Tomes, Mousely, Grubbs Fidelity Fiduciary Bank, led by the "Elder Mr. Dawes", sing the song to George Banks's two children, Jane and Michael. The song is an attempt to persuade Michael to invest his tuppence in the bank. As the song progresses, the pressure mounts on George, a junior clerk at the bank, to influence Michael's decision. Eventually, Michael slightly opens his hand, and Mr. Dawes takes the tuppence from him, prompting loud protests from Michael, which cause panic and mayhem. This leads to a run on the bank, mirroring a real-life bank run at the Birkbeck Bank in 1910, the year in which the film is set.
The song is composed by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman and is not included in the 2004 stage musical version. However, it is referenced in the 2013 film Saving Mr. Banks, which is about P.L. Travers' negotiations with Walt Disney during the making of Mary Poppins. In a scene from Saving Mr. Banks, Travers Goff delivers a speech inspired by the lyrics of "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank". The song also appears on the Mary Poppins original motion picture soundtrack, credited to Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, and The Bankers.
The character of George Banks in Mary Poppins is a junior officer in one of London's banks, inspired by P.L. Travers' own father, a strict and no-nonsense banker. George believes that his family should be run like a bank, making him a distant husband and father. He is convinced that children should be prepared for adult life from a young age. In the film, he attempts to convince Michael to deposit his tuppence in the bank, telling him about the world of finance and the potential gains. However, Michael refuses, wanting to feed the birds instead.
The theme of banking and finance is also explored in the 2018 sequel, Mary Poppins Returns, where Mr. Dawes tells Michael Banks that the tuppence he invested as a child has grown enough to pay off his debt, highlighting an incredibly high interest rate. This contrasts the two attitudes of Mr. Banks, initially believing that any spare money should be invested, but later relaxing and spending a tuppence on a kite.
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Mr Banks tries to convince his children to invest their money in a bank
In the 1964 film Mary Poppins, Mr. George Banks, a cold and rigid banker, attempts to convince his children, Jane and Michael, to invest their money in a bank. Mr. Banks is a junior officer at a London bank and believes that his family should be run with the same precision and discipline as his workplace. He thinks that children should be prepared for adulthood at a young age and that investing their money is a crucial part of that.
In a scene from the film, Mr. Banks tries to persuade Michael to deposit his tuppence in the bank, singing:
> "Railways through Africa
> Dams across the Nile
> Fleets of ocean greyhounds
> Majestic, self-amortizing canals..."
The lyrics, originating from an essay by C. C. Turner titled 'Money London', emphasise the potential for financial growth and the power of investing money. Mr. Banks wants his children to understand the importance of financial security and the benefits of accumulating wealth.
However, Michael is reluctant to part with his money and expresses his desire to feed the birds instead. Mr. Dawes Sr., a senior banker, seizes the opportunity and takes the tuppence from Michael, leading to a chaotic run on the bank. This incident highlights the tension between Mr. Banks' strict beliefs about money and his children's innocent desires.
Throughout the film, Mr. Banks undergoes a transformation. Initially distant and stern, he gradually realises the importance of spending time with his children and showing them affection. With the help of Mary Poppins, he learns to balance his work life with his family responsibilities, becoming a more caring and present father.
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The film explores the theme of love and how Mr Banks learns to love through Mary Poppins
The 1964 film Mary Poppins features George Banks, a cold, rigid banker with no time for his family. Inspired by P.L. Travers' father and Walt Disney's father, Elias, George is a junior officer in one of London's banks. He believes his family should be run like a bank, making them efficient, but his stern and orderly nature makes him distant from his wife and children.
Mr Banks begins to understand that his work and social justice commitments are not his ultimate commitments and that love is of ultimate value. He starts to realise how important it is to give his children more attention than he has been able to previously because of his work schedule at the bank. This is reflected in a scene where he is fixing a kite that he previously broke in a fit of rage. He is in a happier disposition and is more comfortable spending time at home with his children.
Mary Poppins is a story of redemption, where Mr Banks, caught by the trappings of his work and the stress of everyday life, loses sight of his family. He learns to embrace irony and detachment from the important parts of everyday life, adopting a warmer and more affectionate attitude based on the understanding that there is something of ultimate value behind the good but transient things in life, which is love.
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Mr Banks is fired from the bank after a run on the bank
In the 1964 film Mary Poppins, George Banks, more commonly known as Mr Banks, is a junior officer in one of London's banks. He has worked there for many years, and his father worked at the same bank before him.
Mr Banks is called back to the bank after a run on the bank, which was caused by his children, Jane and Michael. The officers hold him responsible for the incident, which has been their greatest financial loss since they financed a tea shipment to the American Colonies that was ruined during the Boston Tea Party. As a result, Mr Banks is fired. His punishment is carried out by being cashiered, which involves his bowler hat being torn and his umbrella being pulled inside out.
Initially, Mr Banks is somber about his firing. However, he soon feels happy and wears the smashed bowler hat with pride, using the destroyed umbrella like a walking stick. When asked if he has anything to say, he remembers and correctly pronounces Mary Poppins' special word, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious". Laughing, he leaves in a better mood, stopping to tell a joke to Mr Dawes Sr, which his children had told him earlier.
The next morning, it is revealed that Mr Banks had spent the night in the basement, fixing Jane and Michael's broken kite. He then takes his entire family kite-flying, having resolved to be a better father.
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Frequently asked questions
The name of the bank in Mary Poppins is the Dawes, Tomes, Mousely, Grubbs Fidelity Fiduciary Bank.
George Banks, also known as Mr Banks, is the banker in Mary Poppins. He is the father of Jane and Michael Banks.
At the bank in Mary Poppins, the bankers attempt to convince Michael Banks to invest his tuppence. This leads to a run on the bank when Michael protests after Mr Dawes takes the money from him.











































