ABSTRACT
Three children’s fantasy films, Mary Poppins (1964), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), showcase the idea that strong nuclear families are essential for raising healthy children and protecting national interests. Walt Disney, a strong advocate of the tenets of noted child psychologist and author Dr. Benjamin Spock, produced the first film, and his cultural conservatism is also evident in the other two. This essay shows how Spock’s ideas, filtered through Disney’s lens of educational entertainment, are at the core of all three films, with key themes made especially memorable through songs by the Sherman brothers.
