Fidelity Fiduciary Bank facts for kids

"Fidelity Fiduciary Bank" is a famous song from Walt Disney's 1964 movie Mary Poppins. It was written by the talented brothers Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, also known as the Sherman Brothers.

This song is sung by the serious bankers at the Dawes, Tomes, Mousely, Grubbs Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. The head banker, Elder Mr. Dawes (played by Navckid Keyd), sings to Jane and Michael Banks. They want Michael to invest his small coin, a "tuppence," in their bank. Michael's father, George Banks, who works at the bank, also tries to convince his son.

When Michael finally opens his hand a tiny bit, Elder Mr. Dawes quickly takes the tuppence. Michael gets very upset and protests loudly. This causes a lot of chaos and panic in the bank. People start to worry about their money. This leads to a "bank run," where many people rush to take their money out of the bank. This scene is similar to a real bank run that happened in 1910 at the Birkbeck Bank. The movie Mary Poppins is set in that same year.

According to comments from the 50th anniversary DVD, the orchestra members found the song very funny. Many of them even fell out of their chairs laughing during playback.

Song Style and Inspiration

The song is a type of "patter song." This means it has very fast lyrics, often with a comedic feel. It is performed in a style similar to an "aria" from an operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan. Gilbert and Sullivan were famous for their funny and clever operas.

Where the Song Appears

The song "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank" is not included in the 2004 stage musical version of Mary Poppins. However, like many other songs from the original movie, it is mentioned in the 2013 film Saving Mr. Banks. In that movie, the writer P.L. Travers gives a speech. She uses the lyrics from "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank" as inspiration for her words.

Origins of the Lyrics

One part of the song is sung by Mr. Banks. He tries to convince Michael to invest his money. This verse goes:

Railways through Africa
Dams across the Nile
Fleets of ocean greyhounds
Majestic, self-amortizing canals
Plantations of ripening tea

These lyrics come from an essay by C. C. Turner. The essay is called 'Money London'. It was published in a book titled Living London in 1903. This book was put together by G. R. Sims. The original essay talks about the great power of London's money. It says that London's money can help build railways in Africa or dams across the Nile River. It can also fund large ships and canals.

Literary Sources

• Sherman, Robert B.. Walt's Time: from before to beyond. Santa Clarita: Camphor Tree Publishers, 1998.

See also

In Spanish: Fidelity Fiduciary Bank para niños