Bad Cockney Accent
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Van_Dyke
Some had noted his accent as the worst attempt at copying an accent in movie history. Myself, I never noticed it was bad. In fact, I thought Van Dyke was actually English.
I agree that it wasn't so bad, at least from an American ear anyway. So much has been made of this over the years that it has become tiresome. DVD himself explained that he was trained by an Irishman so he really didn't have a good foundation to begin with. He took so much flack over it that he insisted that he play the Caractacus Potts character in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang without any accent. For a fantasy movie like Mary Poppins where you have to suspend disbelief for so many things, a character with a bad accent isn't on top of my list of things to get hung up on.
shareWTF!
It's not only a bad accent, it's the way he twists his face when he's speaking. I'm no cockney (200 miles from the east end of London in fact) but I never once bought in to Dykes attempt at cockney. He should have received a punch in the face for it.
It wasnt me, it was the other three. Hang them!
It's not just bad, it's difficult to understand, like he's speaking with a mouth full of cotton wool. Hard to understand than cockney already is. He acknowledges it's awfulness but as far as it's roll in the movie it's damaging.
shareAs I said:
He should have received a punch in the face for it.
Or, he should have been tied to a post and poked with a stick for fun.
The greatest trick the Devil played was convincing people he didn't exist..... share
or he should have been taught by a real speech coach or at least a real cockney and not some irish dude, and then he should have been given good direction. he clearly admits to it being a bad accent but said he was doing his best and no one ever bought it up at a time when he could do anything about it.
shareSorry to burst your bubble but J. Pat O'Malley was English, not Irish. He was also an expert on voices, he is both Colonel Hathi and one of the Vaulters in Jungle Book.
The people to blame are DVT himself and the American public who at the time thought that is what a Cockney sounded like. I have heard a song from The Mickey Mouse Club called "The Pearly's Holiday" sung by an unknown singer, the accent is just as bad.
Let Zygons Be Zygons.
Oh yes, back when the movie came out, British folks and critics constantly remarked about Van Dyke's lamentable attempt at Cockney.
Even larks and katydids are, supposed by some, to dream