Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

I love this movie so much

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Don't Believe the Hype

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

I was very surprised when my wife told me we were going to watch a movie about Mary Poppins. I rarely watch movies, I love reading books. Of course I had seen Mary Poppins probably 20 or more times over my life. Definitely a classic of Walt Disney's. So if you find out we were going to watch a movie about the movie, I settled in and hoped to enjoy it. I was not disappointed at all. I cried, I left, I was frustrated, I smile. This was needed in my life. I hope you enjoy the movie as much as I did with my family. You won't be disappointed

"Saving Mr. Banks" is all about saving the film, "Mary Poppins." That is saving, as in being able to make the film in the first place. It tells the story of the culmination of a 20-year pursuit by Walt Disney of English author, Australia-born P.L. Travers for the film rights to her books. She neglected all appeals until, according to the film, her finances dwindled to the point that her London agent urged to meet with Walt Disney at his California studios and to consider again the Disney offer. One can understand that many authors are concerned about Hollywood substantially changing their stores when making them into movies. In this case, Travers was more resolute than most, and obstinate. She didn't want "Mary Poppins" to be a musical. There could be no animation (as in the short scene with penguins dancing). Mary Poppins was not to be a happy spirited woman, but a stern, serious teacher. Her conditions for granting film rights reached to the level of insisting that no red color be used at all in the film. This movie is the story about Ms. Travers (nee, Helen Lyndon Goff), and how Walt Disney warmed her some and otherwise wore down her resistance. She had encounters with most of the Disney studio people she met, especially the song-writing team of the Sherman Brothers – Dick and Bob. Walt Disney's tenacity paid off and the happy ending of this story is in the wonderful musical that generations to come will enjoy. Without "Mary Poppins," we wouldn't have the wonderful songs of the Sherman Brothers, "A Spoonful of Sugar," and "Super‐cali‐fragil‐istic- expi‐ali‐docious."All of the cast in this film are very good. Tom Hanks conveys the conviviality, decency and hopeful spirit of Walt Disney. And, Emma Thompson is superb as P.L. Travers – or, "Pamela," as Walt kept calling her. This movie is a good accompaniment for viewing "Mary Poppins," especially for those interested in the source and history of the movie. Here are a few of my favorite lines from this film. P.L. "Pamela" Travers, "Poppins. Mary Poppins. Never ever just Mary."Travers, "I fear we shan't be acquainted for very long." Richard Sherman, "Why is that?" Travers, "Because these books simply do not lend themselves to chirping and prancing. No, it's certainly not a musical."Walt Disney, "Cancel my morning tomorrow. I'm going to take a ride with my favorite author." Travers, "No, no, no! Please, Mr. Disney. I cannot begin to tell you how uninterested – no, positively sickened I am at the thought of visiting your dollar-printing machine." Walt Disney, "Well, for crying out loud. When does anybody get to go to Disneyland with Walt Disney himself?" Travers, "Disappointments are to the soul what thunderstorms are to the air." Don DaGradi, "A word of advice, Mrs. Travers, if I may." P.L. Travers, "You may. Whether I mind it or not will be another matter entirely. Don DaGradi "Well, it's just that he can't stand being called Mr. Disney. We're all on a first name basis here. Walt Disney, "Let's make something wonderful." P.L. Travers, "Well, let's see if that's at all possible." Walt Disney, after she walks away, "Whoa! Damn!"P.L. Travers, "Mary Poppins and the Banks – they are family to me." Walt Disney, "I understand that – I do."

...or "uncovering Mary Poppins" would perhaps be a more appropriate title for this great film. If nothing else, this would certainly be much better than the stupid and totally irrelevant one the film had in my country ( "The magic umbrella") associating in a most naive and superficial way this touching psychological drama with W. Disney's "Mary Poppins". Perhaps that's why i did not care to watch it till yesterday, thinking that i have had enough of magic umbrellas in my childhood. I never thought that the film had nothing to do with "Mary Poppins" as a fairy tale and her magic umbrella itself, but it was instead focusing on uncovering the real drama that inspired the good witch's story. In this movie we actually watch two,at first glance irrelevant to each other, stories. One that took place in the beginning of last century in Australia and one that takes place in the beginning of the -60's when Mrs Travers, the author of "Mary Poppins" tries to come in terms with W. Disney about how the book would be transformed into a movie. Though it's difficult to understand at the very beginning why she is so unbearably stubborn and insisting on how the characters of the book would be shown and illustrated in the film and overall about the film itself, soon, as her own life's story unfolds making clear what her fairy-tale's characters really represent, her attitude and her almost repulsive behavior become more understandable and she herself more likable and compassionable. After all for many of us our childhood's demons are still a part of our life, consciously or subconsciously controlling and influencing our personalities and we all have a Mr Banks or an Elias Disney (Walt's "demon") to save/make up with, don't we? The film is really good and exciting to watch. Perhaps the excellent revival of the sixties and its characters contribute a lot to this. And of course the revival of these characters through the great performances of -my beloved- Emma Tomson in a "contra role"-that is to say a role we are not used to seeing her in- as a typical aging English shrew, as well as that of Tom Hanks (great as Walt Disney) and the rest of the cast, make this revival absolutely convincing. In Brief, "saving Mr. Banks" is a really good, truthfully tender and touching film which does deserve your attention!

I use to watch Mary Poppins when i was quite young and it was such a darling movie. Although it does have a meaning that poor PL Travers died of alcohol and when her family were in trouble, they got a nanny. It was so sad to think PL Travers childhood was unstable but of course, it was understandable that she didn't want Walt Disney to take Mary Poppins away from her. I was astonished that it took 20 years for Mary Poppins to be developed, I mean, PL Travers probably needed time to go through it but it made things difficult for her when Disney pushed her to make Mary Poppins a film. Although she did state clearly that she didn't want animation in the film but since Disney is the lovable businessman we know, he did it anyway. It was unfair really like, she had the rights as the writer to not have animation on her adaption. Maybe it would've been better off if she went to Universal Studios rather than Disney, she could get away with not having animation or songs in her film.Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks were absolutely brilliant as Walt Disney and PL Travers. Honestly, the pair of them looked so similar to the real Walt Disney and PL Travers. Great job John Lee Hancock and the rest of the film crew to remember an inspiring icon who was behind in creating the flying nanny we all know today!