Saving Mr. Banks the Movie

[Elias1901]

She went beyond that and said no Americans could be involved.

"No Americans shall ever touch my precious books again!" ~ P.L. Travers

...

Richard M. Sherman himself views how Ms. Travers behaved as totally laughable. Honestly, I agree. While Emma Thompson’s excellent performance in ”Saving Mr. Banks” ended up making me kind of like and root for Pamela by the end of the film, in reality, I still think she is kind of a grumpy and stale old crumpet. Richard Sherman once told the story of how Travers especially didn’t want the Sherman Brothers’ classic music from the film to make it’s way into the stage musical adaptation of “Mary Poppins”. He also went on to say that he once tried to explain to her that her books would forever exist in the world, just the way she intended and created them. Just because producers want to expand and devlop different versions or renditions based off of her original works, doesn’t ruin her books or take away their existence in the world as the original Mary Poppins stories.

He compared it to Disney and Cameron Mackintosh creating the stage musical version. Just because there was going to be new, original music written by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe to complement the classic Sherman Brothers’ songs, it wouldn’t take away from the fact that their songs would always exist the way there were in the “Mary Poppins” film and now it is time for someone else to get creative and expand on what already exists. Pamela Travers just never understood creative feedom.

[BrerGnat]

"No Americans shall ever touch my precious books again!" ~ P.L. Travers

...

Richard M. Sherman himself views how Ms. Travers behaved as totally laughable. Honestly, I agree. While Emma Thompson’s excellent performance in ”Saving Mr. Banks” ended up making me kind of like and root for Pamela by the end of the film, in reality, I still think she is kind of a grumpy and stale old crumpet. Richard Sherman once told the story of how Travers especially didn’t want the Sherman Brothers’ classic music from the film to make it’s way into the stage musical adaptation of “Mary Poppins”. He also went on to say that he once tried to explain to her that her books would forever exist in the world, just the way she intended and created them. Just because producers want to expand and devlop different versions or renditions based off of her original works, doesn’t ruin her books or take away their existence in the world as the original Mary Poppins stories.

He compared it to Disney and Cameron Mackintosh creating the stage musical version. Just because there was going to be new, original music written by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe to complement the classic Sherman Brothers’ songs, it wouldn’t take away from the fact that their songs would always exist the way there were in the “Mary Poppins” film and now it is time for someone else to get creative and expand on what already exists. Pamela Travers just never understood creative feedom.

I totally agree with this post.

[Melanie]

a grumpy and stale old crumpet

Perfect! I may even go a bit further.

[Elias1901]

Well, I guess that means I chose my words carefully.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Loved this movie, did not feel anything was sugar coated. They did a good job casting this movie, would love to see Emma Thompson win an award for this. Tom Hanks was also excellent, love how they hinted at his health problems with the coughing and how he wasn't above scheming to get his way, but still kept him our beloved Walt. I think PL's attitude towards everyone stemmed from her issues with her father. Sometimes the person you hate the most is also the person you love the most and those people usually take out their anger on others not the deserving party.

[Melanie]

Just saw it again, and the second time was even better. I've never been a huge Colin Farrell fan, but man, I can't get enough of his performance. He was great!

[Hammer]

Finally saw the movie with my sister. I'm a bit at fault because I didn't mention it beforehand to my sister that movie was a bit heavier than one would expect. I probably thought something would have been said in her Entertainment Weekly. I'll buy the next round of drinks when we get together again as a mea culpa !

I really enjoyed the movie and the performances. If anything, they made P.L. Travers nicer than she really was. Tom Hanks did a good job as Walt. They should enough negative things to keep him from looking like all sweetness and light. Like many others have said, I need to watch Mary Poppins with new eyes.

Just saw it again, and the second time was even better. I've never been a huge Colin Farrell fan, but man, I can't get enough of his performance. He was great!

I agree 100%! I really hope he is considered for a best supporting actor Oscar for the role. I also have to say how much I enjoyed seeing Bradley Whitford in something again. His facial expressions were priceless!

[tinkwest]

I finally saw the movie with DH this past week. I am the more critical of the two of us and I had some trouble with P.L.Travers' apparent attitude change towards the end and the contrived relationship between her and the limo driver. Also, having grown up with Disneyland, I wished they had tried just a bit harder to disguise today's Fantasyland background during the carrousel scene. But that's just me being picky.

The movie was moving and enjoyable and I would go see it again. I think I'd even like it more the second time. The actors all did a fine job. It must be difficult to play the part of a real person that so many people are familiar with. Especially the part of Walt Disney, known worldwide.

This movie definitely rekindled my interest in the movie Mary Poppins, one of my favorites when I was a kid.

[BrerGnat]

I think it is very important to remember this movie is not a documentary. I think of it like Titanic. Just because Jack and Rose were "made up characters" that does not mean the movie is any less compelling.

Although Ralph was a made up character, I loved him and the scenes between him and P.L. Travers were put in there to show the tiny part of her that was kind, if even only in small bursts. According to her real life friends, she was like that...she'd be nice and caring for a second, and then she would say something cold and brusque the next second. That relationship was meant to show that part of her character.

As for the ending, again, contrived drama to make the audience feel a sense of closure with the story. And, the story Walt tells about his paper route and his father is indeed true. I think the point of scenes like that are to illustrate what *could* have happened, but not necessarily what did happen.

As we all know by now, the movie/entertainment industry is about schmoozing, lying, manipulating, and in the end, it's about money and success. It's not always nice and pretty.

[RAIDER]

I watched in late Dec in Florida and loved it
I really didnt think it was going to be that good
I agree with the rest Emma Thompson was very good but i think Helen Mirren would have been better cast

When they played the tapes of her voice in the credits PL Travers sounded so much like Margaret Thatcher

[Dixie Springs]

Finally saw it. I was originally put off by Tom Hanks in the role (seriously, was he on any fan's short-list to play Walt?), but that abated after about a 10 minutes of his performance.

It was a compelling, well-made film. Bring tissues. Staunch critics will focus on the literary tricks to make it a 'Disney' story, but dreary real-life accounts do not a good movie make.

[Tiggerlovr9000]

Just saw it this afternoon. I had such a wide range of emotions, happy, sad, ecstatic with the walk down main street and rehearsals for Mary Poppins songs. It is an amazing movie. I wanted to stay for the 4 pm show and see it again, but have to wait til 6:45pm. Yes twice in one day, it's that good.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

Add me to the list of people that loved the movie. Saw it the first time this weekend when our friends gave us free babysitting for the day, so DW and I finally got to see a non-animated movie, which of course still ended up being a Disney movie.

I hold no false beliefs that the story wasn't "disneyfied" in many instances to provide resolution when there really wasn't any, or maybe put a happier spin on things, but taking it as a whole, I have to believe that they captured the moment fairly accurately. It really makes me want to a) watch the movie again, b) find a good biography on PL Travers and c) find a good biography on Walt, oh and d) go back to WDW.

[Ian]

Walt was wearing a Smoke Tree Ranch tie!

Seriously, though, the movie was filled with great little legitimate touches like that.

I simply adored it. It moved me to tears at least five or six times and yet it moved me to laughter just as many times. FANTASTIC!!!

[Mickey'sGirl]

I'm still not convinced that I want to see this one .... though with more and more favourable reviews from real people, I may just break down and go (if only for the Mickey short).

[Melanie]

I'm just a little bit ticked this morning that Emma Thompson didn't get nominated for Best Actress.

[mickclub1955]

Yes, that was a very big Snub!!!! The only nomination here is Original Score.

[Elias1901]

I may just break down and go (if only for the Mickey short).

The Mickey short, "Get a Horse!" does not play before "Saving Mr. Banks", it runs before "Frozen".

[Melanie]

Yes, that was a very big Snub!!!! The only nomination here is Original Score.

Agreed!

On a side note, so great meeting you and your lovely wife last week. Hope you all had a magical trip!

[mickclub1955]

Agreed!

On a side note, so great meeting you and your lovely wife last week. Hope you all had a magical trip!

It was great meeting you also, as well as everyone that was at Gary's Column in Epcot. It was great putting faces with names. The trip was wonderful. I need to get our experience listed in the trip reports.