Saving Mr. Banks

I went into the film a little critical, just like P. L. Travers as she travels to Los Angeles. I love historical accuracy and being familiar with the story of the making of "Mary Poppins", I knew there were going to be some story alterations. My criticisms melted away as the film progressed however until I realized that I was watching my favorite film from 2013. The story was well organized and the acting was as good as one might expect from two Oscar-winning actors. The various themes in the movie are very powerful and relatable. As a Disney fan, I am happy that this part of the studio's history has been dramatized. As an adult, I knew that the redemption of Mr. Banks was a big part of the story of the original film. To have more subtext is always welcome for me.

I enjoyed the use of a retro-esque Disney logo in the opening credits because it establishes the time period. "Argo" did the same thing. In the true story, Walt Disney and P. L. Travers first met in London. Walt was in the city and popped in to see if his personal charm would win over Mrs. Travers. It worked but not as easily as Disney would have liked. After this meeting, he got "the boys" working on the movie version and then invited Mrs. Travers to the studio in hopes of securing the rights to "Mary Poppins". Thus begins the story of "Saving Mr. Banks". As mentioned, I was looking for historical inaccuracies as the film began. In the movie for example, Walt and Mrs. Travers meet for the first time in L.A. instead of London. Also, the rights to Winnie the Pooh were only just acquired in 1961 so I doubt that Pooh would really show up in Mrs. Travers' hotel room as he did. I understand though the reason for his appearance because Winnie-the-Pooh, like Mary Poppins, has British origins. None of the cast members really look like their real life counterparts. The actors playing the Sherman brothers for example are too skinny. In watching "Saving Mr. Banks", I took the same journey that Mrs. Travers does as my pride of being a Disney history buff was put aside for the sake of the story being told. When we are first introduced to Mrs. Travers, we see the parallels between her and Mary Poppins. We also realize how difficult of a person she is. As a quick side note, I like the use of music in the Los Angeles airport because it contrasts her persona. She clashes with everyone. The flashbacks to Australia however allow us to sympathize with her. We understand early how much the characters in her books mean to her. We also recognize that she has some pride that she mistakes for artistic integrity. Just as in real life, the Shermans and Don DaGradi were expecting Mrs. Travers to be elated with their work. They knew they had something special but they didn't know how stubborn Mrs. Travers would be. I loved how plot points are set up and paid off such as the pears. I also liked the fact that Mrs. Travers approves the umbrella handle design seeming grudgingly and later we see that the film designers were dead on. This is one example of Mrs. Travers' pride being her greatest enemy. Another example of this pride is when she makes light of the fact that Robert Sherman was shot in his youth. Bob Sherman was a World War II veteran and was wounded in action. He carried inner demons for the rest of his life because he witnessed the Holocaust. Mrs. Travers only cares about her past trials and not those of others. It is Walt and Ralph that allow her to see the joy helping others, such as moviegoers and readers, to deal with their problems.

I was very amused by all the references to the film "Mary Poppins" itself. Mrs. Travers' lines as she reacts to "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" were a nice touch and her taping feet during "Let's Go Fly a Kite" also made me smile. The intercutting between 1906 and 1961 worked well because of contrast. The time periods and locations are quite different and so we have to be active mentally in making comparisons. There are a lot of earthly colors in the 1906 scenes to contrast the "Technicolor" of 1960's Southern California. Another interesting part of the story is Mrs. Travers' "relationship" with Mickey Mouse. When she encounters the big doll in her hotel room, she doesn't put it in the closet with the rest of the stuffed characters. She does however put it nose first in the corner. Maybe there was no more room in the closet but I have a theory about Mrs. Travers. I don't think she hates Walt Disney or his productions. She is in L.A. after all. I think what she hates is the idea of her Mary Poppins being turned into Cinderella's Fairy Godmother. My theory has some proof in that after a rough day at the Disney Studio, she sleeps with the Mickey doll in her arms. Her treatment of Mickey becomes fittingly symbolic of her relationship with Walt. Mrs. Travers is obviously contradictory throughout the story and this is the most visible example. I love the scenes at Disneyland. What I first saw clips of this scene in the preview, I knew I was seeing the real Disneyland but I wanted to know how they were able to film there. The scenes were shot in the early morning and parts of the park were shut down for filming also. In addition, Disneyland had to be transformed back in time to the 60's and I applaud the final result. The Disneyland I see on screen is not the same as I visited in 2012. It seems a lot simpler of a place.

Just when the ice seems to be broken, Mrs. Travers leaves in a huff. Then Walt realizes that Mrs. Travers took her father's name as her pen name and he connects all the dots. His sudden appearance in London surprised me because I don't think Walt would actually do something like that in real life. Despite the liberties taken here, I was fine with this part of the story because it felt necessary. One line in this emotional scene got me crying for the first time in the movie. Mrs. Travers remarks that she was hoping for Mary Poppins to be at her door in this time of need but instead she gets Walt Disney. At hard times in our lives, we all look for someone to rescue us. In contrast to Mrs. Travers, I personally would break down in tears if after a hard day found Uncle Walt at my door with a smile on his face. When Walt Disney was at his studio initially with Mrs. Travers, he acted much like you would expect from a Hollywood producer. He was sincere earlier in the movie when he told Mrs. Travers about the promise he made to his daughters but he still went about it in the wrong way. Walt is not a greedy human being but he has been dealing with Mrs. Travers just like other authors before her. Now that he understands Mrs. Travers, he tries to help her see that they have something in common. Both of them had difficult childhoods and both had creations of imagination that were being sought after by more powerful men. Walt has this empire of his because he set out against all odds to create a better world for himself. In doing so, he created a better world for all of us. Walt admits that he comes across as phony but if making "Mary Poppins" was all about money; he would have given up by now. This conflict wouldn't have been worth the money. While Walt's artistic imagination was fired up after reading "Mary Poppins", he also made an emotional connection with the story. Mrs. Travers finally understands Walt's sincerity. She still has a little pride but you can tell that she views Walt differently. In real life, Walt Disney had final say according to the contract that P. L. Travers signed. Mrs. Travers did have script approval rights and was a consultant on the film but if she truly had the final say, "Mary Poppins" wouldn't have been a musical and there would have been no animation. This is one part of the story where "Saving Mr. Banks" creates dramatization. This movie would not have been as good if Mrs. Travers was overruled because of a legal loophole. Instead, she gives her trust to Walt because she has had enough of the creative battle between them. That is more positive. Another nice touch I like is the map of Florida in Walt's office when Mrs. Travers shows up for the premier. The premier of "Mary Poppins" at the Chinese Theater looked just like off the newsreels. I am glad they filmed on location, shutting down Hollywood Boulevard. Mrs. Travers' wardrobe and hair in this scene is accurate by the way. I loved how Mickey Mouse escorts her into the theater. Mrs. Travers may still have her reservations with the movie and a little pride but she has made peace with Walt and has allowed the ship to sail. I don't think that the real Mrs. Travers would have cried during the premier as she watches "Mary Poppins" for the first time but for this dramatization, it makes perfect sense. I also got emotional during the ending but mostly because I always cry whenever I watch George Banks walking alone in London as we hear the underscore of "Feed the Birds". I will admit that I felt a different sense of emotion due to the context of Mrs. Travers being reminded of her own father and his "cage". I was hoping we would get a concluding scene showing the public's reaction to "Mary Poppins" but the focus of this movie is not the making of "Mary Poppins".

When writing this movie, the filmmakers realized that they wouldn't be able to produce it without permission from the Walt Disney Company. The script was getting attention but the Disney executives knew they had the power to do a number of things. They could shut the movie down, produce their own version or co-produce the already-existing script. They went with the latter option and this makes me happy in many ways. We must see this story as honestly as possible and if the Disney studio went in its own direction, the sincerity in the finished story may have been lost. The only thing the studio objected to was Walt Disney smoking. There is a few scenes of compromise in the final film and it shows how everyone behind the scenes put the story first. I find it funny that Tom Hanks' mustache for the film was meticulously inspected. Emma Thompson was a great choice although I wish I could see what would have been if Meryl Streep had agreed to the role. Both Thompson and Hanks have been in Disney movies before. Come to think of it, Thompson's past Disney characters (Captain Amelia and Queen Elinor) have some parallels to Mrs. Travers. Another reason why I like Emma Thompson as Mrs. Travers is because of her Nanny McPhee persona. Her performance is the best among the other actors in "Saving Mr. Banks" as evidenced by the awards she was nominated for. This is the first time Tom Hanks portrays someone more famous than himself. Also, this is the first time that Walt Disney has been portrayed in a major motion picture. Hanks is close to the same age that Disney was during the production of "Mary Poppins" but Disney was more aged in appearance (thanks to the smoking I would think). I am grateful for Walt's first appearance in "Saving Mr. Banks". This TV scene with Tinker Bell by the way has been recreated and is not original. As a kid, I first saw it on the DVD special features of "Peter Pan". All I could see in this moment was Tom Hanks as a result. After that one scene however, I suddenly forgot it was Tom Hanks on the screen and accepted him as Walt Disney. Hanks took this role seriously and captured the spirit of this imaginative man even though he doesn't look or sound like Walt. As with Woody, Forrest Gump, Carl Hanratty, etc., Hanks is able to take his famous persona and adapt it just enough to make you believe in the character he is playing. You can always tell it is Tom Hanks but as weird as it sounds, he is a different Tom Hanks in every movie he is in. I am used to Hanks portraying the everyman and Walt Disney is obviously not an everyman but this character wasn't born the genius he died as. The story of Walt Disney is the American story of rags-to-riches. The boyhood newspaper story we hear is very much true. I have read his biography and he did have a complex relationship with his father. Elias Disney was controlling but also encouraged his son in his art lessons. There was love & strife and this is relatable for many of us. This underdog aspect of Disney's life is something that Hanks can perform very well. In order for the movie to be good, Walt Disney would have to be portrayed as he truly was. He couldn't be made out to be larger than life all the time on screen. As a side note, I like the line "Man is in the Forest" (think "Bambi"). Another characteristic of Walt as seen in "Saving Mr. Banks" is that he was never fully satisfied but he did appreciate good ideas. Hence in the movie when he hears "A Spoonful of Sugar" for the first time, he isn't elated visually with the song but you can tell he likes it. His verbal praise of the song as "iconic" was a little uncharacteristic of him however. He would instead say "That'll work" such as during the playing of "Feed the Birds". Ironically, "Feed the Birds" was Walt's unofficial favorite song. The Sherman Brothers were also portrayed pretty well. Bob was more reserved while Dick was energetic. Jason Schwartzman can pound on the piano keys much like the real Dick Sherman. Bob Sherman had passed away recent to this movie being made but Dick Sherman was on the set, being the musical supervisor of "Saving Mr. Banks". The scenes with him and his brother at the piano felt very real to him. The "Feed the Birds" scene with Tom Hanks brought tears to Sherman's eyes during filming. I also enjoyed Bradley Whitford and Paul Giamatti in this show. Director John Lee Handcock has worked for Disney before when he made "The Rookie". Another famous sport film he has made is "The Blind Side". I like what he did because he let the story take center stage. Thomas Newman wrote a great musical score and he received a 12th career Oscar nomination for his work. I wanted him to win that year. As a final fun fact, the US film premier of "Saving Mr. Banks" was at the Chinese Theater where "Mary Poppins" was premiered nearly 50 years ago.

With there being a maximum of ten films that can be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, I was sort of hoping to see "Saving Mr. Banks" in the same category as "Mary Poppins" was back in 1965. Nine other films ended up being nominated in January of 2014 so I am a tad disapointed that this film was left out but I knew it was a lofty hope to begin with. I was expecting "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" to be my favorite film of 2013 and while I enjoyed that film a lot, my anticipation for "Saving Mr. Banks" was also not disappointed. I always enjoy historical films and back-stories. This movie had some powerful motifs and the acting was very enjoyable. I went into this movie with a few hesitations but by they end, they didn't matter.

4.5 Stars