Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Author P.L. Travers reflects on her childhood after reluctantly meeting with Walt Disney, who seeks to adapt her Mary Poppins books for the big screen.

Director:

John Lee Hancock

Writers:

Kelly Marcel, Sue Smith

Stars:

Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 12 wins & 71 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Emma Thompson	...	P.L. Travers
Tom Hanks	...	Walt Disney
Annie Rose Buckley	...	Ginty
Colin Farrell	...	Travers Goff
Ruth Wilson	...	Margaret Goff
Paul Giamatti	...	Ralph
Bradley Whitford	...	Don DaGradi
B.J. Novak	...	Robert Sherman
Jason Schwartzman	...	Richard Sherman
Lily Bigham	...	Biddy
Kathy Baker	...	Tommie
Melanie Paxson	...	Dolly
Andy McPhee	...	Mr. Belhatchett
Rachel Griffiths	...	Aunt Ellie
Ronan Vibert	...	Diarmuid Russell

Storyline

When Walt Disney's daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins (1964), he made them a promise - one that he didn't realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney's plans for the adaptation. For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn't budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp. It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers ...

---

Plot Keywords:

disney | author | loss of father | reference to walt disney | suppression of emotion | 

---

Taglines:

Behind the beloved book is a story beyond words.

---

Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | History | Music

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including some unsettling images

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA UK Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 December 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dans l'ombre de Mary: La promesse de Walt Disney

Filming Locations:

Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort - 1600 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$413,373 (USA) (13 December 2013)

Gross:

$83,299,761 (USA) (11 April 2014)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Ruby Films, Essential Media & Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the 40th Anniversary DVD release of Mary Poppins (1964) in 2004, Walt Disney first attempted to purchase the film rights to Mary Poppins from P.L. Travers as early as 1938, but was rebuffed because Travers was disgusted by Hollywood's handling of book-to-film adaptations, and did not believe a film version of her books would do justice to her creation. Another reason for her initial rejection would have been that at that time the Disney studios had not yet produced a live action film. For more than twenty years, Disney made periodic entreaties to Travers to allow him to make a Poppins film. He finally succeeded in 1961, but Travers demanded and got script-approval rights. Planning the film, writing the script and composing the songs took about two years. Travers objected to a number of elements that actually made it into the film. Rather than Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman's original songs, she wanted the soundtrack to feature known standards of the Edwardian period in which the story is set. Travers also objected to the idea of using animation to depict the chalkboard world. Disney overruled her, citing contract stipulations that he had final say on the finished print. Travers refused to allow any other Mary Poppins books to be filmed, even though Walt tried very hard to get her to reconsider.

---

Goofs

When Pamela and Walt are riding the Carousel at Disneyland, you can see the ride "Pinnochio's Daring Journey" behind them in some shots. This wasn't built until 1983.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Travers Goff: [voiceover] Winds in the east / Mist coming in / Like something is brewing / About to begin / Can't put me finger / On what lies in store / But I feel what's to happen / All happened before.

---

Crazy Credits

The credits also have an actual audio recording of P.L. Travers conversing with the filmmakers like the ones depicted in the film.

---

Connections

Featured in AniMat's Reviews: Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

---

Soundtracks

A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes
Written by Al Hoffman, Jerry Livingston, Mack David

User Reviews

Surprising in the Most Delightful Way

i attended a pre-screening of "Saving Mr. Banks" last night in Dallas. while i had been looking forward to the film, i had my reservations. after all, Johnny Hancock (director) was behind "The Blind Side," which i found much too schmaltzy and watered-down for my taste. also, this was a movie about Walt Disney being produced by his company - so how honest would it be about the story behind the making of the masterpiece "Mary Poppins"? would it settle for predictable mellow-drama (yes, i meant to spell it that way) and glorify dear Uncle Walt as perfect and demonize Mrs. Travers as a cold, soulless spoilsport? thankfully, the answer to that is a resounding "no."

while it surely takes artistic license with history, the film as a whole is surprisingly great. there's not a weak moment throughout, not a second where i wasn't entertained and wanting to find out what would come next. this film (rated PG-13) surprises with many of the thematic issues it tackles, including alcoholism, loss - and we even get a brief glimpse of a smoking Mr. Disney (hey, it was the 60s).

Emma Thompson has always been a strong performer though her screen time has waned over the last decade and a half, but here she gives a performance that is worthy of awards attention. As Mrs. P.L. Travers, she is an author as protective as her life's work as a mother is for a child and is dealing with demons nearly forgotten. Mr. Hanks too carries his own playing the iconic and visionary Disney at the top of his game, trying to honor a promise to his daughters while also add to his impressive repertoire of cinematic achievements.

this is not really a film to take your Poppins-loving tykes to. this is the Disney film for mom and dad to enjoy. "Saving Mr. Banks" will probably be remembered as one of the best films of 2013, and for good reason.