Saving Mr. Banks / Rated PG-13 for smoking, drinking and arguing. Lots and lots of arguing.
Helen Lyndon Goff (1899-1996) was a well known writer of children’s books. Under the name Pamela Lyndon Travers or P.L. Travers she created the ever popular Mary Poppins. MP appeared in 8 works from 1934 to 1989 but was best known from the Disney hit movie that was released in 1964. The film was honored with Oscars, including Julie Andrews as Best Performance by a Lady in a Leading role. The Oscar winning score and song Chim Chim Cher-ee and the barely pronounceable Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious were all written by the talented Sherman Bros. The last song title may be spelled wrong. I didn’t look it up.
The new film, featuring Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as Goff/Travers, is about the conflict between the WD Studio and the author over the making of the film. The Mr. Banks in the story is played by Colin Farrell and is a fictionalized name for Goff/Travers real life dad Travers Goff. I think I see a connection. TG is seen in flashback sequences of G/T’s days growing up in Australia. Australian locations in SMB were all apparently shot at the Six Points Texas back-lot at Universal Studios Hollywood. Talk about a stand in.
After viewing SMB I find that an aspect of this film, hidden by trailers/previews, I had believed to be forthcoming had arrived. If you have seen the previews you know it shows the MP creator, a curmudgeon of a woman, needing funds to save her home and agreeing, very reluctantly, to sell the rights to Disney Studios with a BIG provision. She must approve and control everything in the script or there would be no deal. It is her conflict with Walt himself that makes up the thrust of the story. This is seen in the previews. What is not seen are the approximately 60 minutes of flashbacks of the author’s bad times growing up in Australia in the middle of nowhere with a dysfunctional mum and dad. Dad, played by Colin Farrell, is also an alcoholic plagued by demons. We do not see the actual demons, just his plaguing. Most of these scenes are uncomfortable to view and are attempting to show why the MP writer is now a curmudgeon and spoil sport. A lot of the rest of the film is Mrs. Travers. and Walt going round and round while script and song sessions run into blockade after blockade since the she objects to everything except the actual use of film to make the movie. Poor Walt/Tom does his best to cope and be a nice guy instead of throwing her off the lot, kicking her out of the country and hiring an exorcist.
As a piece of history this is interesting if not compelling film making. We all know that Mary Poppins in fact did get finished in the manner Walt wanted. Even though Mrs. Travers wouldn’t budge on or ever again allow any sequels, Mary Poppins and it’s success are history. We assume she was thankful for the money.
The performances by Tom/Walt, Emma/Mrs. Travers and Paul Giamatti as her chauffeur are excellent. Thomas Newman’s understated score is just about perfect for the material he was working with. Definitely not a movie for kids, young or old. Those adults thinking this film will show how the film was made are going to be disappointed. The negotiations and continual conflict over everything are what you are in for. Long time Disney fans will enjoy the history. Others would be better off watching Mary Poppins which is, one more try, Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious.
Rated 3.0 out of 4.0 Spoon full’s of sugar.