"Saving Mr. Banks" is a biopic directed by John Lee Hancock and starring Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks. Thompson plays P.L. Travers, author of Mary Poppins who meets with Walt Disney, played by Hanks. Disney has been working tirelessly for 20 years to obtain the rights to Travers' stories, to make the eventual live action film. Before she nearly runs out of money, as book sales are declining, Travers agrees to fly from her home in England to Los Angeles and meet Disney to discuss selling the rights. This begins a series of ups and downs with her character as she micromanages every step of the film's creative process. Along the way she relives some of her childhood memories that inspired Mary Poppins, including her relationship with her troubled father.
Travers is skeptical of Disney because she doesn't care for his charm or his midwestern vibe. Hell, he takes her to Disneyland and she hardly budges. How many people have dreamed of walking through the original park with Disney himself? Travers is STUBBORN. Disney wants to prove to her that he cares about the character of Mary Poppins and the Banks family just as much as she does. Through flashbacks, the audience learns that Mary was a real person, and Mr. Banks was based on her father. He had a drinking problem and would constantly get fired from jobs, forcing their family to leave town and move somewhere else. This leads to some very emotional moments that give the film heart and explain Travers emotional state.
Though it's not all doom and gloom for "Saving Mr. Banks." The film has some great comedic relief, including my personal favorite, Paul Giamatti's Ralph the limo driver, who has a touching backstory and gets through to Travers. By the end of the film he's known to her as "the only American I've ever liked." The Sherman brothers bring the music of Mary Poppins to life, and it's interesting to see how and why song and lyrical choices were made. Their banter with P.L. Travers makes for some of the film's funniest scenes.
The cast and story make this film one to remember. If Thompson and Hanks weren't enough to gain your interest, then this classic tale of Disney and film history should be reason enough. A stellar cast and a heartwarming story make "Saving Mr. Banks" worth the watch.
