Saving Mr. Banks (Film)

Even though it is a landmark in cinema history, I didn’t see Mary Poppins until a couple of years ago. It is a very good film, and in this current CGI-heavy age of cinema, it is unlikely we’ll see a modern equivalent any time soon. The amount of effort that went into its creation is clear when viewing the film, but that only tells part of the story – for the fact that the film was able to occur at all is a minor miracle in itself.

Saving Mr Banks tells the story of the troubled creative relationship (or clash) between author P.L Travers (played by Emma Thompson) and the American visionary filmmaker Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) inspired by the real creative dissention between the two.

There are some really great scenes in this film, in particular the ones that take place in the rehearsal room at Disney studios, as the script and songs for Mary Poppins are being written. There are great performances from Jason Shwartzman and B.J Novak as the Sherman Brothers, as well as from Bradley Whitford as Don DaGradi, whose creative processes are all too often at odds with those of Travers. These scenes manage to produce laughs and groans in equal measure, as Travers is very particular about what she does and does not want, and has no qualms about letting it be known. A particular highlight is when she actually appears to be pleased at what the Sherman brothers have come up with, when they perform the newly written finale number “Let’s Go Fly A Kite” and it seems that some form of creative harmony has been achieved, before she manages to draw the ire of the others once more, with a well placed ‘sting in the tail’. 

Thompson plays Travers very well, establishing her as very particular and at times just outright rude to people, but the character is not completely beyond reason. After all, the story being adapted is one that means a great deal to her, and she does not want it to be compromised or made into something frivolous. It is easy to grow frustrated with the character at times, but it is always possible to see things from her perspective. 

The film is often intercut with flashback scenes, which delve into the childhood of P.L. Travers, under her original name of Helen Goff. These scenes generally focus on her relationship with her alcoholic father (played by Colin Farrell) who loves his daughter, but cannot overcome his own personal demons. These scenes are often uncomfortable to watch, as the father is a very unsettling presence, even when he’s being friendly and playful. The only real issue with the films pacing could be blamed on these scenes, as they are very frequent throughout the film, but they never really go on for too long at a time.

There are also scenes involving Walt Disney, played very well by Tom Hanks (I’d actually quite like to see him play Disney again). The American business tycoon aspect of his character is there, but there are also moments of sincerity which are really engaging. A nice moment takes place in the studio late at night when Walt wanders in to hear “Feed The Birds” being played – which was Walt Disney’s favourite song in real life. The scene unfolds slowly, and the response from Walt is nicely understated.

There is also an endearing performance from Paul Giamatti as Ralph: P.L Travers’ chauffer throughout her time in America. I usually find that Paul Giamatti can be relied on for great performances, even in bad films, and since this is a good film it works even better!

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and unlike the real P.L Travers, who was not a fan of the eventual film of Mary Poppins, I felt like watching it again upon seeing this.