Mickster Movie Review - "Saving Mr. Banks" (2013) ****

     In 1964, Walt Disney Studios released the film Mary Poppins to critical acclaim. The story, about a magical nanny who arrives to care for a dysfunctional family in London, is often considered one of the best pictures ever released by Walt Disney. It received an astounding 13 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won Oscars for Best Actress (Julie Andrews), Best Editing, Best Score, Best Visual Effects and Best Original Song ("Chim chim cher-ee"). The soundtrack is beloved by many, and is one of the true stars of the film. The movie also holds an impressive 100% rating on the movie review aggregate page, Rotten Tomatoes. With so much success, it would be assumed that the path to getting the film made was an easy one. Nothing could be further from the truth. The book that the movie is based on was a favorite of Walt Disney's daughters and he promised them that he would get the movie made. The only problem was, the author, P.L. Travers, had no intention of selling the rights to her beloved book and character to Hollywood. It would take Walt Disney over 20 years of reaching out to Travers before he finally convinced her to let him make the movie he wanted. Saving Mr. Banks is the story of the 2-week period when Walt finally convinced her to get the film made.

     Emma Thompson is at her absolute best as P.L. Travers opposite Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. Both thespians are two-time Oscar winners and the talent they bring to these roles is necessary here. Lesser actors would not have worked in this instance. The movie splits its time focusing on the 2-week period in 1961 when Travers visited the Disney studios to hear the sales pitch, and back to Travers as a child in the early 1900's and the relationship she had with her father (Colin Farrell). I was surprised by how much of the movie is flashback to her childhood and how her paternal relationship would shape the focus of this story so much. While I think this portion of the story is definitely necessary for the film to work, it's during a few of these times that I felt the movie slowed down a little too much though. I would have liked to have seen more of the interaction with Travers and Walt, rather than these flashbacks, but it's a minor quibble. It's not that it doesn't work, it's just that I enjoy the other stuff SO much more. When Travers is in Los Angeles working with Walt, scriptwriter Don DaGradi (Bradley Whitfield), and musicians Robert and Richard Sherman (B.J. Novak and Jason Schwartzman), the movie is at its pinnacle and is so great. Travers was a big time curmudgeon and uncompromising in her beliefs and the stress she causes the 4 gentlemen trying to work with her is hilarious at times. She's so hateful at times you just want to slap her, but Thompson plays it with a humor that you can't help but laugh it, while also cringing on occasion. It's obvious everyone gets tired of working with her but the guys know deep down how great this picture could be and they will do all it takes to get Travers to change her mind. It takes Walt opening up about his own past to really understand the importance of the character to Mrs. Travers and why the story is so important to her.

     Saving Mr. Banks is a very good film, but I really think it's only going to appeal to those who loved Walt Disney or the Mary Poppins movie. I'm a huge Disney fan, so I am definitely a target audience for this. I wouldn't be surprised though by someone who didn't care for it. I would understand why they are not as high as I am. I do think Emma Thompson's performance is reason enough to give it a look though. It's a crime she wasn't nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Hanks is great as Walt Disney and I'd like to see him in that role again in a biopic. Sign me up for that.

Mickster