Saving Mr. Banks

2013 • 125 minutes

About this movie

Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson bring to life the untold true story about the origins of one of the most treasured Disney classics of all time. John Lee Hancock directs this acclaimed film that reveals the surprising backstory behind the making of Mary Poppins. Determined to fulfill a promise to his daughters, Walt Disney (Hanks) tries for 20 years to obtain the rights to author P. L. Travers' (Thompson) beloved book. Armed with his iconic creative vision, Walt pulls out all the stops, but the uncompromising Travers won't budge. Only when he reaches into his own complicated childhood does Walt discover the truth about the ghosts that haunt Travers, and together, they set "Mary Poppins" free!

Ratings and reviews

Mrs. Travers is portrayed as rather one dimensional, but perhaps she was in actuality just so. Half way through the movie Thompson's one-note portrayal of a pedantic overbearing boorish old lady becomes very wearing. Thankfully we are given the tiniest glimmer of humanity in Paul Giamatti's role as her driver. However, not quite enough to save this movie. If Travers was really like this, I cannot imagine why someone didn't just strangle her.

Tom Hanks is a favourite of mine, and he has been since Splash. To imagine both of them in the same production was indeed a delicious prospect. But now that I've seen it, to say that I am disappointed is the least. The delivery is slow, the see-saw between P. L. Travers' younger years and the 1960s, where she is now, is ineffective and not always revealing of motives or reasoning. However patient one is, the ending cannot come fast enough.

When you look at the big picture of this movie and look at the background of the real P.L.Trevor its sad has heck. You know this women had a hard child hood and than to read that her grandchildern said she loved know one and know one loved her, aaaaagh I cryed during the film. This poor women, she had altogether a REALLY bad life which is blanketed by the disney magic in this story. I hate that this lady had such a hard time but I love how this movie presence her life and pulls the strings of emotion.