Saving Mr. Banks

2013 • 125 minutes

À propos de ce film

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!

Notes et avis

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.

Excellent, compelling story. I love that its a true story. It shows a side to Disney that I never knew about, and I believe Travers is more complex than critics say. Trauma manifests in different ways, and this was a different time. Saying Travers, in real life, was one dimensional isn't fair. Many people carry pain in their hearts for so long, me includes. To see Travers finally open up and watching her begin to heal was heart warming. I admire her in some ways, as well as Disney.