I was on the fence about watching "Saving Mr. Banks". It's based on the true story of how "Mary Poppins" was turned into a movie, but "based on" doesn't mean it's COMPLETELY true. I guess I like my movies to either be true or not true, no in between.
That's why I never watched it in theaters, nor made the effort to borrow it from the library. However, when I saw that it's one of the few movies in my free month of Netflix that interests me even just a little bit, I figured I would give it a try. I had to change my mindset and accept that I might learn something that actually happened, while also being entertained by the fictional parts of the movie. While I'm not a huge fan of the movie, "Mary Poppins" (it's not bad, just not exactly a favorite of mine), and I didn't read the book, I absolutely loved the live theater version. It is one of my favorite shows I've seen at the local dinner theatre...and I have seen a lot! So that's one reason I had some interest in this movie. Plus, Tom Hanks plays Walt Disney in the movie. What's not to love about that?!
I am so glad I gave this movie a chance because I really enjoyed it. I felt so many emotions, which is one of the elements that makes a movie great. Although some of the details were not necessarily true, the gist of the plot was. I was shocked to learn that Walt Disney had been wanting to turn Mary Poppins, the book, into a movie for 20 years, his reason for wanting to do this (for his children) and that Mrs. Travors (as she preferred to be called) was not completely happy with the process, nor with the end result. While the main plot was serious, and at times depressing, it was balanced out with everything that makes Disneyland the "happiest place on Earth". Even the oh-so-serious Mrs. Travers eventually warmed up to Mickey Mouse. Emma Thompson did a phenomenal job playing the role of Mrs. Travers, as did Tom Hanks in the role of Walt Disney. Even all of the supporting cast members portrayed their roles flawlessly.
There was one especially poignant part of the movie that hit home for me. It was a conversation between Mrs. Travers and her driver. Her driver in the movie was a composite character - a combination of several people Mrs. Travers interacted with in real life. This composite character in "Saving Mr. Banks" served an important purpose; he gave someone with whom Mrs. Travers could develop a bond. It allowed both her serious and softer sides to show. This was a clever way to show this in a two hour movie, which, by the way, is the perfect length of a movie for me.
So, back to the conversation between Ralph (her driver) and Mrs. Travers. He reveals to Mrs. Travers that he has a daughter who uses a wheelchair. He explains why he so frequently comments on the weather. On sunny days, which he loves, his daughter can sit outside in the garden. Otherwise, she has to stay in the house. He worries about the future for his daughter, as any parent usually does, but says that there's "only today".
Later on, Mrs. Travers hands Ralph a list of famous people who accomplished a lot in life. She goes on to explain they all had difficulties and then says that his daughter, Jane, "can do anything that anyone else can do.” Whether or not this conversation really took place or not is irrelevant. So often, people with disabilities are portrayed as being helpless. Dialog and attitudes like what Mrs. Travers says and feels are much needed in Hollywood.
"Saving Mr. Banks" was indeed a pleasant surprise for me. I learned some things about how the book was turned into a movie and how the author herself felt about it. I also appreciated and saw the value in the fictional parts of the movie. You don't have to even be familiar with the movie, "Mary Poppins" to appreciate the movie, "Saving Mr. Banks", in my opinion.
And now I need to put "Mary Poppins" on my must-see list. I think I'll now watch it with a different perspective than I did when I was younger.
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