Film Review: Saving Mr. Banks

     Saving Mr. Banks (2013) chronicles the tenuous relationship between Walt Disney and author P.L. Travers as they try to turn Mary Poppins into a musical film in the 1960s. Tom Hanks stars as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers.

     I was surprised to learn that Mary Poppins was a series of books first published in the 1930s. Mr Banks is one of the characters in the books as well as in the film. The film is an interesting look into a time period in Disney history that I know very little about.

     The film is beautifully crafted with stunning landscape shots and period piece costumes. Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers is impeccable. It's lovely to see a strong character willing to speak her mind and stand up for herself, even if it drives Walt Disney mad while also providing for a lot of humor.

     I did not feel that the film lived up to all of the hype. The film moved very slowly, similar to The King's Speech. Had I watched the film at home and not in the cinema, I don't know if I would have watched to the end. If you love all things Disney with a strong character development than I think you will like Saving Mr. Banks.

*originally written Jan 2014