A Spoonful of Sugar

It took Walt Disney almost twenty years to convince Marry Poppins author, P. L. Travers, to agree to translate her beloved series into a major motion picture. Even then, the road to practically perfect was anything but steady. Travers was meticulous when it came to the adaptation, voicing her specifications without apology, only wanting the most accurate translation possible. In her eyes, her original characters were being severely altered; her original story and what she had envisioned were being twisted into absolute inaccuracies and silly songs. It’s a tale told time and time again. However, despite her objections, Marry Poppins became one of the most treasured films of all time. Though, I guess you already knew that. Saving Mr. Banks recounts this infamous journey from page to screen, but also explores Travers childhood and her true-life inspiration for the nanny with the magical umbrella. Surprisingly, the first half of the preview makes the film seem to be an exaggerated comedy, with Walt’s (Tom Hanks) charming, extravagant smile completely befuddled by Travers’ (Emma Thompson) stubborn tranquility. The second half, on the other hand, seems to put forth a genuine tale of heart, coexisting alongside, Walt’s simple desire to understand one woman’s life story. Diehard Disney fanatics, like myself, will undoubtedly find themselves in the theatre for this ‘based on a true story’ biopic. Seriously, like we would miss this?

Oh, and in case you were wondering. Yes, I can spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious from memory.

Saving Mr. Banks arrives in theatres December 20, 2013.

What did you think of the trailer? Will you see the movie? Have you read P. L. Travers original novel,
Mary Poppins? Are you familiar with the story behind the making the film? Do you agree with the casting of Tom Hanks as Walt Disney? Tell me in the comments!

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