Is Mary Poppins one of your favorite childhood films?
This past weekend I had the pleasure of viewing the movie, “Saving Mr. Banks”. Today I’m excited to share with you my thoughts on this film. Reviewing this film as a mom and Disney Enthusiast, I’m simply telling you my opinions of the movie. I am in no way affiliated with The Walt Disney Company. Having said that, on with my review!
My Thoughts as a Mom
As a mom of two small children, I wouldn’t suggest taking young children to see “Saving Mr. Banks”. Yes, it’s a Disney movie, and there wasn’t a thing that was inappropriate for them to see; however they would find it extremely boring. It’s not a kid’s film, nor will a young child fully comprehend what is going on in the movie. This is a film that you leave the kids with a sitter and enjoy a couple of hours going back in time to an era where Walt Disney walked the streets of his Burbank studio.
My Thoughts as a Disney Enthusiast
As a Disney Enthusiast, I couldn’t adore this movie more and I assure you, that if you too are a Disney “File”, you will leave the movie theatre with a tear in your eye. I relished every single moment in the film. Often when I “review” a film I try to disclose very little about the film’s plot and focus on reviewing the movie as a whole. When going to see a movie I like to discover it on my own, not enter a theatre with the entire storyline already lodged in my memory and I assume you share in my sentiments. However, in this review I’m going to share some details of the movie, as its required in explaining my thoughts on the film.
Before seeing “Saving Mr. Banks”, I expected to watch a film about the creation of Disney’s classic movie, Mary Poppins. In actuality, the film has very little to do with Julie Andrews, set designs, and the physical filming of the magical nanny story. In contrast, it tells the story of how the creation of P.L. Travers’ character Mary Poppins came to be, allowing viewers to see the heart and soul behind the creation of her classic story. It’s a beautiful, yet heart wrenching story that will give you an understanding of Mrs. Travers, who’s portrayed by Emma Thompson. In addition, “Saving Mr. Banks” gives us a bird’s-eye view of the often hysterical, yet most definitely stressful, process the Sherman brothers and Walt Disney endured to fulfill their dream of bringing Mary Poppins to life on the big screen.
“Saving Mr. Banks” is filled with fantastic sets that transport you back to both Australia in the 1900’s and Southern California in the 1960’s, complete with a trip to Disneyland! Director, John Lee Hancock gives worldwide Disney fans a wonderful gift in this film. From Walt’s mannerism’s, to the color palates chosen for the film’s 1900’s and 1960’s scenes, and even the vintage character plush, Hancock’s dedication to keep his audience submerged in the movie is apparent in each small detail.
Being a die-hard Disney fan, it was hard for me to imagine anyone playing Walt Disney in a film. Tom Hanks did a wonderful job; however, “Saving Mr. Banks” is not directly about Walt Disney. Walt’s part in this beautifully orchestrated telling of the brilliantly made musical, Mary Poppins, pulls the movie together with his iconic words of wisdom. He speaks of letting go of the past, the important role storytelling has in all of our lives and of course, always fulfilling a promise. I could share more but I’d like you to discover this heaping “spoon full of sugar” and its many lessons on life for yourself.
