Jack Goes Confidential: ‘SAVING MR. BANKS’—Folksy Walt Disney vs Frosty P.L. Banks

There really has never been a movie about the legacy of Walt Disney…

SAVING MR. BANKS finally fills that void.

After all, Disney was the real life man who created what evolved into one of the most successful entertainment conglomerates in the world.

Mickey Mouse, amusement parks, the ABC Television Network, family cable channels, ESPN, the Disney Cruise Line—you get the picture.

Well, now the very company Walt founded has come up with a fascinating screenplay that gives us an insight into the persona of the man BEHIND the empire. SAVING MR. BANKS explores Disney’s struggle to persuade author P.L. Travers to allow his studio to adapt her beloved Mary Poppins to the big screen.

Not an easy task.

Travers was a cold, British intellectual who finally agreed to head to Hollywood to meet Disney on his own turf, but things didn’t go well.

Seems the only aspect of a possible film version of Mary Poppins Travers hated even more than the Sherman brothers proposed musical score was the possibility of Disney sticking animated characters into the movie.

But money troubles finally brought Travers to her senses. Not to mention a persuasive personal London visit by Disney himself.

Why was Travers such a cold fish?

That’s told in the film’s moving back story in which Colin Ferrel plays her father. It periodically cuts into the main story throughout the film’s 2 hours and 5 minutes running time.

A charming and fascinating look into the early days of the Mouse House and the film that would become one of Disney’s best screen achievements ever.

Tom Hanks as friendly uncle Walt nails him. Even though we’re only exposed to but one brief scene depicting the Disney’s nasty chain smoking habit.

As for Ms. P.L. Travers, Emma Thompson turns in another fabulous performance that had many in our screening audience in Kleenex mode. Thompson’s Best Actress (Drama) nomination in the current Golden Globe race will surely be a precursor for a coming Oscar nomination on January 16th.

Just a spoonful of sugar makes this the most delightful holiday film for the entire family.

SAVING MR. BANKS grades a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious B

(Reviewed at AMC Town Center)

JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday mornings with E.J. and Ellen on NewsRadio KMBZ, 98.1 FM