Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson at the top of their game

Rating: 7/10 (2 January 2016)

A rather curious idea for a movie. This is all about the making of the Mary Poppins film, and more particularly the love-hate relationship between Walt Disney and PL Travers (the author of Mary Poppins).
Disney and Travers are played by Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson, and thank goodness they got hold of such great actors because the best scenes are where these two are interacting.
It's a classic personality clash between Disney the populist entertainer and Travers the stuck-up British 'serious author'. But of course the point of the film is that really they are very alike - they both want to make the world a better place.
It's an entertaining journey. Walt Disney is supported by a crew of three men who are the main creative force behind the Mary Poppins film. They provide some fascinating insights into how the songs were created. And yes I found myself singing along.
Finally, there's the subplot. Travers has repeated flashbacks to her childhood and memories of her drunkard (but well-meaning) father. I found this sat oddly with the rest of the movie (and even bored me) although I understand the point they were trying to make about how Travers became the way she is.