A very touching film... but how true is it?

Rating: 7/10 (19 November 2013)

SAVING MR. BANKS
As soon as I saw the trailer for this movie, I knew I wanted to see it. I am a big Disney fan and love all the classic Disney animated movies. I also love some of the live action movies too, especially Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Mary Poppins.
This film is about a famous author named Pamela Travers. Pamela's biggest seller was the Mary Poppins novels. The film is centered around the period in her life when she stopped writing and Walt Disney kept contacting her about giving him the film rights to the book. Pamela was not interested and hated the idea of Walt bringing Mary to life as she hated his movies. She is not a fan of his animation. Finally her accountant talked her into flying to America to meet with Walt and maybe sign the rights over to him. She agrees on the condition that she has final say in ever decision that is made about the movie and characters and one of the stipulations was "No animation". Pam makes it very hard work for Walt and his team.
This is a drama about her American trip, but even more it is a drama about her childhood. The film makes it look like she was haunted by her past. Her relationship with her father who she adored and his troubles. The movie is very well made. It is very sad. Saving Mr. Banks is not a feel good movie. I left the cinema just feeling sorry for her even though her character is not very likable. You grow to really like her as the film goes on, but she really is a mean old woman. But I am thinking she was only mean because he is so attached to the character in her book that she does not want to let go or even give anyone else the chance to portray her. There are some very funny moments in the movie though. Some of the things she says and the way she acts towards Walt's' film makers was brilliant. Pam was a woman that took no mess. She knew what she wanted and had no problem saying what she thought. She has some fantastic comedy moments.
The film stars Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as Pamela Travers. The whole cast was brilliant. I thought Tom did a great job as Walt. He played with passion and conviction. The star of the movie for me though was Emma. I thought she should get top billing for this as her performance was by far the best. Her character was very believable and she played it to perfection. Colin Farrell played Pam's father. I am not a massive Colin Farrell fan, but I understand he is a good actor. He did a very good job in this too and for an Irish man he really can pull off an English accent well.
The film does drag on a little bit. There is far too many flashbacks for my liking. I know that we are learning about her childhood and the troubles her family had but it just felt that the first half of the film was stretched out a bit because of it. But it did help with the connection of the characters. I suppose the main problem I had with the movie was the ending. I have read up about Pamela Travers and from everything I have read, it turns out the ending of this film is not 100% accurate. I don't want to put spoilers in my reviews so I won't mention anything that happens, but I am just disappointed that they did not stick to the truth fully but then no bio pic ever does. I suppose that being made by Disney was also the reason for it they will not make themselves look bad. But anyone that knows anything about Disney knows that they have had a very controversial past but this does not take away my memories of watching their cartoons as a kid and adult and loving every second of them. They know how to make a decent family movie and I love them all the same.
My favourite part of the movie was the credits. As you watch the film you see the Pam told Walt that she will only help them with the film as long as every meeting was taped. During the credits, you can hear one of the recordings from the meeting. It was awesome watching a movie about this woman and seeing the hell she puts these guys through, and then to hear the real recording at the end of the film. It was a brilliant touch by Disney and really nice to hear it it was also topped off by the photos that they showed of the real Pam Travers with the real Walt Disney too.
I will give this film 7 out of 10.
"Stop! Mary Poppins is not for sale! I won't have her turned into one of your silly cartoons."