Write what you know.

Rating: 10/10 (17 May 2017)

Well,Mrs Travers certainly did that,basing her best known book "Mary Poppins" on her own somewhat fraught childhood. Having achieved that catharsis she had no wish to see her characters "Disneyfied" by a man whose only achievement as far as she could reckon was to have drawn a cartoon mouse and gotten very rich on it. Thus the contest began between this strong determinedly unimpressed Englishwoman and one of Hollywood's richest movie moguls for the "soul" if you like,of the world's favourite nanny. Well,we know of course that Mr Disney won her over eventually and ended up making possibly his best - ever film,and probably his most - loved. The "Mr Banks" in the title refers not only to Mr D.Tomlinson's character but that of her father,a gently alcoholic businessman in Australia on whom it was based. Miss E.Thompson is blindingly good as Miss Travers,charming yet steely right up to the end. Mr T.Hanks plays his usual good - humoured and slightly exasperated character,a turn he has made his own over the last 30 years. It's a sad and funny quite uplifting film - rather like "Mary Poppins" itself. Even if you haven't been to the pictures since 1964 when you sat down to watch Julie and Dick armed with a "Kia - Ora" and some popcorn I urge you to give it a go.