Freeview film of the day: Saving Mr Banks
As this Hollywood fable reveals, it took Walt Disney a lot more than just a spoonful of sugar to get Mary Poppins to the screen
- Barry Norman
Published: Sunday, 30 April 2017 at 11:01 pm
Saving Mr Banks ★★★★★
8.30-10.30pm BBC1
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Two stories in one here. First, the saga of Walt Disney’s (Tom Hanks) 20-year struggle to fulfil a promise to his daughters to make a film of Mary Poppins. And second, author PL Travers’s (Emma Thompson) determination to ensure that Mr Banks, head of the family to which Poppins pops in, is properly and respectfully portrayed in the movie. Because Banks was inspired by her late, beloved and alcoholic father (Colin Farrell). She has reluctantly agreed to let the film go ahead only because she is short of cash, and with equal reluctance she goes to Hollywood at Disney’s invitation to discuss the production. The story centres on the relationship between these two oddly matched characters – lovable old Uncle Walt (which I’m not sure he was) and the acerbic Travers, who is totally underwhelmed by La La Land. Fine performances by both stars.
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Authors
Barry Norman
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