Review: Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Cast: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley
Director: John Lee Hancock
Country: USA | UK | Australia
Genre: Biography | Drama | Family | History
Official Trailer: Here

Editor’s Notes: Saving Mr. Banks opens wide December 13th. For an additional perspective, please read Laura’s review (90/100).

Receiving its world premiere at the 2013 London Film Festival, Saving Mr Banks tells the heartwarmingly affectionate tale of the long road to Mary Poppins: The Film. Featuring a rich and talented ensemble, the two leads have been snapped up by a pair of actors that hold two Academy Awards apiece; Tom Hanks as the charismatic Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as the aloof P.L Travers, Thompson in particular, deliver career-defining roles in John Lee Hancock’s homage to the studio’s heritage, a director that has successfully weaved a delicately nuanced and tender story that gently exposes the harsh truth that perhaps fairy tales are indeed only make believe. Though the film suffers slightly at the hands of its editors, Saving Mr Banks remains a wonderfully ambitious and continually enjoyable achievement in filmmaking, as well as a fine addition to the Walt Disney back-catalogue.

Though the film suffers slightly at the hands of its editors, Saving Mr Banks remains a wonderfully ambitious and continually enjoyable achievement in filmmaking, as well as a fine addition to the Walt Disney back-catalogue.

After initially contacting Pamela Travers twenty years prior with intent to purchase the rights of her novel, Mary Poppins, Walt Disney finally convinces the begrudging author to board a flight to Los Angeles in 1961 to discuss the prospect of translating her beloved novel to the screen. Originally fearing what a less than reputable Hollywood would do to her beloved fictional characters, Travers insists on script-approval rights and thus, the journey for mutual agreement begins. Stubborn and uncooperative, Travers is Disney’s biggest challenge yet; her reluctance holds strong in the face of being lavished with complimentary tokens of his. He fails to understand the personal significance that the book holds for Travers and, as time goes on, comes to realise that the answer to Travers’ unwillingness and hesitancy lays in her painful but rarely revealed past.

Tom Hanks disappears into his role as the legendary persona, altering his body position, mannerisms and manner of speaking significantly to deliver a truly believable depiction of Walt Disney. His warm and likeable demeanor juxtaposed against Thompson’s aloof, unapproachable Travers singularly illustrates the uphill battle that the film’s production repeatedly was. At certain intervals during Saving Mr Banks, the conception of Mary Poppins: The Film seems inconceivably unlikely; but of course, the film is told retrospectively – the audience is well aware that Mary Poppins was made and this prior knowledge adds an air of mysticism to the film that only increases the enthrallment evoked during Saving Mr Banks.

Although embodying the typical three-act structure of a film, the narrative of Saving Mr Banks jumps liberally from plot to subplot, the subplot of course being to Travers’ troubled past. On paper, this idea would appear to work well and seem intelligent story-telling; however, this tricky method of story-telling requires a dab-hand in the editing room that was gapingly absent - the execution of this ambitious undertaking is ham-fisted and clumsy, transforming the narrative into a pile of jumbled incoherency. This is purely down to questionable editing, rather than Hancock himself; the direction of the scenes of both past and present in the film ooze finesse and are paced wonderfully as the film reaches its gradual peak, but the choppy editing ruins this magical effect. The plot changes to the subplot almost at random to make Saving Mr Banks a jolty and, at times, uncomfortable ride.

The film’s silver lining lies with the superb musical accompaniment, composed by American Beauty’s Thomas Newman. Jazzy and upbeat in the scenes of 1960s glam and Walt Disney’s merriment; suitably heart-touching and positively aching in the hard scenes of Traver’s past.

The film’s silver lining lies with the superb musical accompaniment, composed by American Beauty’s Thomas Newman. Jazzy and upbeat in the scenes of 1960s glam and Walt Disney’s merriment; suitably heart-touching and positively aching in the hard scenes of Traver’s past. Newman has injected Saving Mr Banks an aura of grandiosity and sophistication, a contribution that will certainly garner him a nod from the Academy come 2014. His ever-present natural flair and personal flourish enrich and improve Saving Mr Banks to a surprising extent.

Saving Mr Banks is a wholesome and fulfilling cinematic journey that has meticulously seen to every detail of the genuine story in order to deliver as authentic a depiction as possible. Though it may appear that Emma Thompson is exaggerating her complex character’s stubborn non-compliancy, stay during the credits to hear the tapes of the original P.L Travers – and just how difficult she really was! To add to Thompson’s will be-award winning deliverance, the film is chock-full with numerous fine performances – Jason Scwartzman and Colin Farrell also deserve a special mention – and solid direction that enrich and augment Saving Mr Banks. Had it not suffered from a substantial editorial flaw, the film just might tick all the boxes. But even so, no spoonful of sugar is needed with this Disney swig – it goes down just fine as it is.

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Zoe De Pasquale

Staff Film Critic

Having been raised on a steady diet of 'Star Wars' and 'The Lord of the Rings', I learned from a very young age that film was a form of escapism, as well as entertainment. I see film as a true form of art, not only because it evokes emotions within a person, but it allows people to learn something about themselves merely by watching. My love for film is intrinsic to who I am and teaches me new things everyday.

Latest posts by Zoe De Pasquale (see all)

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