SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

ClassyWas Excellent, smart action film.

ScoobyMint Disappointment for a huge fan!

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

ianlouisiana 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.

Kingslaay Many of us consider Marry Poppins a classic, one that has endured and still entertains audiences today. Saving Mr Banks takes an interesting look at the author behind Mary Poppins and the film adaption. Not many would be familiar with the background and difficult personality of the author. We also learn the inspiration behind the timeless classic. The film excels in getting you to dislike and maybe even hate Emma Thompson's character, P. L. Travers. She is disagreeable, stubborn and peculiar. Even though she is in need of income to save her home she is not willing to make a deal until all her demands are met. One important demand is the absence of animation which is central to many Disney films. Over the course of the film she warms up to the writers and Walt Disney who write the songs that we all know and love. When she cancels the deal and flies back to the U.K. she is visited again by none other than Walt Disney. We learn that her hopes for the film as in the books were not to save the children but their father which fictitiously based on her father. Mary Poppins was the nanny who saved everything that her real nanny or aunt could not do in her life. She lost her father as shown in her flashbacks. The real reason behind this classic creation endears her to the audience as we are told Mr Banks will be not just be saved he will be honored. While Mary Poppins brought joy to many to many children's lives the author also sought to bring joy and solace to her inner child and fathers memory. Excellent acting from Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Thompson who deliver star performances.

xxharrison Disney and Poppins were part of my childhood, to be sure. Doesn't mean I want to go back there, but this was a pleasant excursion. Thompson and Hanks are perfect as the leads. Interesting that two characters who, these days, garner mixed reviews are so sympathetically rendered, but in a real way. At the centre of this, Mary Poppins is retold from the perspectives of its creator, the scriptwriters and musicians who had to work with her (tough work) and Disney himself. Real life, real and imagined pasts and the world of Poppins are successfully intertwined. Ultimately, this is a film which knows what film-making is about, communicating a real story in a creative, entertaining and ultimately moving way.

Mark M This movie was just so gorgeous, gentle and sweet my family loved it. The outback Australia was not quiet right with the palm trees but the costumes perfect. This appealed to me as a dad having two daughters when Walt made a promise to his girls about the story even if it took him 20 years to convince PL Travers. Emma Thompson is the glue and her performance is real, strong and brilliant. This is so much more than an extension of the story of Mary Poppins - being tender and kind.A movie for the entire family, very sad in parts and PL Travers life is rough and hard with both her parents having mental problems.As always Tom Hanks is the gentleman and true Movie Star we all love. Do yourself a favour and add this film to your home collection. A+