Ethan Riley
Saving Mr. Banks is a 2013 biographical drama film directed by John Lee Hancock. The film stars Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers, the author of the Mary Poppins books. The film centres on the development of the 1964 film Mary Poppins and depicts the two weeks of meetings in 1961 during which Disney attempted to obtain the film rights to Travers' novels. While the film takes some creative liberties, it is largely based on a true story. This includes the portrayal of Travers' father, Travers Goff, who was an alcoholic, failed bank manager with a romantic imagination. The film also captures Travers' struggles with the script, particularly her issues with the portrayal of George Banks, who represented an idealized version of her father.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Walt Disney pursued the film rights to P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins stories | True |
| P.L. Travers despised Walt Disney's movies | True |
| P.L. Travers' father, Travers Goff, was an alcoholic, failed bank manager with a romantic imagination | True |
| P.L. Travers signed over the rights to Mary Poppins before her 1961 trip to Los Angeles | True |
| P.L. Travers hated the script and was pedantic | True |
| P.L. Travers took issue with the script's portrayal of George Banks, who represented her father | True |
| P.L. Travers left Los Angeles suddenly after learning about plans for animated penguins | False |
| P.L. Travers cried at the Mary Poppins premiere | True |
| P.L. Travers was bisexual and raised a child | True |
| P.L. Travers' Aunt Ellie carried a carpet bag and inspired the character of Mary Poppins | True |
| P.L. Travers' great-aunt Helen Morehead was the model for Mary Poppins | True |
| Walt Disney took P.L. Travers to Disneyland | False |
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What You'll Learn
The film's portrayal of P.L. Travers' father is overly positive
The film Saving Mr. Banks portrays P.L. Travers' father, Travers Robert Goff, in a positive light, depicting him as a loving and supportive father figure. While it is true that Goff played an important role in Travers' life and was the inspiration for the character of Mr. Banks in the Mary Poppins books, the film's portrayal of their relationship may be somewhat idealized. In reality, their relationship was complex and had its difficulties.
In the film, Goff is shown as a caring and playful father who encourages his daughter's imagination and creativity. He is portrayed as a loving and supportive presence in her life, always ready to listen and offer advice. One of the most memorable scenes in the film depicts a young Travers going on imaginary adventures with her father, flying a kite and having picnics by the river. This depiction of their relationship as close and affectionate may be an accurate reflection of Travers' own fond memories of her father.
However, the film largely skips over the more challenging aspects of their relationship. In reality, Goff struggled with alcoholism and financial instability, which likely had a significant impact on Travers' life and may have contributed to a sense of instability and uncertainty in her childhood. While the film does briefly allude to these issues, it does not fully explore their potential impact on Travers or the complex emotions she may have felt towards her father as a result.
Another way in which the film's portrayal of Goff may be considered overly positive is in its omission of certain events that occurred later in life. For example, it does not mention that Goff eventually moved to Australia, leaving Travers and her mother behind in England. This separation may have been difficult for Travers and could have impacted her feelings towards her father, yet the film presents their relationship as consistently close and harmonious.
Additionally, while the film suggests that Goff was the main inspiration for the character of Mr. Banks, it may oversimplify the matter. In reality, Travers likely drew on a range of influences and experiences when creating the character, and Mr. Banks may represent an idealized version of the kind of father figure she wished for, rather than a direct reflection of her own father.
In conclusion, while Saving Mr. Banks captures the importance of Travers' father in her life and the inspiration he provided for her work, it may offer a somewhat sanitized version of their relationship. By downplaying the challenges and complexities they faced, the film presents a more positive and sentimental portrayal of Goff than may have been the case in reality. Nonetheless, it is understandable that the film chose to focus on the loving and supportive aspects of their relationship, reflecting the power of positive memories and the enduring impact of a parent's influence.
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Walt Disney really pursued film rights for 20 years
The 2013 biographical drama film Saving Mr Banks depicts the story behind the making of Disney's Mary Poppins. The film is based on the true story of Walt Disney's 20-year pursuit of the film rights to P.L. Travers' Mary Poppins stories.
Walt Disney promised his daughters that he would turn their favourite book, Mary Poppins, into a movie. However, he had no idea that it would take him two decades to obtain the rights from a sceptical P.L. Travers. Disney courted Travers for 20 years via letters and phone calls, and she finally agreed to meet with him in California. It then took two weeks for Disney and his team to convince Travers to allow them to adapt her beloved book.
The film portrays the author's tragic childhood in rural Queensland in 1906 and the two weeks of meetings in 1961 in Los Angeles, during which Disney attempted to obtain the film rights to her novels. It also depicts Travers' Aunt Ellie, who comes to help the family when her father becomes terminally ill and serves as the model for Mary Poppins. The film shows Travers typing her next story for a book in 1964, titled Mary Poppins in the Kitchen; the book was actually published in 1975.
While the film takes some creative liberties, it captures the spirit of the people and events involved in the making of Mary Poppins. For example, it portrays Travers' struggles with the script's portrayal of George Banks, who represented an idealized version of her father. The film also accurately depicts Travers' dislike of Disney's earlier films, such as Pinocchio and Bambi, and her negative review of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
The film was produced by Disney and stars Tom Hanks as Walt Disney himself, which may have influenced the narrative to make viewers root for Disney. The real P.L. Travers was reportedly unhappy with the final film, particularly the animation sequences, and felt that she had lost creative control.
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Travers did not leave LA in a huff over penguins
The 2013 biographical drama film Saving Mr. Banks is based on a true story. It centres on the development of the 1964 film Mary Poppins and depicts the author P. L. Travers' tragic childhood in rural Queensland in 1906. The film also shows the two weeks of meetings in 1961 in Los Angeles, during which Walt Disney tried to obtain the film rights to her novels.
While the film does capture the spirit of the people and the events, some specifics are not entirely accurate. For instance, the film portrays Travers as leaving Los Angeles suddenly after learning about plans for animated penguins to be included in the film. However, in reality, Travers did not leave Los Angeles in a huff over penguins. By 1961, she had already signed away the film rights and agreed to a treatment for the movie. The 1961 trip was for Travers to review the treatment prepared by Disney's writers.
Although Travers did dislike the idea of animated penguins, this was not the sole reason for her dissatisfaction with the film adaptation. She had issues with various aspects of the script, from specific word choices to broader tonal concerns. Travers was particularly concerned about the portrayal of George Banks, who represented an idealized version of her father. She also disapproved of the character of Mary being portrayed as too pretty and lacking the harsher aspects of her personality from the book.
The film also takes some creative liberties with the character of Travers' father, Travers Goff. While it accurately portrays him as an alcoholic and failed bank manager with a romantic imagination, it paints him in a more positive light than he may have been in reality. Additionally, the film omits certain aspects of Travers' life, such as her raising a child and being bisexual.
In conclusion, while Saving Mr. Banks is based on a true story, it includes some creative liberties and deviations from the facts. The specifics of Travers' objections to the film adaptation and her reasons for leaving Los Angeles may have been simplified or altered for narrative purposes.
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The film omits parts of Travers' life, like raising a child
The 2013 biographical drama film Saving Mr. Banks is based on a true story. The film depicts the author P.L. Travers' tragic childhood in rural Queensland in 1906 and her collaboration with Walt Disney on the movie adaptation of her beloved children's book, an adaptation she was initially reluctant to agree to. The film also portrays the two weeks of meetings in 1961 in Los Angeles, during which Disney attempted to obtain the film rights to her novels.
However, the film omits certain parts of Travers' life, including her romantic relationships. While the movie portrays Travers as an uptight old maid, she had robust romantic relationships with male and female partners in real life. Additionally, the film does not mention that Travers had a child, whom she gave up for adoption. In reality, Travers had a son, Camillus, whom she placed in an orphanage when he was only a few months old.
Another aspect that the film glosses over is Travers' relationship with her father, Travers Goff. While the movie portrays him as a loving but self-destructive man, the reality was more complex. Travers Goff was an alcoholic and a failed bank manager, and his relationship with his daughter was strained. Travers herself acknowledged that Mr. Banks in her story was partially inspired by her father, but she downplayed the extent to which her childhood influenced her writing.
The film also simplifies the creative differences between Travers and Disney. In reality, Travers had script approval but not film editing rights, which led to her disappointment with the final product. Travers was particularly appalled by the animated scenes and the portrayal of Mary Poppins as too pretty, lacking the harsher aspects of her character from the book.
Saving Mr. Banks provides a glimpse into the true story behind the making of Disney's Mary Poppins, but it is important to recognize that some aspects of Travers' life and the creative process have been omitted or simplified for the film.
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The film's amicable chauffeur Ralph never existed
The 2013 biographical drama film Saving Mr. Banks is based on the development of the 1964 film Mary Poppins. It centres on the author of the Mary Poppins stories, P.L. Travers, and her meetings with Walt Disney, who pursued the film rights to her stories for 20 years. The film also depicts Travers' tragic childhood in rural Queensland in 1906.
The film's amicable chauffeur Ralph, played by Paul Giamatti, never existed. He was an invention of screenwriter Kelly Marcel. In reality, Storyman Bill Dover was Mrs. Travers' babysitter.
The film also takes other dramatic liberties. For example, it paints Travers' father, Travers Goff, in a more positive light than he was in reality. Although the basics are correct—that Goff was an alcoholic, failed bank manager with a romantic imagination—the film does not capture the full extent of his flaws. Additionally, the film portrays Travers as having saved her mother from drowning, when in reality, her mother survived and returned home that evening. The film also omits the fact that Travers raised a child and was bisexual.
Despite these inaccuracies, some critics have praised the film for its attention to detail, such as the inclusion of Travers' original recordings. It was also commercially successful, grossing over $117 million at the worldwide box office.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes and no. The film is based on a true story and includes some factual events, but it takes creative liberties and deviates from the truth in several ways.
Yes, this is true. Disney spent two decades trying to persuade Travers to sell him the rights to her book.
Yes, she did. Travers despised Disney's films, particularly his earlier works such as Pinocchio and Bambi. She even wrote a scathing review of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Yes, Travers' father, Travers Goff, was an alcoholic. The film portrays him a little more positively than he was in reality, but the basics of his character are correct.
