It's been in the theaters for a while now, but this past weekend was my first opportunity to see "Saving Mr. Banks."If you haven't seen it yet, go.
The film depicts the struggle Walt Disney had over 20 years to secure the rights to the eight book series of P.L. Travers centered on the character of Mary Poppins.
I vaguely knew the movie was based on a book, but the back story depicted is fascinating as the author fights for the authenticity of her book and it's characters that are so precious to her.
It presents some insight into Disney, too. Tom Hanks does an excellent job bringing the Missourian to life on screen with a mix of bombast and humility.
Emma Thompson plays the author and we see her struggles with the integrity of the book and the family within it's pages. It's like watching a spring after a cold winter.
Paul Giamatti plays her limo driver and a quintessential American. He becomes the writer's only American friend.
Interesting to me was this movie was only possible because Travers wouldn't allow any more adaptions of works for the big screen, she was that unhappy with the animation included in the 1964 production to not allow Disney or anyone else the chance to put her work on film.
It created in me more appreciation for the movie to see behind the umbrella and chimney sweeps at a deep story of love, tragedy, and redemption.
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