FYI, this flick is a MAJOR tearjerker. To the point where I
felt the filmmaker was an actual jerk for making me sob so embarrassingly much
while watching the movie, and hoping the lights would stay low long enough for
me to brush the away the river streaming down my face and for my eyes to cease
swelling. That said, it is super good!
Synopsys: The story of the making of Mary Poppins! How
delightful, yes? Until the back-story behind PL Travers is revealed through
flashbacks (about half the film), and we learn about her difficult upbringing
in early 1900’s frontier Australia. Her alcoholic dreamer of a father (they are
the best!), a bank manager (wink wink to the title of the film/ father
character in Poppins) continually chooses whiskey over a days work, and as a
result loses job after job. P.L (real name: Helen) LOVES her daddy, a whimsical
storyteller who drills into her the importance of imagination and the evils of
money. This makes it difficult for PL to sell the rights to Disney, who has
been after her for 20 years to make a picture based on her books. Spoiler
alert: She eventually gives Disney the rights and Mary Poppins becomes one of
the most beloved films of all time.
Review: Delightful! How fun to see the whole Disney 60’s
thing on screen. We meet the songwriters working on Mary Poppins (Jonathan
Schwartzman, who is quite fun, and BJ Novak, who was super distracting. I just
kept wondering when Kelly Kapur was going to call him) and the lead scriptwriter,
played by an electric Bradley Whitford. It is a delight to watch the creative
team attempt to please Mrs. Travers, who, much like the current Congress, says
“No” to every element suggested. Songs? NO! Romance between Burt and Mary? NO!
Animated penguins? HELL NO!
Finally, Walt Disney, portrayed by Tom Hanks as the daddy everyone
would ever want, convinces Mrs. Travers that all her hell raising has little to
do with what Disney studios is doing to the story, but about her ability to
forgive herself for not being able to save her daddy (“Mr. Banks) from the
drink. SOB SOB SOB. Even my own pa said “it got to me!”
Among the subplots is one with Paul Giamatti, as the
saccharine sweet limo driver assigned to Travers, who always smiles and talks
about the weather. Naturally, the two, who begin as foes, end as friends. Given
the fascist tendencies of the real Disney, I doubt this driver existed in real
life, but then again, what would a Disney production be without a little magic?
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