Back in 1964, Walt Disney charmed audiences with his delightful family musical Mary Poppins, a film that has since become much-loved by many generations. However the story behind the famous nanny wasn’t all that it seemed as the new biopic ‘Saving Mr Banks’ shows. Helmed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side) and featuring a stylish cast which includes British actress Emma Thompson (Howard’ End, Love Actually) and the in-form Tom Hanks (fresh from his devastating turn in Captain Phillips), this colourful tale will hope to be a chim-chimney experience for all as the end of this cinematic year draws to a close….

SYNOPSIS: In 1961, uptight author P.L Travers (Thompson) makes the journey to Los Angeles to meet entrepreneur Walt Disney about adapting her novel Mary Poppins onto the big-screen. However she is left appalled by his plans to turn the story into a family musical and ends up objecting to other ideas made by the production crew ranging from the inclusion of animated penguins to whether Mr Banks should have a mustache. As Disney and his people try to work out why she is so against the changes, Travers reflects on her troubled childhood in 1906 Australia which not only explores the complex relationship she had with her alcoholic father (Farrell) but also of the woman who inspired her fictional nanny. Disney knows that he must try to convince Travers to overcome her traumatic childhood and allow him to bring her vision to cinematic life.

As he achieved with The Blind Side (2009), director John Lee Hancock repeats the inspiring and heartfelt theme of that film with his brilliant take on P.L Travers’ back-story. Aided by the charming and emotional script from female screenwriters Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith, the film strikes the perfect balance between light-hearted humour and dramatic depth as we are taken back and forth to 1906 Australia and 1960s Los Angeles. With the present day sequences, you have the stubborn Travers refusing to allow her beloved book to be ruined on screen by Disney which is made evident early on when she shows disdain at the sight of numerous Disney toys being left in her hotel room. However her main gripe is with the long-suffering production team who try hard to present their take on Poppins as a film only to be shot down by her criticism as she refuses to allow big changes to be made. It actually makes for humourous viewing as we see this woman be so negative about some of the new changes that would be later supported by fans of the novel such as the much-ridiculed casting of Dick Van Dyke as Bert. Nevertheless we know that something is bothering ‘Pam’ which then enables the film to take us back to her childhood, which it turned out was a difficult period for her as she would endure the heartbreak of watching her father drink himself to death. Like a puzzle, the story is pieced together, bit by bit and we learn that her devoted love for her father is what lies at the heart of her magical masterpiece. But even with these flashbacks, it’s nice to see little moments that would later inspire the Poppins film such as Traver’s Aunt taking numerous objects out of her bag. What Hancock also does well with is his handing of the film’s setting as his production crew work tirelessly hard in recreating the classical Hollywood era through Daniel Orlandi’s exceptional costume design which works wonderfully in recapturing that magical era. Just as dynamic is the delightful score from Thomas Newman as he combines his tender musical traits with the classic songs from Poppins which works effectively in the scenes that involve “Feed the Birds”, “A British Bank” and “Let’s Go Fly a Kite”. The usage of the latter song provides the most joy for audiences as Travers puts aside her stubbornness to belt out the song with the Sherman brothers. A real crowd-pleasing moment! Hancock also deserves great plaudits for assembling his marvellous cast to perfection with Emma Thompson leading from the front. Having been somewhat quiet in recent years, the British actress produces the right level of emotion with her take on Travers. Her portrayal of a grouchy woman plagued by a troubled past is brilliantly executed as she also delivers in capturing the author’s mannerisms. Supporting her with great precision is Tom Hanks as he delivers a charismatic and immaculate performance as one of the most famous people of all time. It only seems fitting that one American icon should be played by another which is why the role has never become utilised in a mainstream film until now. Both stars are wonderfully backed up by the supporting players with Bradley Whitford, BJ Novak and Jason Schwartzman operating effectively in their scenes in the production room. Paul Giamatti provides personal compassion as Travers’ chauffeur while Colin Farrell gives an understated and sensitive performance as the alcoholic-suffering father who inspires the much-loved novel.

However the film does suffer from a couple of mis-steps which prevent it from being excellent. While it is very important to showcase the two different time periods, Hancock does make the awkward decision to simultaneously tell both stories alongside each other which affects the flow of the film as our mood changes constantly (an example being the following scene from the “Let’s Fly a Kite” sequence which leaves you a little depressed afterwards). Real-life historians also won’t appreciate the fact that it tries to sugarcoat Disney especially when Travers really despised the final cut. But given that the company produced this project, there was never going to be any negativity towards their beloved studio!

VERDICT: While it just falls short of being practically perfect in every way, Saving Mr Banks remains a supercalifragilistic joy to watch. By doing so, it allows us to revisit old memories thanks to its affectionate story and the majestic performances of Messrs Thompson and Hanks.