Clash of the Storytellers: a review of Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks”

The Christmas season is here and whether you like it or not, your family is going to want to watch a movie. Fortunately for you, there are many movies out there…especially ones from Disney like “Frozen” for your kids (and most likely you, too!) and a new movie due out tomorrow that will probably be the dark horse in your list of good movies this year.

As we’ve told you over the course of the year, “Saving Mr. Banks” is a biopic that will tell the untold story behind the making of what was Walt Disney’s favorite out of all his movies during his lifetime “Mary Poppins”. Why was it is favorite? He saw a good story and wanted to tell it. Things hit a snag when trying to get the rights to make the movie from author P.L. Travers who wanted her book and characters to tell her story and her story only. When you put two passionate storytellers together to try and tell each other’s stories, you get the dramatic turn of events that get played out on screen by Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, and a great ensemble cast.

Although the making of the movie was anything but “practically perfect in every way”, what happened over the course of two weeks in 1961 changed the course of Disney history and movie history forever and “Saving Mr. Banks” hopes that you’ll appreciate that even more so from opening scene to closing credits. Your Christmas might just call for a spoonful of sugar afterwards…

You can read our SPOILER-FREE review of the film HERE. “Saving Mr. Banks” will open everywhere TOMORROW, December 20.

– – –

SPOILER ALERT (Don’t read the comments – you have been warned!)

Have you seen the film yet? What did you think about it? Did it give you greater appreciation for an already classic film? What were its memorable parts? Where do you think it could have been improved (if anything at all)? Let us know in the comments!