Saving Mr. Banks

And now for another film about movie history. This one is Saving Mr. Banks. Even if it's not 100 percent accurate, you'll still enjoy the results on-screen.

In 1906, Helen Lyndon Goff (Annie Rose Buckley) lived in Australia with her alcoholic, yet loving father Travers (Colin Farrell). By 1961, she's become P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson), forever identified as the creator of Mary Poppins. And no less than Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) wants the film rights to her story. He's been trying for twenty years to do this and with P.L. needing the cash, she finally agrees to visit him to give her input.

Her strict demands for the film drive the creative team up the wall. Everything from the animated scenes to the Sherman Brothers' eventual Oscar-winning music earns her direct criticism. Meanwhile, back in the past, Travers Goff, a failed banker, deteriorates and the strict Aunt Ellie (Rachel Griffiths) comes to help. Once he realizes her story is her story, Disney finally finds the way to get her to say yes.

Emma Thompson is what makes the movie great. As Travers, she 's uptight, often to a comical degree, yet we see she's been wounded by her past. It's delightful to see her finally hum along to "Let's go fly a kite," and it's scary to see her snap upon mention of cartoon penguins. One can easily understand why she'd be so protective of her story.

The other members of the cast also do well. As the Sherman Brothers, Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak are great scene-stealers. On a more serious note, Colin Farrell as Travers Goff is a sympathetic portrayal of a man whom one might not sympathize with. And as Disney himself, Tom Hanks brings out the best of the man's image as a warm mogul.

In real life, Travers was utterly displeased with the results of the finished film. But this film sugarcoats her reception to it a little bit. Saving Mr. Banks mixes comedy and drama quite well; it's so uplifting that one can forgive the liberties taken. If anything, it should hopefully renew interest in not just the 1964 film, but the original books as well.